How To Try Cold Therapy At Home: 6 Expert-Backed Protocols

Most of the existing research on cold exposure and its many health benefits is on full-body, up-to-the-neck immersion in an ice bath, pool, or other cold body of water. The reason for this is purely practical—it's simply easier to control all the experimental variables that way. In an immersion tank, you can more precisely measure the effects of cold because you can control the temperature and how much skin is exposed to water versus air, regardless of differences in body weight, height, and surface area, whereas in a shower, you can't really control for any of those things.

There are plenty of ways to intentionally build cold exposure into your life. Here are some general guidelines to think about whether you are taking an ice bath, jumping in the ocean, or partaking in a cold shower.

One way to reduce this risk may be to start at higher temperatures, and as your body becomes increasingly adapted to the cold, you can handle lower and lower temperatures more safely. Also, if you have a circulation disorder, like Raynaud's, this practice probably isn't for you. Again, when in doubt, it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor. Be smart about anything you try.

There is no definitive number, but among experts the consensus seems to be that brown fat activation happens when you get below 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius). That being said, what counts as "uncomfortable" for a person without much brown fat might be above this temperature range, so you have to experiment a little with your comfort/discomfort zone. Shivering also is a good indicator that you're cold enough.

Keep this in mind when adjusting to how the temperatures might change throughout the year. For instance, in the wintertime, the cold water you can get in your shower could be 10 to 20 degrees colder than what you'd get in the summertime.

As much as possible! If you're fully immersed, going in up to your neck is plenty. If you're in a cold shower, some people prefer to duck their heads in and out, thus avoiding a headache.

The effects of brown fat take a little longer to see because brown fat itself takes longer to accumulate. No one knows for sure how long; Susanna Søberg, Ph.D., author of an important study on winter swimming and metabolism4, believes that after just one season of swimming twice a week, you may see a benefit. Consistent cold-​water exposure over time will help you build up your brown fat stores and see the greatest overall metabolic benefits.

Excerpted from The Joy of Well-Being by Colleen Wachob and Jason Wachob. Copyright © 2023 by Colleen Wachob and Jason Wachob. Reprinted with permission of Balance Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. All rights reserved.