There’s a reason athletes and longevity experts alike have embraced cold plunge therapy: the benefits may be far-reaching and have some backing from science. Here are 10 you should take advantage of.

Boosts immunity It’s no vitamin C, but cold exposure increased white blood cell count and the number of natural killer (NK) cells, which fight infection and protect against disease, in a review of articles published in the North American Journal of Medicine and Science . One study from the Netherlands found people who ended a warm water shower with up to 90 seconds of cold water for 30 days called in sick from work less than people who took showers at their regular temperature . Eases pain Aside from exercise-induced muscle soreness, there is evidence that an icy plunge may help relieve chronic pain. One study published in 2022 found people with autoinflammatory arthritis had less joint pain and a better quality of life after immersing themselves in cold water immersion for 20 minutes a day for four weeks . Other research has suggested that whole-body cold therapy or ice swimming may reduce pain perception, possibly because the cold temperatures cause the body to release norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter involved with your fight or flight response . Decreases stress levels Cold water immersion slows your heart rate and directs blood flow to your brain, which may dethrone stress by stimulating your vagus nerve. Your vagus nerve runs from your skull, down your neck, through your thorax and into your abdomen, touching almost every organ it passes. Its main job is to regulate internal organ function, including digestion, heart rate, and breathing rate. The vagus nerve also helps regulate your nervous system, assisting it in switching between your parasympathetic mode—known as the “rest and digest” mode—and your sympathetic mode, or “fight or flight.” When levels of stress rise, your sympathetic mode becomes overactive, and your vagus nerve triggers your parasympathetic mode to calm you down. One study published in 2018 found that when cold stimulation was applied to participants’ neck area it increased their heart rate variability and lowered heart rate more than in the control group (14)—they can be signs of being less stressed and happier. Another study found that when combined with sauna, cold water immersion decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol .