Zendaya says she's not a 'cold water girl' after experts question benefits of popular wellness trend for women
Zendaya has explained why she could never be a ‘cold water girl’, with experts weighing in on how women who are regularly plunging into cold water could be causing their bodies more harm than good.
The Hollywood icon and her long-term partner, Tom Holland, are currently cinema darlings, with the pair simultaneously starring in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Marvel tentpole, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Zendaya, 29, has already seen success with A24’s The Drama, and soon she will appear as Chani in the third instalment of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune saga with Timothée Chalamet and Florence Pugh.
Amid the release of the fourth MCU Spider-Man film, she spoke to Vogue about some of her beauty rituals, including applying fragrance and styling her hair.
Advert
The Challengers favorite also used the opportunity to discuss what wellness trends she has no plans on subscribing to, including cold plunging.
“I’m definitely not a cold water girl,” she explained.
“I like to take very long, hot showers. Everybody knows that’s my thing. When I’m overwhelmed, I just need to go sit in the shower. Sometimes I’ll even bring in an iced tea or whatever, and just sip my little drink.”
Celebrities including Hailey Bieber, Lizzo, and Gwyneth Paltrow have all waxed lyrical about cold plunging in the past - but did you know that the popular health trend may not be a great idea for women after all?
What is cold plunging?
The Mayo Clinic describes cold plunging, also known as cold-water immersion, as a partial or total dip in freezing water for a few minutes at a time.
The body of water can be an ice bath, a lake, or even the ocean - just make sure it doesn’t have a current that can cause you to be swept away.
According to a 2024 study published in the GeroScience journal, dipping your body in cold water for a short amount of time may help reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, promote sleep, and enhance recovery after exercise.
Why is cold plunging not ‘great’ for women?
Dr Stacy Sims, an American exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, wrote via her website that when women plunge into near-ice temperatures, ‘the neuroendocrine system responds with a sharp spike in sympathetic activity and cortisol’.
“Over time, that can disrupt menstrual regularity, blunt thyroid function, and impair recovery,” she cautioned.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Wallman, medical director at The Lanby, told Elle Magazine that those in menopause, perimenopause, or postpartum should not subscribe to the trend as it can cause ‘additional stress’.
“It will go into storage instead of the fat-burning state that they need to be in for it to have all the longevity benefits that they’re looking for.”
Potential benefits of cold plunging for women
However, there are apparently some benefits, Dr Sims explained.
“Around ovulation, localized cold (not full-body immersion) can reduce inflammation and pain in women with ovulatory discomfort or endometriosis. Cold helps modulate prostaglandin activity and local blood flow, which can be helpful for symptom management.
“But again, the context matters: this is therapeutic cooling, not whole-body ice bathing for metabolic gain.”
Health professionals have called for greater research to be done when it comes to cold plunging for women.
Gouri Pimputkar, a OB/GYN for Allara Health stated: “There has to be more research out there, not only looking at premenopausal women versus postmenopausal women, but even within the timing of the menstrual cycle.
“Maybe it would make sense to do cold water therapy at a certain time of the menstrual cycle.”
Instead of cold-water immersion, Dr Sims suggests using the sauna instead.
Appearing on The Mel Robbins Podcast, she said: “A woman can sit in there, sit up high 20 minutes or so, not sweating yet, absorbing the heat, vasodilating, it’s great.”
She suggests doing 10 to 15 minutes twice a week, at a bare minimum, to get health benefits such as boosting blood flow to the brain.
Ella Scott