Cold therapy includes cold showers, cold plunges, and cold water immersion. It is used for perceived benefits such as improved mood, reduced soreness, and “resilience” — but it also carries real safety risks, especially with sudden immersion and in people with cardiovascular disease.
Safety first
Cold water immersion can trigger a cold shock response (rapid breathing, heart rate and blood pressure spikes) and can be dangerous — especially for people with cardiac history or uncontrolled hypertension.[1]
There is no single consensus protocol. If you experiment:
American Heart Association. You’re not a polar bear: The plunge into cold water comes with risks. 2022. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/12/09/youre-not-a-polar-bear-the-plunge-into-cold-water-comes-with-risks ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