Cold Plunge Bathing Is a Majorly Controversial TikTok Trend—and I Tried It with Surprising Results

Cold plunge therapy is quite the TikTok controversy lately. Everyone’s got a take. For example:

This dude says it will improve a sluggish metabolism, lessen inflammation and improve sleep among other benefits… 

While this guy says the practice is heart-attack risky.

Vogue video’ed Jennie doing it on a rooftop.

But this lady says it’s not good for women because it causes cortisol spikes—which are the stress hormones that a lot of women want to lessen (I know I do).

Well, I don’t know about all that. What I do know is that every time I’ve forced myself to experience a cold plunge pool at a resort or wellness center, I’ve emerged feeling relaxed but not exhausted, a rare state for my overstimulated nervous system. That’s because, according to naturopathic medical doctor Marcus Coplin, “brief cold plunges of a few minutes can provide benefits such as reducing inflammation and improving circulation; however, longer cold immersions can have other benefits as well. One of the main benefits of longer cold immersions is the activation of the body's regulatory mechanism, such as the release of endorphins and increased circulation to the organs.” I spoke with Dr. Coplin at the Murietta Hot Springs Resort in California, where a collection of pools with hot mineral rich natural spring water sits right next to a cold plunge pool. While most resort guests enjoy soaking in the successively hotter spring baths at the resort, overlooking palm trees and a lake, the real wellness true believers pepper in cold plunges in between hot baths, a practice that’s known as contrast therapy. [Note: Consult your medical doctor before undertaking any cold plunge therapy.]

“The alternating hot and cold water immersion in contrast therapy provide a greater range of biophysical responses and therapeutic benefits than cold water immersion alone. The hot water immersion can help to improve circulation and relax the muscles, while the cold water immersion can help to reduce inflammation and stimulate the immune system. Together both will aid in lymphatic circulation, tissue oxygenation and general circulation, and is beneficial for overall physical health and mental well-being,” Dr. Coplin says. He’s a big fan himself, leading small groups like the one I was in, helping us with tips and tricks about how to build up your endurance in what feel like a life-threatening fall off the Titanic. (Pro Tip: Don’t put your hands in, as they’re one of the first areas to get super-cold. And keep your shoulders above water for the first few plunges, until you’re ready to commit more body surface to the super-cold.) 

Pro Tip: Don’t put your hands in, as they’re one of the first areas to get super-cold. And keep your shoulders above water for the first few plunges, until you’re ready to commit more body surface to the super-cold.

What’s interesting about cold plunging and contrast therapy, to me, is that the practice almost seems like the wellness version of a superfood—ie, it cures what ails you, which is different for each participant. My energy baseline is pretty low, for example, and yet I’m pretty nervous. But after I cold plunged, I felt a rush of endorphin-laced energy that didn’t crash like a sugar high but instead kept me able to cook a big dinner then continue working. A staff member at Georgia’s Body Sweat Studio where I plunged today told me that contrast therapy reduces her cystic acne, an issue I don’t have. As for me, the 20 minutes in an infrared sauna (or at a desert resort like Murietta, blanching in a hot springs or on a sunny deck chair), followed by a three-minute cool-down, followed by a one-to-three minute cold plunge (hands out of the water, thanks) is the mood boost I didn’t know I needed—or at least could access without psychopharmaceuticals. 

And those critics on TikTok? Well, the NIH admits that prolonged exposure can lead to hypothermia, and “individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions must exercise caution, as the rapid fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate could potentially trigger life-threatening cardiac events such as arrhythmias and cardiac arrests.” As for cortisol spikes, Dr. Susanna Soeborg maintains that as a woman repeatedly cold plunges, her body stops pumping out elevated quantities of that stress hormone.

As someone who basically needs to be bullied into cold plunges because I find all that shivering—and prickly red frozen legs—so unappealing, I am duty-bound to report I’ve never once regretted taking a quick cold plunge, since I’ve emerged with clearer thinking, quieted back spasms and a jolt of endorphins. I mean, even TikTokers can agree with me here—it feels really, really good once you’re out.