If you're thinking about joining the hundreds of people who will take to the frigid waters off Coney Island on New Year’s Day for the annual Polar Bear Plunge, medical experts have some advice.
The annual ritual is an achievement that could boost your mood and motivation — similar to finishing a long hike or race, according to Dr. Asad Siddiqi, a rehabilitation medicine specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine.
But there are also risks, according to Siddiqi and Dr. Matthew Bank of Northwell Health. If you stay in freezing water for a long period of time, there is an increased risk of hypothermia, Bank said. And if you have pre-existing medical issues, the shock of the cold water could affect your heart, Siddiqi said.
The benefits
Siddiqi said it depends on individual circumstances, but the primary benefit of participating in something like the Polar Bear Plunge is likely mental.
The Coney Island plunge is a social ritual, and participating in it can give you a sense of community, he noted.
“There’s so much more that’s happening beyond the physiologic response to the cold,” he said.
Beyond the sense of community, some participants may view the plunge as an achievement that could provide a boost at the start of a new year, he added.
“I don’t look at it as too far different from any other kind of extreme challenge where conventional wisdom will tell you that this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” Siddiqi said.
“The process of actually achieving it I think can have significant physical and mental impact and can reshape your view of yourself or your view of your capabilities or your understanding of your body and its limitations,” he added.
Jarred Lustgarten, president of Coney Island Polar Bear Club, said participants are encouraged to make donations when they register. In past years, participants have donated tens of thousands of dollars, benefiting neighborhood organizations.
Lustgarten added the event is a festive environment at the start of the new year.
“It’s like a big party and people want to start the new year off right, so they start coming back every year,” he said.
The risks
Jumping into freezing water carries some physical risks for participants, Bank and Siddiqi said.
Bank said his primary concern would be the threat of hypothermia from exposure to the cold water. This can increase if someone stays in the water for a prolonged period of time.
Bank said plungers should stay in the water for a short amount of time and have access to dry clothes and a warm place after they get out.
“If they do stay in the water for a few minutes, they can get severely hypothermic,” he said.
Siddiqi added that extreme cold can put strain and stress on someone’s heart, which could potentially lead to heart attack or stroke.
And the jolt to a person’s system can also lead to what’s called “cold shock,” he said.
“The rapid immersion induces essentially hyperventilation,” Siddiqi said, adding it could potentially lead to drowning.
He suggested participants prepare themselves for the plunge by doing something as simple as ending a shower with a blast of cold water.
“You’re always better served if you kind of prepare yourself and prepare your body to react to something like that,” he said.
He also suggested participants “use the buddy system” and make sure someone is watching as they enter the cold water.
This story was updated with additional comment.
