I’ll never forget a year after I started cold plunging in 2019.

A few of my fellow ultra marathon runners also took up the practice.

As you might know, ultra runners tend to push boundaries, and some of them believed that staying in the ice bath as long as possible was the way to go.

One day, I got a text from a friend telling me he had just sat in an ice bath for 26 minutes.

That didn’t sit right with me.

Since then, I've dug deep into the research and science behind the best practices for cold plunging, and I want to share a few key dangers of staying in the cold plunge too long:

1.Hypothermia Risk: Extended exposure to cold water can lower your core body temperature dangerously, leading to hypothermia. This can impair your body’s ability to regulate its temperature and cause serious health issues. Learn more about hypothermia.

2. Nerve Damage: Prolonged cold exposure can damage your nerves, particularly those near the surface of your skin, leading to numbness or a tingling sensation that could become permanent. Read about the effects of cold exposure on nerves.

3. Frostbite: Yes, even in a cold plunge, frostbite can occur if you're in the water too long. This can lead to tissue damage in your extremities like fingers and toes. Here’s how frostbite can develop in extreme cold conditions.

4.Cardiac Stress: Cold water immersion can put a significant strain on your heart, especially when you stay submerged too long. This can lead to dangerous arrhythmias or even a heart attack in severe cases. Understand the cardiac risks.

5.Cognitive Impairment: Prolonged cold exposure can impair your mental faculties, leading to confusion, disorientation, and even loss of consciousness, increasing the risk of drowning. Explore the cognitive effects of cold exposure.

Remember, the benefits of cold plunging are best achieved with moderation. 😀

Be smart, be well,

Brock and the Kensho Crew

P.S. Pro tip: To not psych yourself out, one of the tricks many of us use is: "I'll just do 2 minutes today."

It works like a charm!