Does Cold Plunging Hurt?

Does cold plunging hurt? The answer to that is no, not really. Cold plunging is a way for us to deliberately put ourselves through a stressful and uncomfortable situation. The act of cold plunging is a way for us to overcome the limitation we set in our minds and also a way to take our health to the next level!

Does Cold Plunge Hurt?

Cold Plunging is more of a feeling than it is a sensation like pain. The experience of cold plunging is hard to replicate and even harder to explain without actually experiencing it for yourself.

Cold Plunging can be an uncomfortable experience for people when they first start the practice but the whole point of cold plunging is to get your body used to doing uncomfortable things. Just like training our body, you have to deliberately put your body through hard things to come out the other side a better overall human being. That is what we are here to help you do!

The initial shock of entering the cold water can be quite intense especially if the water has a high flow rate or a high-powered cooling device. The sensation of discomfort is something that happens to everyone and should not be something that scares you away from taking it on for yourself.

The Positive Effects of Cold Plunging

There are many advantages of cold plunging.

If you want to recover faster, have better overall health, and be able to manage stress in a new and profound way, cold plunging is something that you should consider adding to your health routine. We already have a number of articles on our site highlighting the benefits you can get from cold plunging but one we want to touch on a bit more is the mental fortitude you get from doing something that challenges you.

Doing hard things is a lost art in today’s world. Just the simple act of taking a dunk for a couple of minutes a day can completely separate you from 99% of people. Some days you won’t want to plunge and may even downright not want to do it, but overcoming this and doing what needs to be done is a huge momentum boost for your days to come!

What to Expect on Your First Plunge

Your first couple of times cold plunging will be uncomfortable. I remember our first time doing it after years of not and it was very uncomfortable. The person helping us at the wellness clinic we went to walked us through what to expect and how to overcome the feelings through our breath.

If you are cold plunging for the first time focus on deep breaths and doing your best to keep calm. Anywhere over 30 seconds to a minute for your first time is a huge success! As you get more used to the experience you should push yourself to increase the amount of time you can stay under the water without getting out. 

After getting out the water your body will be a bit red but you will feel amazing. The increase is awareness I have throughout the day after a cold plunge is unmatched!

Conclusion

Taking a cold plunge can be an uncomfortable experience especially if you have never done it before but to say that it is painful is just not true. The benefits you will reap from adding this practice to your routine will help you in everyday life. Your mind and body will be used to handling stress and overcoming them through this deliberate practice of repeated cold exposure. 

Listen to your body and start with short durations to begin with and as you get more experience under your belt up those times and push your limits to the best of your capabilities.