You've treated yourself to a luxurious new hot tub. It's fully installed and set up, and you're enjoying your first dip, floating in the soothing water on a clear evening.

It feels incredible. The stresses of your day are melting away. You don't want to get out. But, alas, you must. You can't stay in the hot water forever.

Still, as you step out of the water, you might be wondering how often you can enjoy your shiny new hot tub with no ill effects. Weekly? Twice weekly, dare you dream?

How does every day sound?

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For thousands of years, humans have been immersing themselves in cold water to cure what ails them. The beneficial effects were being noted as far back as 3500BC in ancient Egypt, but formal research into the topic didn't begin until the early twentieth century. Today, the benefits of ice bath therapy are backed by a steadily growing body of evidence.

Weightlifter Karyn Marshall takes an ice bath as part of her athletic training (July 2011). Original photo by Dr Dennis Cronk. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5.

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Cold water therapy has been increasingly popular in recent years with cold plunges being known to help with muscle recovery after exercise, reducing joint swelling and boosting the immune system. If you already have a hot tub at home, it makes sense that you would be questioning whether you can convert this hot tub into a cold plunge by yourself.

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