Is a polar plunge in your future? Many hotels offer a cold plunge as part of the spa experience, and certain northern cities like Seattle offer an outdoor open-air jump into frigid waters as an adventurous experience. But is it good for you? Are you reinvigorating your lymphatic system or opening yourself up to a heart attack? As NPR reports, the research is still very thin—as thin as our skin feels when we’re in the icy waters—but good information remains to be gleaned. Here are a few highlights:
Shivering works wonders on the body.
You can literally improve your insulin sensitivity to manage your blood sugar by shivering. Studies have shown that—but they’ve been based on cold air exposure, not cold water exposure. When our bodies shiver, it tends to provide better improvement than what you see with regular exercise. We got excited by that, too, but it doesn’t work for weight loss, (sob!) but can be helpful in treating Type 2 diabetes.
Cold water might be good for other health reasons.
The data isn’t 100 percent conclusive, but it seems that careful use of cold water immersion (i.e., avoiding hypothermia) can benefit immunity and avoid getting sick, arthritis, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease and others—maybe even including multiple sclerosis. Cold water is generally good for reducing inflammation, so athletes may find it helpful in reducing soreness but not for building muscle; it’s actually anti-useful. Finally, people report feeling better after a cold plunge, finding a euphoric release from anxiety and depression lasting for days.
Adrenaline surges are guaranteed!
Part of the allure of cold plunges is that you feel a surge of adrenaline, just as if you’d climbed onto a roller coaster. Dopamine increases, and you generally feel a sense of accomplishment for doing something your body wasn’t immediately interested in doing!
Beware of the dangers.
This might not be your best recreational choice if you have cardiovascular disease or any heart issues. And it’s not for pregnant women. Make sure not to stay in too long—more is not better—and to move around after you get out to move blood around. The concept is to get in, find a sense of calm, and then get out after a few minutes. Going more than once a week is probably not beneficial.
So, where can I cold plunge?
Seattle’s Puget Sound Plungers are featured in the NPR story. In New York, you can try the Spa Houses at the Aman New York hotel with year-round cold plunges, and in Bethesda, Maryland, you can go to the Hope Floats spa to try contrast therapy (hot and cold treatments, rotating from spa to cold plunge in cycles). In Redondo Beach, CA, the Be Spa offers a cold plunge experience while Float in Marlton, NJ, has an oversized plunge pool to make it easier to submerse yourself. Our favorite was at the Bless Hotel Ibiza, where the cold plunge was part of the spa’s water circuit, including hot water and hydromassage treatments.