Taking the Plunge

Cold plunging is hot right now, with a spate of new ice-bath studios dedicated to the practice. Proponents claim that doing it consistently has many health benefits—but what does the science say?

- Chantal Braganza

What is cold plunging?

Cold plunging involves sitting in very cold water for a short period of timeusually a few minutes.

The practice is nothing new. Hippocrates recommended it as a treatment for energy depletion, while Eastern European banyas, Turkish hammams and Japanese mizuburo all involve some version of it.

What has changed is North American culture's approach to health, suggests Aleya Velshi, co-founder of Alter, a sauna and ice-bath studio in Toronto. Taking inspiration from sauna traditions around the world, Alter aims to provide a culturally informed plunging experience. "Paying homage to the roots of these rituals helps people realize this isn't a trendy practiceit's an enduring one."

What are the health benefits of cold lunging?