Cold plunges and ice baths: less soreness, a stress dip, and not much else proven

A cold plunge is what it sounds like: getting into cold water, usually 15°C or below, for anything from 30 seconds to 15 minutes. Athletes have used ice baths for recovery for decades. The new wave of interest is about mood, stress and immunity.

For sore muscles

This is where the evidence is best. A 2016 meta-analysis in Sports Medicine found cold water was slightly better than resting for muscle soreness, both straight after exercise and in the days after. Water between 11 and 15°C, for 11 to 15 minutes, gave the best results.

A 2022 Sports Medicine meta-analysis found that after high-intensity exercise, a plunge reduced soreness and improved how recovered people felt 24 hours later. It did not help strength come back any faster. Compared with other recovery methods, a 2023 review found cold air therapy (cryotherapy chambers) did better than cold water for recovering strength.

For stress, sleep and immunity

A 2025 meta-analysis in PLoS One looked at healthy adults only: 11 studies, with water from 7 to 15°C. Stress was lower 12 hours after a plunge, though not immediately or a day later. Inflammation markers rose straight afterwards, an acute stress response. One study found 29% less sick leave in people who took cold showers. Sleep quality and quality of life improved; mood did not.

Yes, but

The authors of the 2025 review said the evidence is held back by few randomised trials, small samples and narrow study groups.

When to talk to your GP

Cold water causes a gasp reflex and a sharp rise in heart rate and blood pressure. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure or Raynaud's, or are pregnant, ask first. Never plunge alone in open water.

Sources

1. Effects of cold-water immersion on health and wellbeing: a systematic review and meta-analysis, PLoS One, 2025
2. Can water temperature and immersion time influence the effect of cold water immersion on muscle soreness? Sports Med, 2016
3. Impact of cold-water immersion compared with passive recovery following a single bout of strenuous exercise, Sports Med, 2022
4. Effects of cold-water immersion compared with other recovery modalities on athletic performance, Sports Med, 2023

Checked 3 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us via the about page.

General information, not medical advice. Check with your GP first, especially if you are pregnant, have a heart condition or take medication.