Whether you’re just starting your ice bath journey or you’ve been practicing for years, there’s always something new to learn or try for the first time.
Although there’s no one perfect way to Plunge, there are some do’s and don’ts, and some recommendations worth noting. Let’s dive into some common questions to help you get more out of your time in the cold water.
What Do Ice Baths Do For You?
Ice baths provide an opportunity to submerge yourself in temperatures low enough to decrease your body temperature to a level that encourages various health benefits.
Are Ice Baths Good For You?
Ice baths are a form of cold therapy, which has a plethora of positive benefits for everyone. You can use ice baths to reduce inflammation, improve your skin, develop discipline, decrease stress, and more.
What Are The Benefits of Ice Baths?
Here are some of the benefits of ice baths:
- Immune system support
- Increase blood flow
- Reduce chronic pain
- Boost your metabolism
- Better sleep
- Boost in energy
- Elevate mood
- Practice discipline
- Increased resilience
- Lower inflammation
- Reduce muscle soreness
- Boost performance
- Skin health
- Potential fat loss
ICE BATH FUNDAMENTALS
How Do Ice Baths Work?
Ice baths work by lowering your body temperature for a short period of time, reducing swelling and inflammation in muscle tissue. The best benefits come from consistent use.
What Temperature Should an Ice Bath Be?
Anything below 60 degrees will benefit you. If you’re new to ice baths, don’t feel like you need to start at 40 degrees straight out of the gate. Ease your way into it, and focus first on developing a consistent practice of cold plunging while slowly decreasing the temperature over time.
How Should You Breath in an Ice Bath?
Your breath is your greatest asset and anchor. Working your way toward 5-8 breaths per minute is a good goal for activating your sympathetic nervous system. Inhaling through the nose is vital.
ICE BATH SAFETY
Are Ice Baths Dangerous?
While ice baths are safe for most people, there are a few things we recommend you keep in mind. If you have any medical concerns that could be affected by cold therapy, be sure to check with your doctor before plunging. When you finish your ice bath, allow your body to warm up gradually instead of attempting to immediately heat back up. Don’t allow the temperature of the ice bath to be painful in any way, and never go anywhere near 20 minutes.
How Long Should an Ice Bath Be?
The good news is, you don’t need to be in the cold for very long to get the benefits, and unless you’re using it specifically as a recovery tool, you don’t need to be in your ice bath longer than 5 minutes. Aim for an ice bath time of around 2-5 minutes maximum. Going longer doesn’t increase the benefits in a meaningful way in most cases, and can be detrimental.
Read about the differences between cold and hot therapy here.
GETTING STARTED WITH ICE BATHS
How to Create an Ice Bath Routine
One of the most powerful benefits to an ice bath routine is the development of resilience in your life. Proving daily to yourself that you can do hard things.
Here are a few recommendations for creating your ice bath routine:
- Start by committing to a schedule, whether that’s once a week or daily. Try to stick to the same day/time to form a predictable habit.
- Start with a consistent temperature. If you’re new to cold therapy, try 55-60 degrees to start.
- Set a timer beforehand so you can focus on your breathing, and not your watch.
- Before entering your ice bath, take a few intentional breaths, and then enter on an exhale.
- Focus on your breathing, and quiet your mind.
For specific cold plunge protocols, download our free guide.
How to Take an Ice Bath at Home
The best way to take an ice bath at home is using The Plunge. Our revolutionary Cold Plunge uses powerful cooling, filtration, and sanitation to give you cold, clean water whenever you want it, making it far superior to an ice bath or chest freezer. The Plunge is safe for indoor or outdoor use and we've made installation truly plug-and-plunge. Fill your Plunge up with a hose, turn it on, set your temp (down to 39F) and get ready to change your life!