This Is The Optimal Cold Plunge Temp For Women (Yes, It's Different)

Exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Stacy Sims, Ph.D., is transforming how people think about women's health. From calling out the stark gender gap in medical research to setting the record straight on postmenopause workout plans, Sims is determined to help women optimize their health by dissecting some of the buzziest longevity topics around. 

Fun fact: The dip in frigid water itself isn't why polar plunges are so good for you. In fact, the bulk of the benefits come from your body warming itself back up post-dip (also known as thermogenesis1), which is why the water needs to be cold enough to ensure your body feels the chill—but for women, that benchmark might be warmer than you think.

"When we look at the temperature gradient of when women start to shiver or when women start to feel cold, it's around 16 degrees Celsius, or about 55 [to] 56 degrees Fahrenheit water," Sims explains. 

She adds that when we look at when women start to experience shivering effects, "it's not as cold for women as it is for men2." To put it simply: Women are physically more sensitive to cold temperatures3. The general recommendation for cold plunge temperatures is between 50 and 60 degrees, but women don't have to get close to the 50-degree mark to experience the benefits, she claims.

Still, post-exercise cold plunge therapy may be even more beneficial for women than men. Why? "Post-exercise, women vasodilate4, so all of the blood goes to their periphery away from the heart. [This] is why some women feel really lightheaded after exercise," she notes. "So women should get in cool water to create vasoconstriction [and] send that blood back centrally to enhance recovery." 

Pretty interesting, right? Sims rounds out the conversation by suggesting women participate in a few plunges each week for general health, with more specific schedules if you have a specific physical training goal. The reason for the latter is that your body needs some level of inflammation to adapt to physical training, and frequent plunges may eliminate inflammatory responses too much (for training purposes, that is).