Ice and Anxiety Part II: The Cold Plunge

The Ice Bath for Mental Balance

The summer I was 13 years old, I experienced my first cold plunge. I got super hot in a sauna, ran out on the dock, and dove into the lake. Wow! It was painful but so invigorating. And I felt amazing!

Taking a cold soak once a day for five to ten minutes boosts your parasympathetic nervous system! (Remember the "Chill, baby, it's all gonna be alright" part of your body.)

The research shows that a regular cold plunge can help to ease depression, and potentially reduce anxiety. I like to take a hot bath at night, leave the water overnight, and take a cold plunge before my shower in the morning. Sometimes, I will end a hot shower by standing in the cold water for a few minutes.

I have been doing this for years. And then I watched My Octopus Teacher on Netflix. It's a lovely story of Craig Foster and his friendship with a wild octopus. In the documentary, he alludes to having struggled with severe depression. His depression causes him to retreat from life and return to his childhood home in South Africa on the beach. He begins free diving daily (holding his breath for extended periods while swimming underwater.)

Watching the film, I saw a man experiencing the dive response over and over. Of course, the relationship he develops with this wonderful octopus is the main story. But as a therapist, I experienced another narrative: A man's emergence out of depression. And I suspect the daily, prolonged diving in cold water could be a factor. The daily adjustment of the nervous system through the dive response is fascinating to consider.

Consider watching My Octopus Teacher to enhance your engagement with this skill.