The first time I ever tried a cold plunge was at a resort in Dominican Republic.
I had just finished a massage, and part of the spa experience was their baths, saunas, and a cold plunge.
Thankfully we had someone walking us through the process of rinsing off, doing a stone walk, getting into a pool and doing a water massage, followed by a sauna, and finally, the cold plunge pool.
There are many benefits to the extreme shock your body goes into when transitioning from hot to cold – so much so that Tony Robbins makes it a part of his daily routine – and we’ll dive into those benefits here.
But first I’ll finish my story…
When we got to the cold plunge pool after the sauna the woman leading me and my girlfriends through the process said:
“Do not dip your toe in to feel the water – just jump straight in.”
After the fact, I understood why.
How long should you stay in a cold plunge?
While the shock my entire body felt as I jumped into the plunge pool was unlike anything I’d ever experienced – I mean, it was COLD – it was a feeling I immediately wanted again.
My body felt relaxed – even cleansed – just from being in the cold water for 10 or 15 seconds.
I also felt insanely alert. Talk about a wake up call!
While 10 to 15 seconds may not sound like a long time, it’s a long time for your very first time.
But the amount of time you should stay in a cold plunge will increase the more you do it. What might start out as 10 to 15 seconds should increase each time you do it.
The typical length of time you’re supposed to stay in for maximum benefits is around 3 minutes, although there are different perspectives on the length of time recommended.
And just a disclaimer, I’m not a health expert. This is all stuff I’ve learned from the likes of Ben Greenfield, Tim Ferriss, and others who are health experts.
Cold plunge pool temperature
Cold plunges are typically around 10 degrees Celsius, or 50 degrees Fahrenheit. For perspective, your average hot tub or daily shower temp sits at about 38 – 40 degrees Celsius, or 100 – 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
Your average sauna? That has a bit of a wider range, from 65 – 90 degrees Celsius, or 150 – 195 degrees Fahrenheit.
What are the benefits?
I had heard about the benefits before from John, and from other health and wellness experts I follow. And since my first dip in Dominican Republic, I’ve taken many more, including at Tony Robbins’ Namale Resort in Fiji.
The benefits of a cold plunge are many, but in a nutshell (and without getting too technical about it) it will help with:
- Blood circulation
- Detoxification
- Reducing pain
- Burning calories (and fat)
- Relieving muscle spasms and
- It has even been proven to help with depression
You might even experience increased levels of productivity and better self control if you’re ready to make it a habit.
And the part is, it’s also something you can nearly replicate in your own shower.
So if you’re not quite ready to invest in an actual cold plunge pool (we chose PLUNGE and will share why later), no worries – just crank that lever to the COLD setting at the end of each shower. It’s not easy to actually choose to do this, but your body will thank you.
I could link to a million more articles that all list the reasons why this habit is so good for you, but I’ve already mentioned many of the benefits here.
Of course, hot and cold extremes aren’t right for every person, and since I’m not a doctor, you should probably consult yours before making this a part of your every day routine.
Why John and I chose a PLUNGE
Now that you know the MANY benefits, and you know that you can get started TODAY right in your own shower, I do want to share our top cold plunge recommendation if you are ready to invest in one for your own home.
John has done A LOT of research when it comes to finding the best cold plunge pool, and here are just a few reasons why we love PLUNGE (because we love it so much, we’re an affiliate partner, too):
- It filters itself – no wasting water or having to refill it
- It has a black light to keep clean – plus a cover to keep out unwanted debris
- It doesn’t require any plumbing, so you can put it anywhere inside – or outside – of your home!
So if you’re looking for a single activity that will give you multiple health benefits – including increasing recovery speed after exercise, better moods and more alertness, and a boost in immunity (among many other things!) – commit to a daily cold plunge today!
Why JLD chose the PLUNGE
Hi! JLD here, and for a LONG time I have been working on improving my morning routine.
Currently, it consists of the following:
- Taking my dog (Gus) for a walk to get outside, feel the breeze on my skin and sun on my face, and get my blood moving.
- Hitting my home gym for a training session with my virtual trainer, Jeff McMahon, to lift heavy stuff (weights).
- Crushing my infrared sauna (Therasage) for 30 minutes to get a nice sweat on.
- 15-minutes of stretching.
- Then I stroll out to my pool where I lay out in the morning sun and:
- Read a business book for 20 minutes
- Journal for 10 minutes
- Meditate for 15 minutes
This routine has taken years to perfect, and I knew the next logical addition was a Cold Plunge.
After some online research, we chose PLUNGE for a number of reasons.
- It’s reasonably priced
- It’s beautiful
- It comes with a full filtration and blacklight system to keep it clean and COLD
My new routine will be 25 minutes of sauna, 3ish minutes of cold plunge, then back for 15 – 25 minutes of sauna.
Stressing the body at both ends of the spectrum is great for a lot of reasons (many mentioned here in this post), and the cold plunge will help with inflammation that of course comes with old age. ;)
If you decide to take the plunge, I hope you use our affiliate link (below)
Enjoy!
~ JLD
