Cold Exposure and Mental Health: Benefits, Risks, and Research
Whether it’s at their local lake, in a cold plunge pool, or in their own bathtub filled with ice, people all over the world are exploring cold exposure. Many try this “extreme” wellness approach for its supposed ability to banish stress and summon relaxation. Perhaps inspired by the Wim Hof method mental health technique or wild swimming groups in their hometowns.
But how effective is cold exposure at reducing stress? And how does it impact the body beyond causing chattering teeth and goosebumps? This article will answer any questions you may have about cold exposure mental health benefits by exploring:
- How the brain responds to cold water immersion
- The impact of cold exposure on depression, anxiety, and PTSD
- Risks of cold water therapy and important safety precautions
- How cold exposure can form part of your mental health treatment plan
Mental Health Benefits of Cold Exposure
Sitting alongside things like sauna-bathing, breathwork, and biohacking, cold exposure falls into the category of lifestyle psychiatry. This branch of healthcare tends to focus on “natural” methods of healing, non-medical approaches, and the development of healthy lifestyle habits.
Cold therapy falls into this category because it’s thought to support stress reduction and improve mental health. It does so by increasing the levels of endorphins and norepinephrine (and decreasing cortisol) in our bodies.[1] But how exactly does this work?
How Our Bodies React to Cold Exposure
For many, the thought of delving into an icy bath or lake strikes fear into the heart. Cold exposure is instinctively unappealing for good reason: it’s initially shocking, can trigger hyperventilation, and even increase the risk of drowning. Furthermore, those with underlying heart conditions could experience heart arrhythmias or even heart attacks from the shock of cold water.[1]
Most healthy people, however, can withstand cold water exposure and experience mental health benefits, as long as they’re well-prepared for the experience.
Cold water exposure prompts a significant change in the body’s hormonal stress response. Here’s what you should know:[1]
- Cortisol levels actually remain relatively unchanged during the cold exposure, but decrease afterwards. Some research finds that cortisol levels remain considerably lower for up to three hours after 15 minutes of cold water immersion.[1]
- When people engage in cold exposure a few times a week for 12 weeks, their bodies produce less cortisol in response to daily stressors, suggesting an improved ability to cope with stress.[1]
- The body produces a rush of endorphins during cold exposure, our brains’ natural pain-relievers.
- There’s also a significant increase in norepinephrine, which helps manage stress and increases energy, focus, and feelings of euphoria.
In the following sections, we take a closer look at the potential cold exposure and mental health benefits.
Increased Brain Connectivity
Mood improvement from ice baths has been explored in terms of brain activity, which may explain the common mental health effects we see in frequent cold water bathers.
Research finds that cold water exposure increases brain connectivity or integration, which means that different parts of the brain communicate and coordinate with each other more efficiently. This can mean that information is processed by the brain more easily or that parts of the brain are more “in sync.”[2]
This effect is relevant to mental health because emotions depend on interactions in the whole brain, not one single area. So, increased brain connectivity can improve emotional regulation, increase flexible thinking, and create a more resilient stress response.[2]
Improved Depression and Anxiety
Depression and anxiety are associated with low levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. Therefore, SNRI medications for depression and anxiety aim to increase the levels of these neurotransmitters.[3]
In one study, dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for reward, motivation, and pleasure, was found to increase by 250% after an hour of cold water exposure. The same study found levels of norepinephrine increased by 530%.[4]
So, these findings appear to be strong evidence in support of cold exposure, as increased dopamine can enhance well-being and mood.
Therefore, cold therapy for depression and anxiety could be an accompaniment to medication, or a replacement in some cases. But remember to always consult your doctor before making changes to your medication.
Reduced Symptoms of Trauma and PTSD
Cold water immersion could calm the nervous systems of people with trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). So, depending on the person and their experiences, the method could help improve their symptoms.
This is because people with PTSD tend to have too much cortisol and too little serotonin, and cold exposure can regulate these neurotransmitters to more typical levels.[5]
Plus, as mentioned, full-body immersion increases the amount of stress someone can tolerate, which can be valuable for people who fear the physical symptoms of anxiety.[3],[5]
However, it’s good to note that people with PTSD may find cold water exposure particularly distressing because it could trigger thoughts about danger to arise. So, it’s important that you go at your own pace and consult your doctor before starting out.[5]
What Is The Wim Hof Method (WHM)?
