Is cold plunging worth it? Famous celebrities and influencers are embracing the icy plunge craze, as ice baths have been scientifically proven to be a healthy workout for combating mental fatigue and energy depletion.
Athletes have used cold water immersion or ice baths as a regular form of exercise to recover from intense training and stress.
Is cold plunging worth it?
More people are trying this workout to relieve stress and lack of routine productivity.
The viral trend of cold plunging is being done by top celebrities and influencers, immersing themselves in the icy waters.
“It’s 8 in the morning. The pool is 58 degrees. Oooo baby,” actress Kristen Bell said in a post.
“I can’t feel my feet or my hands,” actor Zac Efron said in another post.
Cold is all the craze and it’s a trend sweeping the country.
“You have mental resilience at your fingertips. You have productivity, your focus, you have just like this euphoric sensation,” Shinjini Sur said.
“You get a bunch of energy,” Shelby Doner said.
“I definitely get this rush of, like, adrenaline and serotonin and dopamine,” Erin Stanczyk said.
On the other hand, there are certain potential hazards associated with the chilly workout.
According to Professor Mike Tipton of the Extreme Environments Lab, extreme cold and heat have a substantial impact on the human body.
“We do have some hypotheses as to how cold could work. Until the properly controlled studies are done, we can’t be sure,” Tipton said.
However, Tipton said overcoming the challenge of cold-water immersion may have some benefits.
“Cold water immersion evokes a fight or flight response,” Tipton said, “and part of that response is to release the stress hormones. So, absolutely, going into cold water and having a sudden fall in skin temperature and part of that cold shock response is going to wake you up.”
Although, he said there are potentially dangerous responses in the first 30 seconds.
Cold water sucks heat away five times faster than cold air. Skin temperature falls rapidly, causing an uncontrollable gasp. Hyperventilation stops blood flowing to the skin and increases blood pressure. This is known as the “cold shock response.”
“That cold shock response accounts for about 60 of people who die going into cold water,” Tipton said. “That’s particularly hazardous if you’re hypertensive if you’ve got an aneurysm [or] cardiovascular disease.”
Cold plunging, which should not continue more than 10 minutes, is especially dangerous to the hands and feet.
Water should not be colder than 59 degrees, according to experts.
People with medical issues should see their doctor before going cold-plunging.
Ice bath to end the night 🥶
Friendly reminder to do things that make you uncomfortable 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/0A2MGwjarM
— JAPE 🌱 (@jthecyclist) August 9, 2023
