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Many swear by a short cold and that it is sufficient. But it shouldn't be too short, but not too long either. So what is a duration that makes sense?
Table of contents
Pain and tremors are a good indicator to stop
"The ice pool should not exceed three minutes ," explains Hanns-Christian Gunga, professor of space medicine and extreme environmental environment at the Berlin Charité. In other sources there is talk of up to 5 minutes. Exactly when you should stop with the Cold Plunge , similar to the sauna, it cannot be made out exactly. Ultimately, you should mainly listen to your own body. As soon as it hurts too much and you start to tremble heavily, you should definitely end the Cold Plunge .
Attempts between 2 and 5 minutes to stay in the ice pool
In summary, you can say that you should try a certain time to stay in the ice pool, otherwise there is no sufficient effect. Even sauna or a workout does not bring you anything if you lift a dumbbell three times or only stay in the sauna for a few seconds - you will hardly notice any effect. The minimum time for an ice cream pool, as soon as you have trained a few times, should be at least 2 minutes. So if you strive for 2-5 minutes, this is a great period of time to enjoy the full positive effects of the cold bath.
Dosage for Cold Plunge according to the Russian doctors Latyshev and Bokshej
The two Russian doctors have set up a table that gives you a good indication in which temperature you should stay in the water for how long. The differences are quite serious between beginners and trained people. That means Cold Plunge you can definitely train and the longer you make the power the longer you can remain in the cold wet. At a water temperature of 15 ° C, the two doctors say that a trained one can stay in the water for about 30 times longer than untrained beginners.
| Water temperature | beginner | Advanced | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 ° C | 5 - 30 s | 30 s - 1:15 min | 3 - 5 min |
| 5 ° C | 10 - 25 s | 45 s - 1:30 min | 5 - 10 min |
| 10 ° C | 12 - 35 s | 50 s - 2 min | 8 - 16 min |
| 15 ° C | 15 - 55 s | 1:15 - 4 min | 17 - 30 min |
Good rule of thumb: ratio of water temperature at duration
It is also clear: the colder the water, the more training you need and the shorter you can stay in it. Therefore, it makes sense to look at these two parameters in relation to each other and to orientate yourself to the following formula:
Water temperature (in degrees Celsius) = time (in minutes)
10 degrees = 10 minutes
9 degrees = 9 minutes
etc.
<= 2 degrees = 2 minutes
Table: ratio of water temperature, bathroom duration and body temperature
If you want it scientifically, you can orient yourself on the table below. It provides information about the time at which the body temperature decreases relative to the water temperature. The table can be read as follows: In the first column you can see the water temperature and dependent on the bathroom time to lose either - 0.5 ° C at body temperature or - 1 ° C. Obviously: the warmer the water is, the longer it takes for your body to cool down by 1 degree Celsius.
It is interesting in this regard that the body core temperature (KKT) decreases exponentially to the water temperature. At 20 ° C water temperature it takes 20 minutes to cool down 1 ° C, only 4:38 minutes at 10 ° C water temperature.
| Water temperature ° C | Temperature drop KKT in ° C / min | Bathroom duration for -0.5 ° C KKT | Bathroom duration for -1 ° C KKT |
| 20 | – 0,05 | 10:00 | 20:00 |
| 19 | – 0,07 | 07:30 | 15:00 |
| 18 | – 0,08 | 06:00 | 12:00 |
| 17 | – 0,10 | 05:00 | 10:00 |
| 16 | – 0,12 | 04:17 | 08:34 |
| 15 | – 0,13 | 03:45 | 07:30 |
| 14 | – 0,15 | 03:20 | 06:40 |
| 13 | – 0,17 | 03:00 | 06:00 |
| 12 | – 0,18 | 02:44 | 05:24 |
| 11 | – 0,20 | 02:30 | 05:00 |
| 10 | – 0,22 | 02:19 | 04:38 |
| 9 | – 0,23 | 02:09 | 04:18 |
| 8 | – 0,25 | 02:00 | 04:00 |
| 7 | – 0,27 | 01:53 | 03:46 |
| 6 | – 0,28 | 01:46 | 03:32 |
| 5 | – 0,30 | 01:40 | 03:20 |
| 4 | – 0,32 | 01:35 | 03:10 |
| 3 | – 0,33 | 01:30 | 03:00 |
| 2 | – 0,35 | 01:26 | 02:52 |
| 1 | – 0,37 | 01:22 | 02:44 |
| 0 | – 0,38 | 01:18 | 02:36 |
Avoid hypothermia
First of all, the question: What is hypothermia anyway? Hypo is the ancient Greek preposition for "under" and thermos means "hot, warm, boiling". Hypothermia is therefore meant by the body - an abnormally low body temperature, which can be caused, for example, by strong exhaustion, illness or even artificially. A hypothermic in Gut German.
