Best Cold Plunges 2026

[1]Liu S, Ma Y. Effects of cold water immersion vs body cryotherapy on delayed onset muscle soreness and jump performance following acute strenuous exercise in physically active participants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. — Medicine (Baltimore), 2026PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[2]Cain T, Brinsley J, Bennett H, Nelson M, Maher C, Singh B. Effects of cold-water immersion on health and wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. — PLoS One, 2025PubMed →

Cold showers show antidepressant effects via noradrenergic activation

[3]Wang H, Wang L, Pan Y. Impact of different doses of cold water immersion (duration and temperature variations) on recovery from acute exercise-induced muscle damage: a network meta-analysis. — Front Physiol, 2025PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[4]Pereira GS, Paulino GE, de Almeida THMF, Siqueira CMR, Torres da Silva JR, da Silva ML, Alves Ferrera LM. Effectiveness of cold-water immersion vs. massage in reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness and enhancing recovery following CrossFit® Murph Workout: Randomized rial. — PLoS One, 2025PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[5]Ma J, Guo C, Luo L, Chen X, Zhang K, Liang D, Zhang D. Comparison of the Effects of Cold-Water Immersion Applied Alone and Combined Therapy on the Recovery of Muscle Fatigue After Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. — Life (Basel), 2025PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[6]Hohenauer E, Douzi W, Burtscher J. Potential health benefits of cold-water immersion: the central role of PGC-1α. — J Physiol, 2025PubMed →

Cold immersion significantly raises norepinephrine and activates brown fat

[7]Epel ES, Don BP, Mayer SE, Blades R, Mason AE, Fromer E, O'Bryan JF, Dileo R, Guan JY, Schilf SJ, Cheng SS, Prather AA, Mendes WB. A randomized controlled pilot trial of low and high arousal resilience interventions for depressive symptoms. — Ann Behav Med, 2025PubMed →

Cold showers show antidepressant effects via noradrenergic activation

[8]Blades R, Mendes WB, Don BP, Mayer SE, Dileo R, O'Bryan J, Fromer E, Guan JY, Cheng SS, Mason AE, Prather AA, Epel ES. A randomized controlled clinical trial of a Wim Hof Method intervention in women with high depressive symptoms. — Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol, 2024PubMed →

Cold showers show antidepressant effects via noradrenergic activation

[9]Chen R, Ma X, Ma X, Cui C. The effects of hydrotherapy and cryotherapy on recovery from acute post-exercise induced muscle damage-a network meta-analysis. — BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 2024PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[10]Jeyaraman M, Migliorini F, Balaji S, Ramasubramanian S, Jayakumar T, Jeyaraman N. Whole-body cryotherapy in orthopaedics: current concepts. — Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol, 2024PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[11]Shalabi M, Mahran AH, Elsewif T. Effect of submucosal cryotherapy compared with steroids and NSAIDs injections on Substance P and Interleukin 6 pulpal release in experimentally induced pulpal inflammation in rabbits. — J Appl Oral Sci, 2024PubMed →

Cold exposure modulates inflammatory cytokines and reduces systemic inflammation

[12]Xiao F, Kabachkova AV, Jiao L, Zhao H, Kapilevich LV. Effects of cold water immersion after exercise on fatigue recovery and exercise performance--meta analysis. — Front Physiol, 2023PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[13]Fakhro MA, AlAmeen F, Fayad R. Comparison of total cold-water immersion's effects to ice massage on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. — J Exp Orthop, 2022PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[14]Angelopoulos P, Diakoronas A, Panagiotopoulos D, Tsekoura M, Xaplanteri P, Koumoundourou D, Saki F, Billis E, Tsepis E, Fousekis K. Cold-Water Immersion and Sports Massage Can Improve Pain Sensation but Not Functionality in Athletes with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. — Healthcare (Basel), 2022PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[15]Glattke KE, Tummala SV, Chhabra A. Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Recovery and Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review. — J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2022PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[16]Partridge EM, Cooke J, McKune AJ, Pyne DB. Pre-Exercise Whole- or Partial-Body Cryotherapy Exposure to Improve Physical Performance: A Systematic Review. — Sports (Basel), 2021PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[17]Afonso J, Clemente FM, Nakamura FY, Morouço P, Sarmento H, Inman RA, Ramirez-Campillo R. The Effectiveness of Post-exercise Stretching in Short-Term and Delayed Recovery of Strength, Range of Motion and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. — Front Physiol, 2021PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[18]Cullen ML, Casazza GA, Davis BA. Passive Recovery Strategies after Exercise: A Narrative Literature Review of the Current Evidence. — Curr Sports Med Rep, 2021PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[19]Coelho TM, Nunes RFH, Nakamura FY, Duffield R, Serpa MC, da Silva JF, Carminatt LJ, Cidral-Filho FJ, Goldim MP, Mathias K, Petronilho F, Martins DF, Guglielmo LGA. Post-Match Recovery in Soccer with Far-Infrared Emitting Ceramic Material or Cold-Water Immersion. — J Sports Sci Med, 2021PubMed →