Wim Hof, also known as “The Iceman,” has risen to fame in recent years for his approach to wellness. The Wim Hof Method (WHM) encompasses both cold exposure and breathwork in order to improve both physical and mental health.[6]
Holding 21 Guinness World Records for his various cold exposure feats, Wim Hof’s cold journey began when he faced the devastating loss of his wife in 1995. To manage his grief, Hof embraced cold exposure and found it gave him strength, relief, and self-connection.
In fact, The Iceman himself has volunteered to be the subject of science experiments to prove the effectiveness of his method, which garnered fascinating results. His philosophy is that people can strengthen their mentalities and immune systems with commitment, breathwork, and cold therapy.[6]
One of the main physical health benefits of cold immersion is its impact on the immune response. Specifically, research into the WHM found that people trained in this method could consciously regulate their immune response, activating anti-inflammatory processes.[7]
Furthermore, in terms of mental health, the Wim Hof Method has been found to increase mood and mental focus and reduce stress, fatigue, anxiety, and depression.[6]
What Is the Difference Between Face vs Body Cold Exposure?
Interestingly, the body responds differently to cold water exposure, depending on whether it’s full-body or just facial. Here are the main differences and benefits of each:1
- Full-body immersion evokes the sympathetic nervous system, triggering the “fight or flight” stress response. Over time, this increases our window of tolerance for stress.2
- Facial exposure activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls our state of “rest and digest”. Oxygen is sent to our vital organs, we experience a sense of calm, and our heart rate decreases.
Given these different effects, you might like to incorporate both into your routine for different reasons. For instance, try dipping your face into a bowl of cold water for immediate relief and using full-body immersion for long-term gains.
Are There Any Risks of Cold Exposure?
While cold exposure can provide anxiety relief and other mental health benefits, the research on cold therapy does carry warnings. As mentioned earlier, those with underlying heart conditions may be at risk of arrhythmias or heart attacks from the shock of cold water.1 Other risks include frostbite, drowning, and hypothermia if you don’t take precautions.[8]
To mitigate the risks of cold water exposure, aim to keep the following guidance in mind:[8]
- You can cold plunge in a lake, the ocean, a specialist cold plunge tank, or your shower or bath at home. But when starting off, it may be safer for you to start at home before venturing outdoors.
- If you’re doing an outdoor cold plunge, make sure you bring towels and warm clothing with you so you can quickly dry off and get warm.
- Don’t plunge into cold waters with a current, like the sea or rivers; you could be swept downstream or become trapped under ice.
- Measure the temperature of the water before plunging. Beginners should start with water around 60F, while experienced plungers can aim as low as 40F.
- When you’re starting out, aim for short sessions of 15 to 30 seconds and build up gradually from there.
And finally, you might like to start cold exposure with a friend or partner. Many people join wild swimming groups, too. Doing this sort of activity with people not only provides camaraderie and togetherness, but also safety if things go wrong.
Using Cold Therapy to Treat Mental Health
Clearly, cold exposure has strong potential to support mental well-being. However, this doesn’t mean it should replace your medication or therapy. Ultimately, a holistic approach is important. If you’re engaging in exercise, tending to your nutrition, using cold plunges, and attending therapy sessions, these are all likely to work best together.
Just like taking medication won’t solve all your problems, neither will cold water. But different treatments can work well together.
If your mental health difficulties are associated with past trauma or relationships, counseling and psychotherapy can be a useful place to work through these painful experiences. Cold water and other lifestyle psychiatry approaches can provide alleviation for stress and low mood, but they can’t work through traumatic memories or prescribe necessary medication.
Always consult your doctor about incorporating new habits into your mental health journey; they’ll be able to advise you on being safe and talk through any treatment changes.
Mission Connection: Personalized Counseling and Therapy
When your mental health treatment is personalized, you’re likely to feel more supported.
At Mission Connection, we treat a wide range of mental health conditions using an equally wide range of therapeutic approaches. Not only can your therapy be online or in-person from multiple facilities, but you can also choose between therapies like CBT, narrative therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and many more.
If you would like to incorporate an alternative therapy, such as cold water immersion for depression, our licensed practitioners can integrate this into your treatment plan. We understand the powerful potential cold therapy holds for mental health recovery, and want to provide personalized care wherever possible.
Get in touch to start your therapy journey or learn more about your symptoms by taking a self-test.
