The cold isn’t so bad at first, just a mild stinging and prickling sensation. But slowly it crescendos, then a throbbing chill on my legs sends shivers up my spine and I notice that I’m holding my breath. It takes all the focus I can muster to relax my tense muscles so I can stop trembling. I’ve experienced cold before but nothing quite like this. 

No, I’m not climbing Mount Everest, camping in the tundra, or skiing in sub-zero conditions somewhere in the backcountry of Alaska. I’m in Dubai, ensconced at the spa on the 18th floor of the Burj al Arab for a treatment called The Leg School. Previously only available on the island of Capri, the treatment has recently been introduced to the Burj’s Talise Spa and all I knew about it when I booked it is that, according to the website, it was developed in Italy by a professor called Francesco Canonaco after years of studying how to enhance blood flow in the lower limbs. Now a patented treatment, The Leg School combines hydrotherapy, massage therapy, and the application of a special mud to the legs to help stimulate the lymphatic system, increase elasticity, and boost circulation. 

I learned more about what I was getting into while sitting in the spa lounge with the spa director, sipping mint tea. “The experience begins with a sauna and cold plunge circuit,” she said, “then you’ll have a leg massage, and we’ll apply the mud.” I learned that the treatment promises to treat water retention and reduce cellulite thanks to a secret formula of active ingredients in the mud and on the bandages that are applied on the legs. “It feels prickly and then it gets pretty cold,” she warns me with a smile.

Enduring frosty temperatures in the pursuit of wellness isn’t a new experience for me so I’m not particularly worried. 

I discovered cold-water immersion during the pandemic, the way most of us discovered random new things: endlessly scrolling on my phone while on the sofa with the TV on because, well, what else was there to do on a Thursday night during lockdown? With my gym membership on hold and a night out at a restaurant all but a distant memory, I had sunk into such a state that I was willing to try almost anything that was trending on social media to pass the time. My attempts at making sourdough bread and knitting didn’t last long. But then on Tik Tok I watched curiously as celebrities (and plenty of regular folks like me) submerged themselves in ice baths — sometimes in intriguing locations like a hole cut right into a frozen lake, sometimes in a fancy tub in the fancy home of a celebrity, more often in a makeshift tub set up in someone’s backyard or urban patio. The plungers mostly talked about the physical and mental benefits of cold-water immersion: they claim it works wonders to lift moods and helps increase circulation, relieve stress, and reduce anxiety. 

While it’s believed that cold plunging dates back to ancient Rome it also has a long history in Scandinavia. While it’s common practice among athletes’ post-workout recovery today, regular people are increasingly getting into the trend: Go on TikTok to find 157.5M posts featuring #coldplunge.

I was keen to try it, not just for the mental benefits but also to see if it could help with the bad circulation I’d been plagued with since I was a kid (even on a hot summer day, my extremities are cold to the touch). And so, what started as five-second-long cold showers at home eventually turned into hikes to some of Vancouver’s prettiest (and coldest) lakes and rivers for a quick dip. 

Cold plunging became, if not exactly a routine, then certainly a passionate hobby, one that I practiced whenever I got the chance: I swam in the chilly Baltic Sea during a trip to Helsinki; I splashed in an Alpine stream during a hike in Switzerland; I ran into the waves of the Pacific Ocean in the dead of winter during a weekend trip to Tofino. Exposing your body to extreme discomfort takes discipline, something I always thought I lacked. 

Back at the Burj, the spa attendant has given me a scalp massage, followed by a 24k gold and damask rose mask, during which my legs began to tingle with a sensation that makes me think of a minty Halls lozenge, but for your lower limbs. “It feels refreshing,” I say to the masseuse. She tells me that when I start to feel cold, that’s when I’ll know it’s working. Then she steps out the door and I’m left alone with my thoughts.

From the waist down, I’m covered in grey mud and wrapped in white bandages, looking very much like someone gave up on the mummification process halfway through the wrapping-up step. Outside the window, I can see the sun sparkling on the emerald-hued sea and I’m so relaxed that I start to doze off. Except that I don’t. Suddenly my legs feel cold, really cold. And I start to tense my body and to shiver uncontrollably. It feels very much like the first time I tried to sit in an ice bath: challenging and unpleasant.

Somewhere behind the closed door is the spa attendant, and I know that if I call out loud enough, she’ll hear me and come in. She could unwrap me, wipe off the mud and make the unpleasantness go away. But I don’t call her. Instead, I think about the cold plunge I took just 30 minutes earlier in the spa — and all the cold plunges and cold showers I’ve ever taken — and how each time was an exercise in teaching my mind that it can deal with the extreme discomfort of the cold. I inhale and exhale slowly. I close my eyes and try to be in the moment with every breath.

Research indicates that plunging into cold water can unlock numerous mental and physical health benefits. Probably the most obvious is that it helps build mental fortitude. Subjecting oneself to the challenging discomfort of icy temperatures cultivates discipline, preparing the mind and body to handle the various stressors that daily life throws at you. By taking ice baths or cold showers, you train yourself to endure harsh conditions and realize you can do hard things. 

Turns out that this treatment, The Leg School, is no child’s play. And to my surprise, I’ve had to put into practice the things I learned during cold water immersion, like being present and working through the discomfort. 

Later, I’m back in the relaxation room with a detox juice. My legs feel all tingly but also decongested and, dare I say, firmer. I don’t expect that I will have great circulation after just one treatment. Or that the mud, however active and secret the ingredients may be, somehow removed all traces of cellulite. But I do feel that the treatment, unlike perhaps the usual facial or massage, engaged me both physically and mentally. For me, it proved to be an exercise in resolve and resilience — and I would gladly do it again.

Other Luxurious Cold Plunges To Try:

Should you find yourself in Antarctica on Silversea’s luxury cruise ship Silver Endeavour, you can throw yourself into frigid waters from the side of the ship (under staff supervision, of course) before getting pulled back on board to fluffy towels and bathrobes and a glass of Champagne. It’s all part of their (optional) Polar Plunge tradition. 

Anantara The Marker Dublin offers guests the option of booking a “wild swimming” session in which a private chauffeur drives them to the Irish Sea where they’ll take a refreshing dip with an experienced polar plunger. Incredible views of Ireland’s stunning coast await (and the occasional seal if you’re lucky), as well as towels, robes, and hot drinks post-swim.

Situated on the shores of an 18,000-acre nature reserve overlooking a half mile of the white-sand beaches and turquoise waters for which Turks & Caicos is known, Amanyara epitomizes oceanside luxury. To take it to the next level, there’s the Artist’s Villa, a private villa that boasts its very own cold plunge pool — alongside a private beach, steam room, and gym with Peloton bikes and a Pilates Reformer.

Lakeside Manoir Hovey, a Relais & Chateaux property two hours from Montreal, has a 9,000-square-foot, three-floor spa featuring a thoughtfully curated Thermal Circuit that consists of a lakeside infinity pool, two hot tubs, a sauna, steam room, access to the lake, a cold basin, and relaxation rooms with panoramic views of the lake.