These days, it seems everyone is throwing themselves into icy water. Hollywood stars like Kate Hudson and Hailey Bieber, as well as desi celebs like Rakul Preet Singh, have touted the benefits of a friendly cold plunge. Amid all the hype and alleged health advantages — the practice is thought to reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and relieve stress — BLACKPINK member Jennie, in a recent interview with Vogue, shared the benefits of cold water plunges and why they've been actually worth the freezing temperatures. 

‘The soreness and tightness of my body went away’

The 28-year-old said that in South Korea, the sauna culture is really big, so she would go to the sauna ‘every single day’ and doing the cold plunge right after was a 'natural thing' for her. She said, “The first time (cold-plunging) was a surprise. But instantly, I felt like the soreness and tightness of my body went away. And maybe because it was the first time, I had this instant boost in my mood and an overall emotional release... I often tell myself to toughen up. I tell myself that this is something that I want to do, and it’s not for the pain, it’s for the release.”

Jennie said that every day, she challenges herself to withstand the cold for a few more seconds, adding five seconds here and 10 seconds there. She said she has found that the practice is 'like a reset button' for her body, adding she 'sets an alarm for 2 minutes and 20 seconds' and when the alarm goes off and she is still able to hold the coldness; she then tell herself – 'Let’s see how long I can do today'.

She added, “Gradually your body learns to deal with this pain, and you feel so proud of yourself... immediately [after cold-plunging] you feel your blood flowing in your body, and you feel good. You feel energetic. You feel ready to go! It taught me how to embrace tension and help me push through challenges, whether in my personal life or creatively... It made me believe that I am tougher than I think I am.”

What are the benefits of cold plunges?

Jeanie says cold plunges help her with soreness after a tough day performing and decrease her pain and stress. But what does science say? Soaking in ice-cold water is not easy, but science confirms there are benefits to cold plunging.

For starters, research published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information in 2018 shows that cold-water therapy can help reduce inflammation. A 2015 study published in springer.com discussed there are increased benefits of ice baths lasting 11 to 15 minutes.

Are cold plunges safe?

According to a WebMD report, while it’s safe to take a cold plunge every day, it is also possible to overdo it. Jumping into cold water too fast can shock your body and cause problems with breathing, heart rate, blood pressure or even mental state. Moreover, if you stay in cold water for too long, your body temperature could dip so low that you get hypothermia. You could also get numbness in your limbs or frostbite.

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