On December 3rd, the sleepy bois gathered at Mount Timpanogos Park to participate in an ice bath. It was a snowy, rainy morning and, honestly, the vibes were on. The first snowstorm of the year rolled through the days before, leaving us with a cold and wet ice bath experience (which, even on an ideal day, will be the standard result of such an activity).

A few of us were ready and eager to get in right away while a few of us had reservations about plunging straight into the icy Provo River. We all came well-prepared, given the Sleepy Bois Club ice bath video that was published in preparation for the activity. Some of us came prepared for war with a hot thermos of morning beverage, too many towels, and even a bottle of stiff drink to help fight the even stiffer cold.

For the most part, we enjoyed the water for a couple minutes each. A few brave Sleepy Bois attempted ice bath heroic doses, staying in the water for nearly 10 minutes. And a few of us got in up to our shins with our bodies shivering in the chilly snowy winter air.

After the dip, some of us had other Sunday obligations to attend, while a small group headed over to the nearest Denny’s for some breakfast and good conversation.

The following evening, a small group gathered to talk about the experience with ice baths, bringing some thoughts and takeaways to the group that are included in this post.

About Ice Baths

Among the many reasons that people participate in ice baths are potential benefits in weight loss, blood circulation, better sleep, reduction of anxiety and stress, and so much more. Though many of these claims are still new, developing, and even contested, the popularity of ice baths and polar plunges has only increased over the past several years. We were happy to participate in the cold wave.

Our Experience

Our individual experiences of water dipping varied in many ways. Some of us got in for a few minutes, some of us for more than 10. Most of us dunked all the way up to our necks, some of us up to our shins. And some of us practiced cold water therapies at home, splashing cold water on our faces, dunking our faces in a bowl of ice water or taking cold showers.

Most cold water participants expressed positive feelings about their ice bath experience, saying that they felt awake, energized or proud of themselves for committing to the difficult task. One participant who only got in the water up to their shins expressed some ambivalence: pride in even making it out to the beach on a snowy morning but also some regret for not committing to the cold depths of the Provo River. They say they will definitely be coming back to conquer the beast at the next polar plunge opportunity (the river is there when you’re ready 😉).

Ice Baths Are Fun

It’s true: ice baths are fun. But, they are admittedly type two fun (read about the three types of fun on REI’s blog about the fun scale). This is the kind of fun that tends to be polarizing in the way where, as one club member put it, “the people who enjoy it and feel like it helps, really enjoy it and feel like it helps.” Some people may just not find ice baths all that much fun, and that’s okay. But for the Sleepy Bois, ice baths provide a handful of enjoyable outcomes.

Ritual

For those who practice them regularly, ice baths provide a clear distinction between “regular” life and the rituals we practice to keep us going. From setting to preparation to temperature, an ice bath constitutes a notable break in the regular rhythm of everyday life.

Nature

Though bathhouses have become increasingly popular, the cheapest access to cold water therapy can be found in nature’s bathhouse: a river in the middle of winter (or whatever body of water in whatever season, I guess). Many Sleepy Bois commented on the setting, particularly being in nature, as being one of the biggest sources of enjoyment and motivation to participate in an ice bath.

Communal and Intentional Activity

There is something about shared experience that brings people together (I suppose commiseration is a trending theme among the values that bring Sleepy Bois to frozen river banks 🙃). Not only shared experience, but simply attending a group ice bath without even getting in the water is something that I and others have found genuinely enjoyable. I think ice baths are a bit like sports where you don’t even have to be the one doing the thing to feel a sense of shared experience and community around it.

Euphoria in Accomplishment

Doing an ice bath is hard (as we will see later in this post). There is a lot to be said about a person who can muster the resolve to plunge their own body into nearly freezing water. And once you’ve done it, you can say it all–or, at least, you can feel it all. Many proponents of ice baths talk about the euphoria you feel after completing a cold water dip. Additionally, sensations of confidence, grit, accomplishment, and reduced anxiety are feelings the Sleepy Bois have after an ice bath. An ice bath has a tendency to quiet the critical brain, which can be really nice for someone with an active internal dialog.

Meditative State

Related to the feeling of euphoria achieved by ice baths is the meditative-like state that many feel while in the cold water. I like to think of ice baths as a shortcut to that meditative state. If meditation quiets all the extra noise in your mind, an ice bath is like putting on headphones and cranking the music all the way up to drown out those other noises. It’s really hard to think about anything other than how cold the water is when you’re neck deep in an ice bath. But, if you can get in the water and control your breathing, you can focus on that cold as a form of meditation. One club member likes to focus on the coldest parts of their body and imagine sending warmth to those places until they no longer feel cold.

Ice Baths Are Hard

Indubitably, ice baths are cold. And that isn’t the only discomfort you may find on the cold banks of a snowy river. Here are some challenges and mindsets to help get you into the water.

Keep It Simple

It can be tempting to over engineer the preparation for an ice bath to help cope with the discomfort. As mentioned before, one club member really went above and beyond to prepare for the cold, but they didn’t end up using most of what they packed. An ice bath really isn’t that bad, especially when you take it easy and stay within a safe practice.

To have a fun and safe ice bath, I recommend making sure you have:

1. A towel
2. A change of warm clothes (for after the dip)
3. Shoes you can take in the water (especially for an ice bath in nature)
4. A friend

And in most cases, remember that you are just a few minutes away from your warm car, your warm house, and a hot bath.

Nobody Cares

Apart from the cold, there are a few social inhibitors that can make an ice bath difficult. It’s common for folks to have insecurities about their body in a bathing suit in hot weather, let alone in the shriveling cold of winter. Additionally, an ice bath is a pretty uncommon activity, which can make the social procedure of the event feel a little awkward for newbies and veterans alike.

In my experience, the moments leading up to an ice bath feel uncomfortable, and only marginally less uncomfortable than those first moments of trying to plunge my body deeper into the freezing cold water. I feel weird about my body, unsure of when and how to get in the water, and just really cold. But when I think back to every group ice bath I’ve ever done, you know what I can’t remember? Anything about anybody else. In hearing other Sleepy Bois’ experiences with ice baths, it’s apparent that, between their own insecurities and the fact that they are about to be very cold, nobody cares about what you’re doing or how you look doing it. There’s no single thing I do to get over these inhibitors, but remembering that nobody cares certainly helps soothe my ego about those insecurities in hindsight.

One member of the club mentioned that they needed to use the restroom before we headed to the river. But in their nerves, they decided they didn’t want to inconvenience us by making us wait for them to take care of business. While they were in the water, the thought crossed their mind that it was silly to have feared inconveniencing us–as if we were really in such a hurry to be as cold as we must be now! We probably wouldn’t have cared if we had to wait a couple minutes for that Sleepy Boi to use the restroom; it probably would have been a brief moment of relief (for all of us).

Just Have Fun

You’re going to feel cold; it’s an ice bath. Just get in to the degree you feel comfortable and try to focus on your breathing. Before you know it, you will be breathing normally and having a really good time.

You may feel some intense cold and even a bit of pain in your hands, your toes, or really anywhere. This is a common complaint among even the most experienced cold water enthusiasts. There are some items and practices you can do to help ease these challenges, but at the end of the day, staying within a safe and reasonable time limit and temperature will always be the best way to stay safe and have fun at an ice bath. If you get in too deep, get out. And if you regret not doing enough, get back in. The water’s fine!

View the study guide for this activity here: Ice Baths and Hot Cakes