Hone Health breaks down how making small but strategic tweaks to your health can help you live a longer, healthier life.

MORE TIME TO TRAVEL Contributor Hilary Nangle offers a fool-proof recipe for relaxation: A sybaritic soak in one of the ...

Bleakley C , McDonough S, et al. Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012; 2 :CD008262. Intense exercise involving ...

A thermal shock When you abruptly transition from very hot air to cool or even cold water (59–68°F / 15–20°C), your body experiences thermal shock. The skin's surface cools instantly, causing ...

Cold Water Immersion (CWI): The practice of immersing the body or part of the body in water at low temperatures, typically below 20 °C, to facilitate recovery following physical exertion.

A hot shower after a workout Heat therapies like hot-water immersion and heating pads have long been used to dilate blood ...

Experts explain that exposing the body to cold triggers a reflex called the diving response, which activates the vagus nerve.

Interestingly, cold water immersion is often a shared experience. Group swims, early-morning plunges with friends, or bonding with strangers in icy water created a strong sense of community.

Of course, cold water immersion isn’t for everyone and there are risks. The initial shock can cause hyperventilation, elevated heart rate and loss of breath control.

Interestingly, cold water immersion is often a shared experience. Group swims, early-morning plunges with friends, or bonding with strangers in icy water created a strong sense of community.