Think you always need to put a jacket on or you’ll catch a cold? Think again. Dr. Alison Monette, ND, RD, a nationally board-certified, licensed naturopathic physician and a Registered Dietitian, says it’s not the cold that makes us sick—it’s actually the indoor germs and lack of sunlight in winter.
In fact, Dr. Monette believes a cold plunge might just be what you need to improve your immune system. While cold plunging is promoted as a wellness exercise, the claims lack scientific evidence that explains what this popular trend really does to our bodies on our cellular level. Here’s why Dr. Monette believes cold plunging isn’t just a wellness fad.
Cold isn’t harmful —it’s adaptive
According to Dr. Monette, our bodies are designed to respond to environmental temperature shifts. Short-term cold exposure (cold thermogenesis) through cold plunging activates key survival programs in the brain and body. Yet, colder temperatures are incorrectly blamed during cold and flu season.
“But cold temperatures are not to blame. The immune system is an adaptive network that responds to seasonal shifts in the environment. The immune system you need in the summer is not the same immune system that is needed in the winter,” she says.
“A lack of sunlight and little to no exposure to cold temperatures creates a total absence of immune programming to mount the proper response to viruses and stressors in the environment. On top of that, excess exposure to artificial light (LEDs, technology, etc.), particularly at night, disrupts immune regulation, repair, and regeneration. The net effect is chronic immune degrade, but not because of the colder temperatures, but rather because of the lack of cold.”
However, Dr. Monette says the solution isn’t to disconnect ourselves further when we do go outside by wearing more and more layers. Instead, she recommends embracing the seasonal shift, experiencing the cold, and adapting our systems to the changing environment so they can function as nature intended.
“Cold plunging can help restore what is being lost because of our modern ability and desire to subtract winter,” she says.
Winter is the best time to start
If you’re looking to start using cold plunging in your wellness routine, winter is a great time to start. In the winter, the body is “Very ready to make the seasonal shift and activate the cold program. Additionally, there is already some level of cold being experienced (even if it’s in really small doses), which could accelerate the adaptation phase.”
Dr. Monette recommends starting slowly, working towards going outside into the naturally cold temperatures for greater durations.
“Once you’ve gotten well adapted to outdoor temperatures, you can incorporate cold plunges, taking it to the next level. This might be an easier transition than going from hot days into cold plunges,” she says.
Cold plunging can help improve metabolism, immunity, and mood. “Mood is an area that is a challenge for many in the winter, but this isn’t ‘normal,'” she says. “Nature did not intend for us to be depressed for half of the year. Short days are often to blame, but this is only one side of the story. By exposing yourself to cold, you can restore some of the dopamine that is lost as a result of chronic indoor living during the winter. Better cold adaptation also means you can embrace more time outdoors to harvest natural light during the colder months, which will further improve dopamine function.”
“The safest, easiest approach to start with for most is to take a gradual, build-up approach before jumping into a cold plunge. Face dunks are a great place to start. This involves using a tray of cold water and dunking your face into it for 20-30 seconds (or less if you can’t hold your breath that long) 3 or 4 times,” says Dr. Monette. “Another first step is using a cold neck wrap for 15-20 minutes (can be purchased on Amazon); this will stimulate the cold receptors on the back of the neck and start the process of cold adaptation.”