Hypothermia is spoken of from a body core temperature of 36 ° C. The body core temperature means the temperature of your body inside. There are different stages
- Light hypothermia (32-35 ° C)
- Medium hypothermia (28 -32 ° C)
- Severe hypothermia (below 28 ° C)
You would have to be looked after under 32 ° C, because this limit is critical and can lead to lasting damage as well as death.
Man has a body core temperature of approx. 37 ° C. This means that a hypothermia is already hypothermic. If we take a look at the temperature list at the top, it takes about 3 minutes at 3 ° C cold water until your body cools down 1 ° C. So if you stay in 3 ° C cold water for 15 minutes, your body core temperature decreases by 5 ° C, which means that you can achieve a medium hypothermia and come into a critical situation.
There are studies according to which people have about 15 minutes after a break -in into an ice hole until they can hardly move. The extremities in particular are no longer bloody supplied with blood, which means that you can also make frostbite.
A maximum of 10 minutes Cold Plunge for experienced at 5 ° C
So what is the maximum duration? At approx. 5 ° C water temperature, experienced cold plunger should also be in the water for a maximum of 10 minutes. After our rule of thumb (water temperature = time in minutes) this would only be 5 minutes, so you would clearly exceed this guideline. That would mean approximately 3 ° C body core temperature drop, which can be achieved with training. But this is not to be regarded as a recommendation, because it is ultimately about that you feel comfortable in both water and afterwards.
It is best to leave out the clock completely, at least at the beginning. You should of course overcome the impulse to get out of the same after a few seconds. Everything over 2 minutes is an extremely great performance.
The longer you stay in the ice water, the lower your border benefit. Say every minute longer you will no longer bring the same advantages after the 2-5 minutes as the first few minutes. And you will notice: the longer you stay in the water, the more cools your body and the longer you need again to thaw.
Halloo,
thanks for the really interesting info - I would have a question where did you get the data for the table to accept the body grade (source)? Thanks for your feedback!
LG, Ernst
Hello Ernst, the source was a Facebook group, has to look again where it comes from.
I also find the table a little strange, I would have expected the brown fat to result in a better heating, so it slowed down and not that you learn to work at a lower body temperature.
There are a lot of table material and discussion here:
https://www.kanu.de/_ws/mediabase/nuke/downloads/egier-unterkuehlung.pdf
The fact is a lot of influencing factors that influence the excess of excess.
Of course, this is focused on accidental stay in cold water and not on a planned stay.
Hello, I have a question, and today I was in 5 degrees cold water for 15 minutes, i.e. according to your table too long, but it still felt good for me and I also warmed up again pretty quickly, does that harm in any way? (I started with the Cold Plunge 3 weeks ago, as if I'm already more experienced than at the beginning, but not a professional)
Hello Pauline,
15 minutes at 5 degrees cold water is quite a long time. You should be careful not to get hypothermia (hypothermia) by staying in it too long. A good rule is also if you start to tremble too much in the ice pool, the time is reached when you should think of getting out. You can of course test your limits individually, but for a long time you don't bring much more. 5 minutes at approx. 5 degrees cold ice water is enough for the full benefit. Hope that helps you!
From Barmer health insurance
Who is Cold Plunge ?
At the same time, research warns that Cold Plunge must be trained. "The body should be able to get used to the extreme cold step by step. Cold or changeable showers in the morning are recommended to get started. Marshal.
Hi,
is it recommended to take an ice cream bath in the morning and evening?
Greetings
Oliver
Rather Oliver in the morning. This gives you the advantage of becoming really awake. In addition, your body can warm up afterwards and you can enjoy the output of the hormone cocktail on adrenaline, noradrenaline, endorphins, serotonin, etc. all day, which focuses and relaxes you. In the evening you have the advantage of falling asleep.
If you take an ice cream bath in the evening you may be too pressed if you want to go to bed right away. You could also freeze, so it is ideal in the morning to go in.
