From athletes to influencers: How cold plunges are taking over Instagram
Cold plunge movement has gained traction considering the environment people use for cold immersion like tubs, pools, or even the regular chilly shower in winter.
Source: Freepik
From athletes, fitness influencers, and hydrotherapy enthusiasts to A-list celebrities, everyone joined the bandwagon of cold plunges and promoted the benefits - especially on Instagram. The movement has gained immense traction considering the versatility of the environment different people use for cold immersion: tub, pool, lake, river, ocean, and even the regular chilly shower in winter.
Besides, the impact of cold plunges on mental health to decrease stress and other psychotic episodes was well-documented on Instagram - giving overwhelming popularity among regular people looking for a mental health hack.
Source: Freepik
Why cold plunges are gaining popularity?
Even though cold plunges pose the risk of hypothermia, they are gaining popularity for physical and mental well-being. Facing the frigid water makes a person go beyond their everyday fears and assists in focusing on their physiological condition - leading to enhanced clarity and stability. After the cold immersion, the high spirit results from heightened levels of dopamine and endorphins, known as happy hormones and mood boosters. The feeling of happiness in a magnificent natural beauty backdrop makes the cold plunges popular.
As people worldwide with versatile psychological conditions vouch about the effectiveness of these plunges and portray the results on social media, people are leaning more toward cold hydrotherapy. Also, the easiness of accessing the plunges - you can take a dip at your nearby river in winter with proper safety, and it will do the job just fine - bolstered the popularity of the plunges.
Although the cold plunge benefits such as anti-inflammatory effects or mental boost might seem short-lived, regular exposure can be beneficial to take down psychotic triggers and make a person better at handling uncomfortable situations. Rather than improving mental well-being, social media users often participate in the plunges for fear of missing out on a trend - similar to the ALS ice bucket challenge. Hence, the cold plunges are gaining popularity and will continue to do so in the future, thanks to the curiosity and support of the netizens.
Source: Freepik
3 ways cold plunges are taking over Instagram
1. Through influencers like Cold Plunge Cam
Cameron LaBar, the man behind Cold Plunge Cam, made the cold plunge famous; his 4.6 million TikTok likes and over 335,000 followers on Instagram are a testament to how he spread the activity. From the humble beginning at Idaho's frigid river, where Cam started to gain peace against his struggle with GAD, OCD, and Tourette syndrome, it became a way to fight against mental health issues without traditional medication.
Cam's social media portrayal of frosty baths and their benefits to the body and mind created a loyal fan following who would like to do the same to relieve their anxiety and depression. Since Cam's posts hold details of the health benefits, safety measures, and locations easily accessible all around the US, the followers started to follow suit and join the movement of the cold plunge.
Apart from social media and fitness influencers, big-name celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Kim Kardashian, and Harry Styles joined the bandwagon of cold hydrotherapy. Moreover, popular health enthusiasts online started to create content about the cold bath's impact of flushing out waste from the body and improving blood flow and heart health. Since their portrayal shone cold plunging in a good light, their fans started to take chilly worldwide and post their activities - making it a massive social activity everyone wants to participate in.
2. By creating engaging and viral content
The social media visual content of cold plunges is around scenic locations (domestic and international) and indoor locations like posh gyms where people want to join. Thus, the videos and images have better discoverability and reach - leading to more users wishing to do the same.
The influencers and ordinary users are leaning more towards a therapeutic frigid bath as organizations like Cold Plunge USA have been promoting benefits in exchange for sharing the experience. As a Cold Plunge USA Influencer, the benefits include an accessible tub, discount, and commissions - bolstering more engaging content related to cold plunges.
Apart from the financial and self-care benefits, Instagram's tagging options for followers and friends have increased the number of people taking a dip in the frozen waters and sharing their memories online. The authenticity of influencers and regular people taking the cold water immersion created a ripple effect. It inspired thousands of people to do the same and keep the trend going - eventually taking over the whole Instagram.
3. Documenting the experience to stay accountable
Cold hydrotherapy also known as cold water therapy only works in the long run if you do this on a regular basis at a controlled temperature and with proper safety measures. However, people often chicken out after one frigid dip and consider the whole thing as a scam. Documenting cold water therapy on Instagram has become a way of staying accountable for the non-influencer.
Through regular updates, people ask about a missed session, which makes the person feel guilty and go forward with the plunge for their physical and mental health well-being. The success rate of doing something daunting, like soaking in the cold plunge, is more bearable, as researchers N. Park and H. Lee (2014) found proof that public accountability is pivotal for sustained motivation.
Moreover, the interactive features of Instagram work as a constant reminder for the cold plunge participants and followers or friends alike to provide continuous feedback and reminders. The support from online communities is a booster for people to complete their goals collectively. Hence, the collaboration among users and the person about cold plunge becomes a communal job, skyrocketing digital word-of-mouth.
Conclusion
Cold plunges fortified its position as a top means to gain mental and physical betterment, and the involvement of influencers and celebrities is bound to propel the presence on Instagram even more. However, before going through the cold hydrotherapy, the participant must check their heart health and blood pressure; a cold immersion with these two conditions can be lethal. Also, a cold plunge can cause cold shock and hydrotherapy, which can be avoided by immersing only when proper safety measures exist.
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