Cold Water Therapy

Cold water therapy means short, deliberate immersion in cold water: an ice bath or plunge pool at around 3 to 10°C, a cold bucket shower, or the sea. In wellness centres and social saunas it is usually paired with heat in a contrast routine — sauna, plunge, rest, repeat — which is the tradition in Nordic and Baltic bathing culture and the reason most UK bathhouses now install a cold plunge next to the sauna.

Many people report feeling alert and in a better mood afterwards, and athletes use it to reduce soreness after training; the research on recovery is mixed, and on mood still early. What is well established is the cold shock response: the first 30 to 60 seconds bring gasping and a rapid heart rate. Enter slowly, keep your head above water, start with 30 seconds to two minutes, and never immerse alone outdoors.

Cold plunges are usually included with a sauna session (£12 to £25) or facilities pass; guided breathwork and ice bath workshops cost £30 to £60. Cold immersion is not advised if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, Raynaud's or are pregnant without speaking to your doctor first.