How Cold is Cold Enough?
A Guide to Ice Baths, Cold Showers, and the Wim Hof Extremes
If you’ve ever dipped a toe into an ice bath and immediately questioned your life choices, you’re not alone. Cold exposure is trending — from cryo chambers to backyard barrels — but how cold is too cold? Is there a sweet spot where you get the benefits without turning into a human popsicle?
Let’s break down the cold, hard facts (yes, pun intended) and answer the questions everyone’s been asking.
How Cold of an Ice Bath is Too Cold?
For most people, ice baths between 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 59°F) are enough to activate the benefits — think reduced inflammation, faster recovery, and a nice jolt of mental clarity.
Go colder than 5°C (41°F) and you enter a territory where things can get sketchy fast, especially without proper breathing or supervision. Anything below 2°C (35.6°F) could cause cold shock, numbness, and potentially dangerous outcomes in just a few minutes — particularly for beginners or people with cardiovascular conditions.
Bottom Line: Under 10°C is great. Under 5°C is intense. Under 2°C is “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
What Temperature is Joe Rogan’s Ice Bath?
Joe Rogan, king of podcasting and pushing limits, reportedly keeps his ice bath at around 33°F (0.5°C). That’s as cold as water can get without turning into ice.
He uses the Morozko Forge, a high-end cold plunge system that maintains icy temps even in warm climates. If you’ve seen clips of him hopping in and breathing like a man possessed, that’s part of the fun.
While you can go this cold, it’s not the starting point. Rogan has years of experience and the mindset (and likely the sauna) to balance it out.
How Cold Should a Cold Shower Be?
Cold showers aren’t as intense as ice baths, but they offer benefits — better circulation, improved mood, and a little mental toughness. A good cold shower ranges from 10°C to 20°C (50°F to 68°F), depending on your plumbing and location.
You won’t hit Wim Hof levels here, but even 2–3 minutes under a brisk stream can reset your nervous system and wake you up better than coffee.
Pro tip: Start warm, then end on cold. Or just scream and turn it all the way down. Whatever works.
What Temperature Should a Face Ice Bath Be?
Ah, the face dunk — beloved by athletes, beauty gurus, and people who had a rough night. For facial ice baths, you don’t need freezing temps. Water at around 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 59°F) works well.
Lower than that, and you risk irritating your skin or triggering a headache. Ice cubes in a bowl of water for 15–30 seconds does the job, especially if you’re trying to depuff or reset your nervous system.
It’s like a mini cold plunge for your soul. And your jawline.
Just how cold is Wim Hof’s Ice Bath?
Wim Hof, aka The Iceman, is famous for sitting in baths filled with literal ice cubes for up to 2 hours. His typical ice bath sits at or just above freezing — around 0°C (32°F).
But here’s the key: Wim Hof doesn’t recommend you start there.
He built up his cold tolerance over the years using breathwork, meditation, and progressive exposure. According to The Wim Hof Method, beginners should start with cold showers, not an arctic plunge.
Trying to copy him on day one? Not smart. Build up, stay safe, and breathe. A lot.
So… What’s the Ideal Plunge Temperature?
If you’re new, start with 15°C (59°F) and work your way down over time.
If you’re used to it and want the edge? Try 10°C to 5°C (50°F to 41°F).
Only go below 5°C if you’re well-practiced, healthy, and ready to feel like a warrior monk with a death wish (kidding — mostly).
The benefits don’t dramatically increase below a certain point. Research suggests duration and consistency matter more than freezing yourself into oblivion.
Final Thoughts: Be Smart
Cold therapy isn’t a competition, though Instagram might make it look like one. The goal isn’t to brag about how frozen you got. It’s about consistency, recovery, mental clarity, and feeling more alive.
Whether you’re doing a 3-minute face dunk or channeling your inner Wim Hof, know your limits and listen to your body. Shivering is cool. Hypothermia is not.
Stay cool, stay safe — and remember: the benefits come from showing up, not showing off.
More Info:
Beginners Guide to Cold Exposure
Top 10 Cold Plunge Questions Answered
Have you tried cold therapy yet?
Drop your favorite plunge temp (or cold shower screams) in the comments 👇
