I know you’ve seen it on social media, and probably wondered if cold plunging is actually legit…or just crazy. And, I get it. Why would anyone choose to sit in a bucket of ice like a cruise ship shrimp cocktail? But all jokes aside, I can tell you from experience that the benefits far outweigh the initial misery. If you’ve got an Oura ring or something similar, see what happens when you make plunging a routine part of your life.

Here are some other things that will help you be a successfully submerged subject:

My Setup

I use the Nuvio 1/3 HP chiller. On paper, it’ll chill your tub to 39°F. In reality? Indoors, I get 43°F. Outdoors? Different story. In Costa Rica, where it’s 83°F daily, even in the shade, and it’s wrapped like a burrito in insulation, I can’t get below 48°F. So, use it indoors unless you live in a walk-in freezer.

My favorite tub? The 212-gallon inflatable brown one from Amazon. It’s comfy, affordable, and is big enough for a full-sized person.

Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To

1. Don’t point the chiller exhaust at the tub. Yes, I did this. No, it didn’t help. Blasting hot air at your cold water=bad idea.

2. Clean. The. Filters. If water isn’t flowing well, it’s not chilling well. Plus, gross. In Colorado, my filters are pristine. In Austin, they’re dirty weekly. In Costa Rica, it’s a daily ritual—like brushing teeth, but with more algae.

3. Overfill it—on purpose. I accidentally left the hose running once. I came back to a small lake, but my tub was fuller than I had ever filled it before. The weird thing? After submerging my shoulders and neck for the first time, my chronic shoulder pain and pinky tingling disappeared. Now I always fill it two inches from the top.

4. Re-inflate every 3–4 weeks. Tubs lose a bit of air over time. When the walls sag, the lid doesn’t seal right, and the water warms up.

Final Word

Whether you’re plunging for pain relief, better sleep, or just to feel superior, give it a shot. Worst case, you get cold. Best case, you get awesome.