Hi Anna,
Thanks for the quick reply:)
Hello,
I would be interested in whether the advantages of Cold Plunge would be increased, the colder the water temperature is. Specifically - I have more advantages if I z. B 3 minutes at 5 degrees in the ice bath, in contrast to 3 minutes at 0 degrees. Or is there a degree from which the benefit no longer increases significantly? Thank you.
Greetings Andi
Hello Andi,
you only speak of Cold Plunge There are studies that also state that a higher temperature, for example, promotes longer exposure at 10 ° C, for example, the formation of brown fat. In this respect, it does not necessarily have to be the lowest temperature in order to exploit the advantages as well as possible. At higher temperatures, then simply stay in the water longer. Alternative to do this is also easy to perform activities outside, for example doing gardening in the T-shirt in autumn at 13 ° C LT. This also means that the body is challenged.
VG
Anna
I think the table of the Russian doctors is very good 👍. For two years I have been doing Cold Plunge in my pool, which now has 0 degrees. 1.5 minutes are ok for me, although it is still a challenge every day. I do the Cold Plunge in the morning after getting up. Then a few sun greetings before breakfast. I hope that keeps me healthy and fit at the age of 68. My wish was not to freeze that often anymore, but I haven't achieved that so far. Before getting up, I do three round powerbreath. Is that too much?
Great Cornelia, Cold Plunge will certainly keep you healthy and fit for a long time! And also very nice that you do that at your age. Freezing is a normal reaction of the body to cold and therefore completely normal. However, I would also assume that you have to freeze less if you regularly expose yourself to cold, the body adapted well and more brown fat is formed.
Powerbreath is good, three rounds are also common, that's not too much. If you are dizzy afterwards or you feel matt, just screw up the intensity in the last round and slowly take the first two.
Perhaps more muscles would give you a gain in cold resistance
Hello,
I started this year with Cold Plunge in September with a water temperature of 15 degrees and I go into my ice cream tray almost every day early in the morning. In the meantime, the water temperature has dropped to 4.5 degrees and I'm honest ... .. it is a challenge. But I want to go through winter. By the way ... I'm already 78 years old and I hope that's not a problem.
Hi Petra,
great that you still do that at this age. Are looking forward to your experiences!
The age itself should not be a problem if you are still healthy and feel good. You can also have a doctor check again if you are unsure.
Many greetings
Constantin
Hello, I made a Cold Plunge once for 2 minutes. While at the time it was great under the guidance of all participants (it was with an ice pool in summer) I froze throughout the day until evening and sat inside with a jacket. Warmed up a bit beforehand and then. And today I was in a cold lake for about 10 seconds after the sauna and have been freezing again since then. How can that be? VG Selina
Hello Selina, you may have been in the ice pool for too long. Even if two minutes did not appear long, maybe it was too intense for your body. In addition, you should then dress extra warm and keep it over several hours.
Over time, you will notice how you get warm faster and faster and not tremble for long. Shivering is a normal and healthy physical reaction, so it is really not bad or dangerous. Just keep going and you will notice it will be better.
And at some point omit the sauna completely, or stop after the sauna with the ice pool or the cold shower.
Many greetings
Constantin
Hello,
I have been testing the topic with cold shower for a good two weeks.
In the meantime there is also an ice rink in the garden. Has approx. 7 degrees.
Now, however, a severe pain over my upper back shot me in my head three times after 30 to 45 seconds Cold Plunge The headache stays all day. I suspect it is related to tension in the neck and my fundamentally existing migraine. Otherwise I only get this twice a year.
Is there a good tip how I can do better?
Hello Christian,
the occurrence of severe headaches in the Cold Plunge , especially in combination with existing neck tension and migraines, is not unusual. Here are some tips that could help reduce the symptoms:
1. Slowly get used to: maybe you take a step back and try to shower cold and see how you react to it?
If you have only started with cold showers, your body takes time to get used to the stronger cold exposure of an ice cream pool.
2nd warm neck: protect your neck in front of the cold, as tension can be reinforced by the temperature difference. You could not dive your shoulders and neck at first and only concentrate on the rest of the body.
3. Check breathing: A conscious breathing rhythm can help to reduce the physical stress reaction. Slow and even abdominal breathing prevents hyperventilation and ensures better blood circulation.
4. Solve tension: If your neck tension are a basic problem, try regular stretching exercises, massages or yoga. Also right in front of the ice pool to get warm.
VG
Anna