Deliberate Cold Exposure: How Taking the Plunge Helped Me Chillax
Written By Melissa St. Clair
Aren’t you scared? Aren’t you cold? You can’t make me get in there! You’re crazy! Whenever the topic of cold plunging comes up in conversation, I am met with the same concerns and remarks again and again. Of course, it’s cold and scary. I can’t tell you one time that I didn’t have a brief moment of hesitation even if it was just a moment in my mind; a reminder that this isn’t a requirement but a mindful practice.
There’s a lot of great research on deliberate cold exposure and cold plunging out these days. In the past year it’s really taken off. There are endless IG and TikTok accounts dedicated everything cold. Wimhof is the granddaddy of this movement, and you’ll hear all about him and breath work. All essential to the journey.
Here’s the general sciencey stuff. According to research you need just 11 minutes total each week for benefits. This can be achieved at once or in several two-minute sessions. Trust yourself and know you can stay in for the two minutes. My mentor and group leader for the Puget Sound Plungers, Renate Rain taught us that we should calmly enter the water and once at waist level drop down to neck level. Your fight or flight mode will be triggered and when that water hits chest level it will take your breath away. You gotta breathe (I have that tattooed on my arm and everything). Seriously. About 45-60 seconds in your body gets flooded with all the good drugs. You’ll feel that panic leave you as the rush of dopamine and endorphins flood your system. Your body will slowly start to warm. Once the two minutes are done the option for more is up to you. If I’m in a true ice bath I’d be in for 2-3 minutes. If I’m in the Sound when the water is in the 40 degree range, my time hovers around 10 minutes. It’s important to listen to your body! We are all different shapes and sizes with different physical and mental health concerns. You should do what your body needs.
Lots of other people do it for lots of other reasons. Many find pain relief and walk out of the water easier than they walked in. Here are the 5 ways cold plunging has changed my life. Please note I said my life. Please make sure you are following a path that’s right for your mind, body and soul.
1. My Vagus Nerve
Let’s just say after a lifetime of trauma and undiagnosed neurodivergence labeled as anxiety, my nervous system was about as overactive as you get. My flight or fight response was constantly on. Decades of misdiagnoses meant being prescribed medications like Valium to calm me. Breathing exercises, stretching, yoga, whatever, it did nothing to help me outside of the time spent doing the activity.
Cold water. Cold water has been the single most life changing factor in healing my “anxiety.” My body normally had an internal shake two it. I was always jittery on the inside. I had even quit coffee to turn it off. Turns out the cold does wonders! And the effects last far beyond the minutes spent submerged in frigid temperatures. Pro tip, if you’re on the go you can order a Togo cup of ice or grab an ice pack out of the freezer, place it on your chest and viola! Just 2-10 minute of cold therapy does me wonders! My fight or flight response is so rarely triggered these days but when it is I just pop a cold cup on my chest.
2. Confidence
There’s nothing like the feeling of standing on a beach in February wearing a bikini in 30-degree weather. It’s so cold and windy outside some days that the water being 40 degrees is a relief from the elements. What a badass thing to do right?! I mean people will stare. Think about it. If you were all bundled up drinking your hot coffee walking your little sweatered dog on the beach and saw people happily walking into the sea at sunrise you’d be staring too. But it’s been nothing but love. You get bystanders cheering you on and complimenting your bravery. After a lifetime of body image issues and eating disorders. what I look like in a swimsuit in these moments is the last thing on my mind. And that spills over into everything I do. If I can be brave enough to do this at 5am what else can I make possible?
3. Sleep
I am a lifelong insomniac. It’s incredibly painful to be constantly sleep deprived. Being awake all night means little is accomplished the next day. I’m a zombie. But since cold plunging my sleep has improved drastically. Especially on the days I have a nice long plunge. I’ve never slept more soundly in my life. I wake up refreshed and excited to return to the cold water.
4. Energy
So much energy. Cold water gives me a boost better then any cup of coffee has done. How I describe it is it gives me skin a minty fresh feeling like when I brush my teeth. I feel ready to conquer everything and am less likely to want a midday nap. Although I do love a nap it feels like a nap for relaxation purposes not survival.
5. Community
The people I have found have become major support in my life in areas that have nothing to do with deliberate cold exposure. The friends I have made and the ways they have shown up for me makes me cry. When I left to travel across country they had a fun farewell for me with home baked muffins and an underwater photographer. We had a women’s dress up day where we all wore whatever made us feel gorgeous and danced around the beach taking water photos. We’ve had nude plunges to celebrate the summer solstice. Any holiday or birthday is a reason to wear costumes or make it a theme plunge. One of the best experiences of my life and so many lovely women. When my dad unexpectedly passed this past December my plunge buddies showed up in ways that were life saving for me. The healing work done in the water is something that translates into the most beautiful friendships outside of the water.
Here’s a few bonus tips from my experience if you’d like to start a cold water practice:
If you can safely get in the chilly waters in nature with friends that’s the best. There’s nothing like watching the sunrise with great people and all that healing energy. Hearing the birds chirp. Watching the sea lions bob their heads up through the waves with curiosity. Knowing that at any time there could be orcas in the not to far off distance. Sharing the water with all of mother earths creations is overwhelming at times. It reminds you how small you actually are and that the sea belongs to us all.
Avoid the cold shower route if you can. In a super big pinch if you must you must. But it’s no fun. It’s not social. It’s not nature. You’re not submerged. It’s some sort of torture to have the icy water trickle down your back. I personally don’t want to associate this beautiful practice with negative experiences. Also I never get that full effect when not fully submerged. Getting into the water up to your neck is best. Throw in a head dunk and you’re a rockstar!
Please plunge safely. Take a friend. Take your partner or kids just to sit on the beach and watch you for two minutes. While I have personally never experienced any adverse reactions from myself or several dozen fellow plungers it’s important to keep safety in mind. It’s still the water and it’s still cold elements.
Wear water shoes.
Bring a hot beverage to warm your core.
Lay out your clothes and towels BEFORE you get in and in the order you’ll need them to get dressed. The key is to get off the wet clothes and into dry ones quickly. Especially in the winter. Dry robes and a lack of modesty help. Bring warm slippers or wool sock to help the rewarming process. This is not a fashion show. Loose baggy layers and beanies are what you need.
I urge anyone interested to please give it a try. It has done absolute miracles in my healing for body and spirit. It’s a constant reminder that I am capable of all kinds of things. It means it’s never to cold to feel the freedom and rush the water gives us. If you’re in the Seattle/Tacoma area and would like to plunge together, have your questions answered or help finding a group please feel free to message me.
In the meanwhile,
“I wish you water.”
Wallace J. Nichols (Blue Mind)