Why you need to Dunk Your Head

Alright, let’s get real.

If you’ve been sitting in your cold plunge, letting the water creep up your chest, arms folded, shivering like a wet chihuahua while keeping your head bone dry… I hate to break it to you, but you’re missing the best part.

Cold plunging without full submersion is like eating a peanut butter sandwich with no jelly. Like doing half a squat and calling it leg day. Like getting into an ice bath but only dipping your toes—what’s the point?

Today, we’re diving into (literally) why dunking your head in your ice bath is the real key to unlocking the most powerful benefits of cold therapy. Plus, I’ll give you my 3-minute cold plunge protocol that guarantees you’ll come out feeling like a total beast.

The Arctic Wake-Up Call

Picture this: You’re trekking across a frozen lake in the dead of winter. The air is sharp, the kind that makes your lungs burn a little when you breathe. Suddenly—CRACK—the ice beneath you gives way, and you’re swallowed by the freezing abyss.

Instantly, your body goes into full survival mode. Your heart rate plummets, your blood vessels clamp shut, and your brain—usually a chatterbox—is suddenly hyper-focused on one thing: staying alive.

That primal reaction? That’s the mammalian dive reflex. And when you fully submerge in a controlled cold plunge, you tap into that ancient survival switch without, you know… falling through a frozen lake.

Now, let’s break down exactly why going all in—head and all—is the secret to making your cold plunges way more effective.

Why Dunking Your Head Unlocks the Real Benefits

1. The Ultimate Nervous System Reset

Think of your nervous system like a WiFi router. Overloaded, glitchy, running a dozen tabs at once. You can unplug one device at a time… or you can just hit reset and get everything back to factory settings.

That’s exactly what full submersion does to your body.

The moment your face hits cold water, your mammalian dive reflex kicks in. Your heart rate slows immediately, your blood pressure drops, and your entire system shifts into recovery mode.

🔹 Why does this matter? If you’re stressed, wired, or feeling run-down, full submersion is like hitting CTRL+ALT+DELETE on your nervous system. You’ll feel calmer, clearer, and more balanced—almost instantly.

2. Norepinephrine: The Natural Limitless Pill

Ever notice how a splash of cold water to the face wakes you up faster than coffee? Now imagine dunking your entire head in a 50-degree ice bath.

When you go all in, your brain releases norepinephrine—a neurotransmitter that boosts focus, mood, and motivation. Studies show cold exposure can spike norepinephrine levels by 530%.

To put that in perspective: If dopamine is the “feel-good” chemical that makes you happy, norepinephrine is the “GET UP AND GO” chemical that makes you unstoppable.

That’s why, after a full submersion, you don’t just feel cold—you feel superhuman.

3. Better Cold Adaptation & Stress Resilience

Your body is sneaky. If your head stays warm, it doesn’t fully register the cold. It finds little loopholes to stay comfortable. But when you dunk? No more cheating.

By exposing your whole body to the cold, you force your system to adapt. Over time, this makes you more resilient—not just to cold, but to stress in general.

🔹 Why does this matter? Because life is stressful. Your boss, your workouts, your in-laws… stuff happens. The more you train your body to handle controlled stress (like cold plunging), the better you handle real-life stressors.

4. Sleep Like a Hibernating Bear

I don’t care how many fancy supplements you take—nothing beats deep, natural sleep.

Cold plunging, especially full submersion, helps lower cortisol (the stress hormone), increase melatonin, and drop your core body temperature—all of which set you up for amazing, restorative sleep.

🔹 Why does this matter? Because better sleep = better everything. Muscle recovery, brain function, metabolism—all of it improves when you sleep well. And nothing preps your body for quality sleep like a proper cold plunge.

5. Circulation, Recovery, and Fat Loss (Oh My!)

When you go all in, your blood vessels clamp down, squeezing blood away from the skin and into your core. Then, when you step out, they open back up, sending fresh, oxygen-rich blood rushing through your system.

This flushes out inflammation, speeds up recovery, and even activates brown fat—a special type of fat that burns calories to generate heat.

🔹 Why does this matter? Because whether you want less soreness, better recovery, or an easier time staying lean, full submersion gives you the edge.

The 3-Minute Cold Plunge Protocol (a.k.a. How to Do This Right)

Alright, you’re convinced. You’re ready to go all in. Here’s how to do it:

✅ Step 1: Enter the water slowly, control your breath, and relax.
✅ Step 2: Right away—dunk for 5 seconds. Let your body feel the shock.
✅ Step 3: Every minute, dunk again for 5 seconds. This keeps your system engaged.
✅ Step 4: Finish with one last dunk. Seal the deal.

Doing it this way forces adaptation, keeps your body from warming up too much, and ensures you get the full benefits of the plunge.

The Best Cold Plunge for Full Submersion

Not all tubs are created equal. Some are too small, some are too shallow, and some just make full submersion a total pain.

Heres a list of some great cold plunge options that should make a Full Submersion Cold Plunge a little bit “easier”…

Ice Barrel 400: Its tall, upright, and lightweight. Very easy for most to dunk. You will need ice or a chiller (discount code MAUS) Around $1,000* without a chiller

Cold Creek Tub: Its all built into one box, chiller, pump, filters, and all. Large box like plunge built for almost anyone and simple to dunk. (discount code MAUS) Around $5,000

Desert Plunge: Large cooler style making it easy to get completely under water and all the components needed to have continuously cold water come with it. (discount code MAUS) Around $3,000

Plunge: Plunge has multiple options to choose from, and all make dunking easy. (discount code MAUS) Starting around $4,000

SunHome: Sunhome has a large inflatable tub or barrel, OR the SunHome Plunge Pro which is one of my favorite luxury cold plunges that makes ice. Its a beast and very easy to get under and stay under. (discount code MAUS) Starting around $4,000 for inflatables and around $10,000 for the Pro.

If you’re serious about getting the most out of your cold plunges, check them out. Also, there are other great options that I have reviewed and you should check those out on my YouTube channel. Click here to go there

Final Thoughts: Stop Half-Plunging

Cold plunging isn’t just about getting cold—it’s about getting better. Stronger. More resilient. More focused.

And if you’re only going halfway, you’re leaving some of the best benefits behind.

So next time you step into your ice bath, do yourself a favor—dunk your head. Your brain, body, and future self will thank you.

Thanks for reading! Have a Great day, and God Bless!

P.S. Have you tried full submersion? Hit reply and let me know your experience—I love hearing from you guys! ❄️💪