The Cold Plunge For Women: What it Really Does to Your Body

You’ve probably heard of people running into a frigid body of water in the winter to become a member of a “polar bear club.” These brave souls fling their bodies into the bone-chilling water for bragging rights, but there are also some great health benefits. With the rise of social media and influencers teaching us things about life we may have never known otherwise, we’re able to learn quite a bit. For years, athletes have used cold plunging as a way to help reduce muscle soreness and to keep their blood moving. Some use their time in the icy bath to meditate and clear their minds. So, it serves as an activity that improves both physical and mental health.

No matter how you look at it, cold plunging is pretty extreme. Even if you’re only submerging your body for a few minutes, that icy cold water will be uncomfortable. The practice also raises questions about whether men and women will have the same outcome.

Exercise physiologist Stacy Sims, PhD, visited Mel Robbins for a podcast interview and dropped some interesting knowledge. When it comes to cold plunging, “inherently, women don’t need as cold,” Sims said.

“The thing with cold water exposure,” Sims said, “is it’s too cold for women. When we’re looking at the severe immediate jump in that icy cold, it causes such severe constriction and shutdown.”

She doesn’t think that cold plunging is inherently bad, but it doesn’t need to be as cold as it does for a man. Sims is well known for saying, “Women are not small men.” In the case of cold plunging, it’s very true.

Cold plunging, if done at an appropriate temperature, does have benefits. It will help repair muscles after a workout. The release of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine will help boost mood. And with a boost of energy, we can burn calories at a higher metabolic rate. A good cold plunge may also lead to better sleep.

But there are also drawbacks. According to the Cleveland Clinic, when we cold plunge, we’re putting our bodies at risk of hypothermia, skin and nerve damage, trouble breathing, and even stress on our hearts.

Dr. Sims put it very simply. “I prefer heat for women,” she said. “Everyone is a responder to heat. You get better adaptations.”

If you want to cold plunge, start slowly and in small increments to see how your body adapts. This is definitely one of those situations where less is more, and if something feels off, stop.