Cold water immersion has been around for centuries and there are many benefits that come with it, so why don’t more people do it? For the most part it comes down to it being uncomfortable so we avoid it. How can we overcome that barrier and get into the habit of doing something we know is good for us but we just don’t want to do? All you need is your bathing suit, a towel, a timer, some tenacity, and a high dose of old fashioned will power! So let’s rock it!
The best way to start is by setting a schedule and sticking with it! This may look different for each person. It may be that you want to start off with doing it monthly or weekly, or maybe you’re wanting to fully immerse and go daily. One thing to keep in mind when scheduling the time of day you’ll do your immersion is that it has the same stimulating effect as that of caffeine. No matter your goal, tell yourself that regardless of how cold it is outside or how little you want to do it, you’re committed to getting in.
Before getting in the plunge tank, it’s important to try to calm your nervous system. Here at REBOOT we recommend warming up with some breathing techniques. We encourage a minimum of at least 5 breaths right before getting into the tank. Inhale through the nose for 4-5 seconds and exhale through the nose or mouth just slightly longer than your inhale was. Humming also activates the parasympathetic “rest and digest” system and helps make your cells more receptive to oxygen.
When getting into the plunge tank, enter steadily with a full submersion and do so on the exhale. Submerging your whole body will help activate the nervous system and will begin to regulate temperature quickly. The less your body is submerged, the longer that process will take. Remember, the first 30-60 seconds are the hardest so focus as much as possible on the breathing. Regular, long, steady breathing is the name of the game here! Long inhale and even slower exhale. Try to relax into the cold. You may feel a bit of a tingling or even burning sensation in your feet or hands, but that is normal! Breathe through it.
The timeframe you stay in will vary. We recommend no longer than 10 minutes ever. If cycling hot and cold with the sauna, your session length will factor in your length of time in the plunge tank. If just doing the plunge tank, it’s better to do more sessions for less time than to do less sessions for longer time. You may start off with 1 minute sessions and get out, take a break, and then get back in. The goal is to build up your time! But no pressure if new to cold water immersion. If you’re feeling super uncomfortable, just get out. If you need to build up, we recommend taking cold showers starting with 30 seconds and building up each day!
After the cold plunge, allow your body to warm up gradually and enjoy the benefits and energy from the plunge. These benefits aren’t just physical but mental also. Performance director of XPT PJ Nestler says it this way: “We spend so much of our time in temperature-controlled environments that are neither too hot nor too cold. As a result, we not only switch off the cold shock and heat shock proteins involved in immune function and other important bodily processes, but also make ourselves too comfortable. Then, when we have to perform in harsher conditions, we fall apart.” At REBOOT, we enable people to experience extreme heat and extreme cold in a safe, controlled environment, which allows them to become more resilient and capable. Once you’ve gotten used to the initial shock of the cold, regulated your breathing, and calmed yourself down, you realize that you actually feel great once you get out of the ice bath. As the Fred DeVito adage goes, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”
So, now’s the time to set your goals, schedule your plunge and rock your first session. And as always, all of us at REBOOT are here to help!
