Are cold plunges REALLY good for everyone?
Listen to your body or get a root mapping evaluation.
Cold plunges are everywhere right now from breath work workshops to morning rituals and biohacker podcasts. And for good reason for some. Submerging the body in cold water activates powerful physiological responses: it reduces inflammation, boosts circulation, calms the nervous system (after the initial shock), and releases a wave of endorphins that many describe as cleansing or even euphoric.
For many people, cold water therapy is a reset button for the body and mind.
But like all healing modalities, cold plunges are not universal medicine.
They’re powerful and power deserves respect!
What Cold Water Immersion Can Offer:
Increased circulation + lymphatic flow
Nervous system recalibration (parasympathetic activation post-plunge)
Reduction in muscle soreness and inflammation
Mental resilience + focus
Feelings of alertness and aliveness
Improved mood through dopamine and endorphin release
When approached with presence and intention, a cold plunge can be a form of initiation, a deep reawakening of the primal body.
⚠️ But When Is It Too Much?
For those with certain imbalances or vulnerabilities, cold plunges can push the system too far:
Adrenal fatigue or burnout: Cold shock can further dysregulate already depleted adrenals
Hypothyroidism: Repeated cold exposure can stress an underactive thyroid
Womb-related imbalances: Cold can contract and pull blood away from the uterus and reproductive organs
Highly sensitive or depleted constitutions: Cold plunges may feel more like trauma than therapy
Postpartum: This is a very warm and inward season of life, the cold can fragment more than it grounds
The wisdom here is not to avoid cold plunges altogether, but to discern when your body is asking for activation and when it’s asking for warmth.
Listening Comes First
Healing isn’t a trend. It’s a relationship. If the cold draws you in, ask why. If it repels you, ask why. Sometimes resistance is fear. Sometimes it’s guidance. Your body knows.
You don’t need to prove your strength by enduring shock. You can meet your system where it is, and let the medicine match the moment.
💧 For Those Who Feel the Call…
Start gently:
Try cold face rinsing or contrast showers
Sit with your feet in a cold river or tub instead of full immersion
Be fully present with your breath before, during, and after
Follow up with warmth, grounding, and nourishment
Cold is a Teacher, Not a Punishment
It can awaken, purify, enliven.
For Women: Cold Plunges and the Menstrual Cycle
Many of the women I’ve worked with have come to cold plunges through trend, not through attunement and some began to notice subtle disruptions in their cycles. What seemed like an invigorating ritual left them feeling depleted, scattered, or disconnected.
Your Body Already Knows. I Can Help You Listen.
If you’ve been trying cold plunges or any healing trend, and still feel off it may be time to shift toward a more attuned, intuitive approach.