Psychologist Says Cold Plunges Can Harm People With Dysregulated Nervous Systems

What was said

"Cold will stress our body out. Our blood vessels constrict, our muscles become tense. I discovered cold therapy very early on in my journey, but I was in such a dysregulated, overwhelmed body that it felt near intolerable. I had since learned that actually that was my body sending a signal that I should not be tolerating it to that degree."

LePera challenged the universal promotion of cold exposure, warning that for people with already overwhelmed nervous systems, cold plunges can cause additional harm rather than benefit. She recommended starting with cool rather than cold water and prioritizing nervous system regulation before adding stressors, contradicting influencer protocols that promote extreme cold for everyone.