Bengalureans take ice water plunge as wellness trend gains traction

In recent times, social media exposure, growing fitness culture, and easier access have pushed cold plunges into mainstream wellness culture in India.

Bengaluru: Bengalureans are increasingly signing up for a wellness trend that involves sitting in tubs filled with ice or cold water, typically maintained between 15°C and -5°C.

Ice baths, or cold water plunges, are not new. Facilitators say they have long been used in sports for muscle recovery, reducing inflammation and building mental resilience. In recent times, social media exposure, growing fitness culture, and easier access have pushed them into mainstream wellness culture in India.

In Bengaluru, sessions are currently priced between Rs 500 and Rs 1,200 per person. When combined with other wellness modalities such as sound healing, they can cost around Rs 3,000 or more.

Vikas Dhawan, an IT professional and running enthusiast, has tried ice baths twice since April. His first dip, at 15°C, lasted 40 seconds. Over subsequent rounds, the temperature was gradually lowered to between 3°C and 5°C. “First, your body goes numb, then you enter a meditative state, followed by pure bliss,” says the 42-year-old. The second time, he brought along his wife and runner friends. “My wife was nervous because even in summer, she showers with hot water!” he shares with a laugh. “But we both stayed in for about a minute each round.”  

Social meetups

On Sunday, around 45 people gathered at a brewery in J P Nagar for a meetup called the ‘Cold Plunge Recovery Club’. The participants were aged 25 to 45, with slightly more men than women. They included gym-goers, runners, people on weight loss journeys, and others who wanted to “face their fears” after seeing the challenging task on social media. It was the third such meetup organised by Jayesh Phad, a former solution architect who quit his job in March to launch Siachen Tubs, a company that builds ice bath tubs. 

“I have been doing ice baths since 2021. Two to three times a week, I get into an ice bath first thing in the morning. It shocks the body, and clears the mind. I have seen my productivity improve,” he says. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins, podcast host Joe Rogan and investor Sahil Bloom are known to start their day with cold water immersion, he points out.  

Healer Mamta Jain began offering ice baths less than six months ago at her Yeshwanthpur centre, Sound Sutraa, as well as at yoga studios, gyms and apartment complexes on demand. About 80% of her clients come to her with some kind of physical discomfort, while the rest are simply curious. 

She combines sound healing with ice baths. “With sound healing, we help people embrace the idea of surrendering to the ice instead of panicking. We encourage them to sit with the poking sensation and feel the pain,” she explains. A 27-year-old woman recently approached her with body pain so severe that even wearing jeans or a bra hurt. She also had sleep issues. “After the session, she told me she had slept peacefully for the first time in years,” says Jain. She says participants spend about three minutes in the bath before being guided to dip their heads underwater. “Some scream, some laugh, some just go silent,” she says. Occasionally, people break down as their anxiety and frustration come to the surface.  

Longevity goal

Cold water plunges are also being added to longevity programmes at centres such as Club Everstrong in Bellandur. Afrid Ahmed, head of the health management team there, says demand is rising not just for recovery, but also for stress relief and mood improvement as it “helps release endorphins”. “We screen people first,” he says. Clients with high visceral fat are first eased into saunas to improve blood flow before moving to cold plunging, he adds. They do not advise it more than twice a week for those who are new to fitness. Their clientele consists primarily of well-earning professionals over 35.

Salt World in HSR Layout has been offering cold water plunges since October 2024 and says demand has risen by around 80% since then. Founder Deepthi Babu says, “With fitness events like Hyrox growing, more people are training intensely and looking for new recovery methods. We also see new-age entrepreneurs who want to reset their mind and body through aggressive wellness methodologies. Then we also get members of the biohacking community.” 

Deepthi says some customers have returned for repeat sessions — they "appear more confident", almost like they develop an aura of invincibility around them. She thinks cold water plunges are not necessary for non-gym folk, but for those who overdo exercise, it can help. "People report immediate relief from pain," she says.

While men sign up in larger numbers overall, both Deepthi and Phad have observed that women tend to adapt to icy water faster and stay in longer.

Based in Chennai, Preksha Agarwal combines sharing circles with ice baths. She has been getting a lot of enquiries from Bengaluru and has plans to organise sessions open to the public between July and August. Last year, she had conducted a private event for a group of 12 at a villa in the city. They were part of a social club, which was focused on bonding over fun and friendship. The three-hour session featured many activities alongside ice baths, with temperatures plunging to -2°C.

Expert take: Cold showers enough

According to physiotherapist Sitaraman Sundaresan of 33Intact clinics, cold showers at home are sufficient for the non-athletic population. Even in sports, he says, ice baths are more commonly recommended for endurance athletes than for those involved in power sports. He emphasises that ice baths are "not for everyone", and should only be given after reviewing a person’s medical history and in a controlled environment. He says if it were a one-size-fits-all recovery tool, everybody from the Sports Authority of India to big hospitals would be mandating it. In fact, he reminds that debate continues over whether hot water therapy or cryo baths are better for recovery. 

He admits that ice baths have benefits, but proper screening is a must. They are unnecessary for those under 21, and should be avoided by people above 60.

“A temperature between 5°C and 7°C” is ideal, but how often one should do it depends on the individual’s body, including fat reserves, and the nature of the injury one is looking to recover from.

Without proper precautions, ice baths can pose risks, especially for people with a family history of heart disease or diabetes. Unclean water can increase the risk of skin and urinary infections. In severe cases, hypothermia can even lead to strokes, he warns.

Facilitators that Metrolife spoke to said they do not allow people with heart conditions, breathing problems or metal implants, as well as pregnant women, to participate. At Deepthi’s centre, participants must sign consent forms that clarify these sessions are intended for therapeutic benefits rather than medical treatment. Participants are also taught breathing techniques and warm-up exercises to do between plunges. “We are trained in CPR and keep a doctor on speed dial. We haven’t had an emergency so far,” adds Mamta.