Join the Greater Scranton YMCA’s Aquatics Department for the 2025 Polar Bear Plunge!

The plunge is free and open to Greater Scranton YMCA members.

Registration is not required. Simply show up!

Cold water therapy, or polar plunges, may have several health benefits, including:
*Improved recovery: Cold water can reduce inflammation and soreness after exercise.
*Boosted metabolism: Cold exposure can increase your metabolic rate, which can help with weight loss and energy expenditure.
*Improved mood: Cold plunges may help improve mood and stress resilience.
*Reduced inflammation: Cold water constricts blood vessels, which can help with swelling.
*Improved focus: The jolt of cold may help snap your brain into focus.
*Better sleep: Some say that cold plunges can help you sleep better, but research is limited.
*Activated brown fat: Cold plunges can activate brown fat, which burns calories to generate heat.
*Stimulated diving reflex: Putting your face in the water stimulates the diving reflex, which is a parasympathetic response that can boost happy hormones and reduce inflammation.

For questions, contact Leslie Kopa, Aquatics Director, at lkopa@gsymca.org.