Polar plunge

A photographer in Maine has been documenting groups of women who submerge themselves in near-freezing water. Here’s what she’s seen.

Polar plunge, cold exposure, cold therapy, cold water immersion, therapeutic hypothermia. Whatever you call it, it's been providing health benefits for thousands of years. Click here to learn more!

Polar Bear Plunge 2011

1. Since we chatted last Friday, something very important and very exciting happened... I got engaged (with that gorgeous Pittsburgh skyline as the backdrop)!! Needless to say, I could not be any happier and have

Park People on Instagram: "🥶 Take a polar plunge in Wrangell St Elias National Park of Alaska! Check out @navigatingvanlife for their tips on jumping into this icy blue water!"

Some people believe cold water swims, including the popular "polar bear plunges," have health benefits, but there's little evidence to support that notion. In fact, the practice can be dangerous.

Hoping to do the Polar Plunge in Antarctica or on your Arctic trip? Click here to find out what to expect and how to prepare for this chilly challenge.

This seems like a dumb idea: In the middle of winter, strip down into your bathing suit and take a running leap into the ice-cold, freezing ocean water. Yet every year, hundreds of thrill-seekers around the world take part in this New Year’s Day ritual. In fact, on Coney Island an entire club—the Polar Bear Club—devotes itself to the sport, taking the plunge not only on January 1st, but also on multiple other times a year. For most people, the activity is an annual tradition done simply for…

Some strip down to celebrate New Year's or to raise money for charity like at Plungefest, but what really happens to your body when you do a polar plunge?

Polar plunge