One of the biggest dilemmas is if you should plunge before or after a workout. There’s no right or wrong answer here, but the choice can affect your fitness goals differently.
In this article, we’ll show you the benefits of cold plunging before and after a workout, but also tell you about a few related things you should or shouldn’t be doing to maximize the cold plunging benefits.
Should You Cold Plunge Before or After a Workout?
If your goals are performance and energy, you should plunge before your workout. However, if your goal is recovery, cold plunging after your workout makes the most sense.
Cold plunging before a workout can help you wake up, increase alertness, and even reduce muscle soreness from previous workouts. At the same time, it can also help you perform better in your workout sessions.
Another important benefit of cold plunging before a workout is improved circulation and an energy boost which you’ll definitely notice when it kicks in. In our opinion, cold plunging before a workout gives a great start to every workout session.
On the other hand, exposure to cold water can temporarily reduce muscle power and flexibility. This only applies to certain activities.
Another downside is the counter activity. If you usually warm up before a workout, submerging yourself in cold water before your workouts just doesn’t make sense.
Cold plunging after a workout can help reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, which is a great way to recover from your previous workouts.
It can speed up recovery, reduce swelling, and improve blood flow. Another important benefit is that it calms down your nervous system after the exercise.
The downside to cold plunging after a workout is that it could blunt the growth and strength of your muscles. This especially applies to everyone who cold plunges after high-intensity strength workout sessions.
Is It Better to Go to Sauna Before or After a Workout?
If you plan on combining cold plunging, sauna, and workouts to maximize the benefits, it’s good to know that there’s no right or wrong way. Just the same way it is with working out, it all depends on your goals and the benefits you’d like to experience.
Sauna Before a Workout
Going to a sauna before the workout can help warm up the body. This is perfect for loosening your muscles and joints, as it can reduce the risk of injury.
Increased circulation is another benefit, which helps prepare your cardiovascular system for the workout.
A sauna before the workout can also help relax your mind, improve focus, and reduce pre-workout anxiety.
Some of the drawbacks include dehydration due to prolonged exposure, which can affect your performance. Another drawback is the achievement of a higher heart rate during a workout, which can make a workout seem harder than it usually is.
Sauna After a Workout
A sauna after a workout is best if you’re interested in achieving muscle recovery, as it can help reduce soreness thanks to improved blood flow. Keep in mind that saunas can also clear lactic acid, which can help eliminate muscle soreness in the next few days.
Relaxing in a sauna after a workout can also help improve your post-workout mental recovery.
Sweating helps flush out toxins, while you might even notice you have a better sleep as going to a sauna after a workout can calm the nervous system.
However, keep in mind that going to a sauna after a workout can prolong recovery time if you overuse it. At the same time, you’re at a higher risk of dehydration if you don’t drink enough water during your workout.
We highly recommend you always stay hydrated no matter when you go to the sauna, limit your sessions to 10-20 minutes, listen to your body, and combine the sauna with other recovery tools like stretching or cold plunging.
Should You Cold Plunge Before Bed?
Cold plunging before bed can help you improve sleep and reduce stress. However, you shouldn't plunge right before bedtime. Give it one or two hours before you’re in bed and ready for sleep.
Dipping yourself in your cold plunge tub before bed can help reduce body temperature, which is a clear sign to your body that it’s the right time to rest.
You’ll feel relaxed as the cold plunge activates the nervous system, which helps reduce stress.
A cool body can lead to deeper and better sleep cycles, while you might feel less discomfort from the day when you wake up, thanks to the comfortable night rest.
Another thing to note is that cold plunging before bed helps slow down the heart rate, which calms the body. As you can see, all of these benefits are interlinked.
However, there are some drawbacks you should be aware of.
Cold plunging before bed can be overstimulating for some people. If you feel overstimulated, try to shorten your secession. Some people also reported feeling discomfort in colder climates.
Lastly, as we’ve mentioned earlier, cold plunges right before bedtime can disrupt natural sleep preparation. It’s important to do it at least an hour or two before bedtime. This way, you can still give yourself and your body a chance to calm down and settle down into your usual routine before you fall asleep.
Cold plunge before or after a workout can make a slight difference in the benefits you’ll experience. Keep in mind that there are drawbacks to each choice as well.
We also highly recommend combining your cold plunge sessions with stretching, sauna, or any other tools that can have a positive impact on your body.
We recommend learning more about cold plunges or even cold plunge & sauna combinations, as these combinations can lead to the ultimate benefits for people with any fitness goals.