Ice Bath Terms Every Cold Plunge Enthusiast Should Know!

Cold Plunging is like joining a super cool club. As with anything, the deeper you go, the more of a handle on the specific language used by veteran ice bathers.

So you can act like a pro and immerse yourself in cold plunge language! Read up on these terms to impress your new crew and earn some ice bath IQ points. Let's get started!

#1. Thermal Layer:

• Definition: The thin water layer nearest the skin.

 

• Meaning: The water nearest to your skin is heated by body heat, so it is a couple of degrees warmer than the surrounding cooler ocean. Movement, like a stream flow or a water circulation system, and physically moving your body disrupt this layer. This will make you feel your cold plunge more.

 

• How to use it: “If you want to enjoy the full thrill of cold plunge, break the thermal layer with movement.”

#2. Parasympathetic Nervous System:

• Definition: Known as the "rest and digest" system. The parasympathetic nervous system conserves energy to allow us to recover from a day of work or reactivating stress. It slows down our heart rate, encouraging digestion and other physiological processes.

 

• Meaning: It balances the sympathetic nervous system, which causes us to enter "fight-or-flight mode". It happens when cold water hits our bodies. Because the ice bath forces you to focus and control, it tells your body how to deal with stress while activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

 

• How to use it: “After 30 to 60 seconds in cold water, your body will activate the parasympathetic nervous system."

#3. Brown Fat:

• Definition: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a specialized fat that generates heat in thermogenesis.

 

• Meaning: Brown fat burns calories by using energy from our food to produce heat. In the case of cold plunging or cold exposure, activation of brown fat is what helps keep you warm. It gives your body a boost in calorie burn during cold challenges, which may be one reason why it can help with weight management.

 

• How to use it: “Brown fat is known as ‘good fat; did you know that?”

#4. Intention:

• Definition: An objective of some sort that you put on when entering colder water.

 

• Meaning: When your intention is clear, it can serve multiple functions. It can help you mentally prepare for the cold shock, put you in a positive mood, or focus your mind. Pre-planned intentions can also help you stay oriented towards that focus, manage reactivity to cold exposure, and increase its benefits.

 

• How to Use It: “Be mentally ready and set clear intentions before jumping into ice bath”

#5. Box Breathing:

• Definition: A method of rhythmic, controlled inhalation and exhalation. This will typically be a four-part breath, equally divided between the length of the inhale, hold, exhale, and hold. So, for example, breathe in for four seconds, hold your breath for a count of four seconds again, and then breathe out slowly to the count of 4 before repeating.

 

• Meaning: Box breathing is an exercise that reduces stress and increases focus. It can be a huge advantage to do before or after cold plunging. Breathing just before or during an ice bath is one great way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

 

• How to use it: “Let’s do box breathing before getting in the ice bath.”

#6. Cold Shock Proteins:

• Definition: They are cold-inducible proteins or stress proteins. They are produced by the body when rapidly exposed to extremely low temperatures and other physiological stresses.
• Meaning: These proteins preserve cells and tissues from the damage of extreme cold or other stresses. Cold shock proteins produced in response to cold exposure are an adaptive mechanism by the body to protect cells from stress and maintain structural integrity under low-temperature conditions.
• How to use it: Cold shock proteins are produced after a few seconds of cold exposure.

#7. Hormetic Stress:

• Definition: A type of low-to-moderate stress or challenge that is beneficial, which results in positive adaptive responses and thus increased resilience and health.

 

• Meaning: When it comes to cold plunging, exposure to cold (cold water or cold temps) is a hormetic stressor. This serves as hormetic stress that can wake up and increase some patches of brown fat, effectively driving metabolic activity and overall probably increases caloric demand. It also boosts tissue circulation, immune response, and metabolic activity.

 

• How to use it: “Your body will experience hormetic stress after ice bath.”

#8. Dopamine:

• Definition: A hormone and a neurotransmitter that is involved in learning, movement, motivation, and pleasure.

 

• Meaning: Lack of dopamine is frequently associated with reward deficiency and tied to depression or a lack of joy. Research indicates that taking an ice bath can raise blood dopamine concentrations by more than 250%. This explains why many people report increased mental strength and mood after an ice bath.

 

• How to use it: “Let’s enjoy a cold plunge to boost dopamine.”

#9. Vagus Nerve:

• Definition: A core component of the parasympathetic nervous system, regulating the respiratory rate, heart rate, and digestion.

 

• Meaning: A cold plunge wakes up your vagus nerve, which improves relaxation, calms down inflammation, and lifts mood.

 

• How to use it: “You can activate your vagus nerve through cold plunging.”

#10. Thermogenesis:

• Definition: The generation of heat by biological sources.

 

• Meaning: There are two types of thermogenesis: nonshivering and Shivering. Shivering is the result of muscle contractions, while nonshivering thermogenesis begins when active brown fat participates in the sympathetic nervous system. Cold plunges trigger both, and both lead to metabolic benefits.

 

• How to use it: Cold plunges can increase your metabolism due to thermogenesis.

Wrapping Up:

Knowledge of these terms can also greatly improve your cold plunging experience. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, you'll gain a greater understanding of the physical and mental benefits that this practice delivers without physically engaging yourself.

 

That way, the next time you step foot into an ice bath, not only will it feel cold, but you'll know what's happening to your body while in there and that, even if for a painful minute or two, it is very much worth it. Jump in, be calm, and have the plunge!