Cold water immersion reduces DOMS and accelerates recovery markers

[20]Zhang S, Zhang Y, Ahsan MZ, Yuan Y, Liu G, Han X, Zhang J, Zhao X, Bai B, Li Y. Atorvastatin Attenuates Cold-Induced Hypertension by Preventing Gut Barrier Injury. — J Cardiovasc Pharmacol, 2019PubMed →

Cold exposure modulates inflammatory cytokines and reduces systemic inflammation

[21]Partridge EM, Cooke J, McKune A, Pyne DB. Whole-Body Cryotherapy: Potential to Enhance Athlete Preparation for Competition? — Front Physiol, 2019PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[22]Patel K, Bakshi N, Freehill MT, Awan TM. Whole-Body Cryotherapy in Sports Medicine. — Curr Sports Med Rep, 2019PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[23]Walladbegi J, Smith SA, Grayson AK, Murdoch C, Jontell M, Colley HE. Cooling of the oral mucosa to prevent adverse effects of chemotherapeutic agents: An in vitro study. — J Oral Pathol Med, 2018PubMed →

Cold exposure modulates inflammatory cytokines and reduces systemic inflammation

[24]Rose C, Edwards KM, Siegler J, Graham K, Caillaud C. Whole-body Cryotherapy as a Recovery Technique after Exercise: A Review of the Literature. — Int J Sports Med, 2017PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[25]Abaïdia AE, Lamblin J, Delecroix B, Leduc C, McCall A, Nédélec M, Dawson B, Baquet G, Dupont G. Recovery From Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: Cold-Water Immersion Versus Whole-Body Cryotherapy. — Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2017PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[26]Ho M, Li TC, Liao CH, Su SY, Su SY. The Association Between Behavior Restrictions in Doing-the-Month Practice and Mental Health Status Among Postpartum Women. — J Altern Complement Med, 2015PubMed →

Cold showers show antidepressant effects via noradrenergic activation

[27]Krüger M, de Mareés M, Dittmar KH, Sperlich B, Mester J. Whole-body cryotherapy's enhancement of acute recovery of running performance in well-trained athletes. — Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2015PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[28]Ziemann E, Olek RA, Grzywacz T, Kaczor JJ, Antosiewicz J, Skrobot W, Kujach S, Laskowski R. Whole-body cryostimulation as an effective way of reducing exercise-induced inflammation and blood cholesterol in young men. — Eur Cytokine Netw, 2014PubMed →

Cold exposure modulates inflammatory cytokines and reduces systemic inflammation

[29]Bleakley CM, Bieuzen F, Davison GW, Costello JT. Whole-body cryotherapy: empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives. — Open Access J Sports Med, 2014PubMed →

Whole-body cryotherapy improves recovery speed in high-performance athletes

[30]Lubkowska A, Szyguła Z, Chlubek D, Banfi G. The effect of prolonged whole-body cryostimulation treatment with different amounts of sessions on chosen pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines levels in healthy men. — Scand J Clin Lab Invest, 2011PubMed →

Cold exposure modulates inflammatory cytokines and reduces systemic inflammation

[31]Banfi G, Lombardi G, Colombini A, Melegati G. Whole-body cryotherapy in athletes. — Sports Med, 2010PubMed →

Cold exposure modulates inflammatory cytokines and reduces systemic inflammation

[32]Habas AB, Kim Y, Jefferson BK. Cases from the Osler Medical Service at Johns Hopkins University. — Am J Med, 2003PubMed →

Cold showers show antidepressant effects via noradrenergic activation

[33]Carstens GE, Mostyn PM, Lammoglia MA, Vann RC, Apter RC, Randel RD. Genotypic effects on norepinephrine-induced changes in thermogenesis, metabolic hormones, and metabolites in newborn calves. — J Anim Sci, 1997PubMed →

Cold immersion significantly raises norepinephrine and activates brown fat