If someone told you you could exponentially improve your physical health and mental well-being in the course of ten short minutes, would you do it? 

Research has shown that a ten minute cold plunge can accomplish just that. When the human body is completely submerged in ice water it relieves stress and eases aches and pains. 

“I feel stronger, faster, and better,” sophomore football Noah Kalk said. 

After ice baths, athletes report better athletic performance and much lower pain levels. 

“The hour or two after I get out, my muscles just feel a lot more refreshed and less achy, and the next day I feel brand new,” weightlifting coach John Ellison said. 

Cold plunges have helped many athletes have not only better physical health, but better mental health as well. 

“One study showed that a cold plunge at 57°F caused a 250% increase in dopamine levels, and a 530% increase in noradrenaline levels that lasted for several hours,” BreakThrough Physical Therapy said. 

Regularly cold plunging can cause higher levels of dopamine–the hormone that controls happiness. 

Cold plunges don’t only help with happiness levels, but they also improve mental strength. Taking an ice bath greatly assists in “mental toughness.” Being able to stay in the freezing cold water for the allotted amount of time can work at improving this mental fortitude. 

“I would say mentally it has made me a little bit tougher,” Ellison said. 

In conclusion, ice plunges can greatly assist in the performance, mental, and physical health of people all around the world.