Free tool
Cold plunge and shower timer
A countdown to step in, then a quiet clock to hold the cold, with rain falling through it. Breathe slow and steady. The bowl sounds when you are done.
Length
Get ready
A countdown to step in before the cold begins.
How to use it
Set your time and a Get ready countdown long enough to turn the water over or lower yourself in. The bowl sounds when the cold time begins, rain falls through the screen while it runs, and the bowl sounds again when you are through. Prop the phone somewhere you can see it, and let the ring do the counting for you.
How long, and how cold
Start at thirty seconds. Work towards two or three minutes. Beyond that you are collecting numbers rather than getting better at anything, and the risk climbs faster than the benefit. Colder is not automatically better either. A cold shower you take every day beats an ice bath you take once and tell people about.
Breathe through it
The first thirty seconds are the whole game. Your body will want to gasp and lock up. Let the breath be slow and long, especially the exhale, and the panic goes out of it. This is easier if slow breathing is already a habit, which is what the breathing exercises are for. Practise the rhythm warm, so you have it when you are cold.
Before you plunge
Cold water causes an involuntary gasp and a sharp rise in heart rate and blood pressure. It can be dangerous. Never plunge alone, and never in open water you do not know.
Do not do this if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, are pregnant or are unwell, without speaking to a doctor first. Get out at once if you feel faint, confused or numb, and warm up gradually afterwards.
Oath is not a medical app. This practice is voluntary and at your own risk. Read the health and safety guidance in full.
The rest of the practice
Cold is one part of it. The meditation timer is for sitting still, and the breathing timer is for the rhythm that gets you through the first minute of the water.
Common questions
How long should a cold plunge be?
Two to three minutes is a sensible target for most people, and thirty seconds is a perfectly good start. Time in the cold is not a competition. Once you can hold a calm breath for two minutes, length stops being the interesting part.
How long should a cold shower be?
One to three minutes. The easiest way in is to finish an ordinary warm shower with the cold running, rather than starting cold. Set the timer, turn the dial, and breathe slowly until it sounds.
What is the countdown before it starts?
The Get ready countdown gives you time to step in, or to turn the water over, before the clock begins. Twenty seconds is the default. The singing bowl sounds when the cold time actually starts.
How should I breathe in the cold?
Slowly, through the nose if you can, with a long exhale. The gasp is a reflex, not an emergency, and it passes in about thirty seconds if you let your breath lengthen instead of fighting it. Practising a slow rhythm beforehand makes the first minute far easier.
Is cold exposure safe?
Cold water is a genuine shock to the body and can be dangerous. Never plunge alone, never in open water without knowing it, and never if you have a heart condition, are pregnant, or are unwell, without speaking to a doctor first. Get out if you stop shivering, if you feel confused, or if anything feels wrong.
Does it keep a record of my plunges?
Not on this page. The Oath app logs each plunge, tracks your minutes in the cold and keeps the streak going.