The Cold Plunge High…and Why Women Need to Be More Careful Than Anyone Is Admitting
Being totally honest, the first time I tried cold therapy, I loved it.
My whole system lit up. The buzz, the clarity, the adrenaline… it was addictive.
I felt powerful. Almost superhuman.
And for a while, I thought this must be doing something good. Everyone online was saying it builds resilience, burns fat, tones the vagus nerve, resets your mind.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth I eventually had to face:
Just because something makes you feel amazing in the moment doesn’t mean it’s supporting your nervous system long-term.
Especially if you’re a woman.
I Still Like a Quick Cold Dip, With One Important Condition
I want to be really clear here:
I still enjoy a short cold swim or quick cold dip.
In small doses, cold exposure can be beneficial. A brief dip (around 30 seconds to 2 minutes) can gently stimulate the vagus nerve, increase alertness, and create a feeling of clarity.
But only if it’s followed by a clear way to warm up straight away.
Cold followed by warmth and movement helps the nervous system return to safety.
Cold without repair is just another stressor.
That distinction matters.
The Rise of Cold Therapy (and the Part No One Talks About)
Cold plunging has exploded in recent years, with influencers, fitness coaches, and wellness personalities all preaching the benefits of ice baths.
But most of these people are:
not trained in nervous system health
not trauma-informed
not working with female physiology
focused on one narrow outcome (fat burning, dopamine hits, metabolism)
And for women already living in chronic stress, fight-or-flight, freeze, trauma cycles, masking, and caregiving overload…
That message isn’t just unhelpful.
It’s risky.
Most women are not starting from a balanced baseline.
We are starting from depletion.
Many women I work with are already in sympathetic overdrive:
chronically stressed
exhausted
carrying emotional labour
juggling constant demands
disconnected from rest
stuck in survival mode
When your system is already flooded with cortisol and adrenaline, the last thing it needs is another shock masquerading as “wellness.”
The Adrenaline High Isn’t Healing
Cold plunges cause a significant spike in adrenaline.
That’s the high.
That’s the buzz.
That’s why it feels so good.
But high adrenaline is not calm.
It’s not regulation.
And it’s not resilience.
For women, research shows we are far more sensitive to cold stress than men. Our hormones, cycle phases, fat distribution, and nervous system wiring mean our bodies often react more intensely.
Instead of balance, many women are tipped into deeper dysregulation.
The Science Was Built on Men
Most cold-therapy research has been carried out on:
male athletes
male physiology
male hormonal profiles
Men and women do not respond to cold in the same way. Women vasoconstrict faster, lose heat faster, and experience larger cortisol responses.
Extreme cold exposure can:
increase cortisol
suppress thyroid function
worsen fatigue
heighten anxiety
increase emotional reactivity
push an already-activated system into shutdown or collapse
And here’s the part that rarely gets mentioned:
Research suggests women tend to benefit most from cold exposure around 14 to 15°C, not ice-bath temperatures.
Yet the current trend pushes women into 2 to 5°C, often for longer and longer durations.
Because harder must be better… right?
Not for us.
My Turning Point
I kept cold plunging and sea-swimming right through a Cornish winter. And honestly, I didn’t hate it, I enjoyed the thrill.
But afterwards, the adrenaline crash would hit.
My body wasn’t being strengthened.
It was being pushed past capacity.
This is the part many women miss:
You can like something.
You can enjoy the rush.
You can feel strong doing it.
And it can still be dysregulating your nervous system.
What Actually Works Better for Women
Women tend to regulate best through:
warmth
nourishment
safety
slowness
grounding
gentle activation rather than shock
connection rather than punishment
Cold exposure can absolutely be a tool… but only when it’s matched to the body you actually have, not the one wellness culture assumes.
For most women, that means:
very short exposure (remember a couple of minutes at most!)
moderate temperatures
clear warming and recovery afterwards
Signs You May Be Doing More Harm Than Good
After a cold dip, ask yourself:
Do I feel…
tired?
shaky?
wired but exhausted?
emotionally flat?
irritable later?
foggy?
low in mood afterwards?
If yes, your nervous system isn’t being strengthened - it’s being overridden.
Repeated overriding leads to burnout, hormonal disruption, and emotional volatility.
Women Are Not Small Men
Cold plunging isn’t inherently bad, but the way it’s currently being promoted is not trauma-informed, not female-informed, and not nervous system informed.
For many men, extreme cold creates strong metabolic and vascular adaptations.
For many women, it creates stress instability.
Our bodies need a different protocol.
A different pace.
A different philosophy.
One based on support, not stress.
Warmth, not shock.
Regulation, not adrenaline.
You are allowed to stop doing things that look impressive but don’t feel good deep down.
Your nervous system will thank you.
Here’s a picture of me after a November sea swim, smiling, buzzing, and completely unaware of what it was really doing to my nervous system.
