Who we are

About PlungeLog

We help people who just bought a tub, a barrel, a chest freezer or a sauna, and the people who use the cold plunge and sauna at the gym, answer the first questions well: how cold, how long, how often, what order, and is it safe.

Why PlungeLog exists

Cold plunges and saunas have more enthusiasm around them than careful information. Most answers online are either a confident protocol with no source or a wall of hedging. PlungeLog sits in between: the published numbers with the study named next to them, the safety rules stated plainly every time, and tools that turn those numbers into a plan you can actually follow.

Who writes it

PlungeLog is made by Viral Labs, a small independent studio that builds focused consumer apps. The guides are written by the PlungeLog team and checked against the sources listed at the bottom of each guide. We are not doctors, physiologists or athletes with a sponsor. We are people who log our own sessions and read the papers before we quote them.

Editorial and sources policy

• Every number has a page. Temperatures, minutes, percentages and study results come from peer-reviewed papers (PubMed and PubMed Central), government and safety bodies (CDC, the National Weather Service, the National Center for Cold Water Safety), clinical outlets (Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Health) or a manufacturer's own spec page. The page is linked under the guide.
• We say how big the study was and who was in it. The much-quoted 11 minutes of cold and 57 minutes of sauna a week describe 8 young winter-swimming men in one 2021 study. The Finnish sauna cohort is 2,315 men and observational. You will read that every time.
• Popular protocols are labeled as popular protocols. When we describe what a podcaster or an athlete recommends, we name it as that, not as medical advice.
• No outcome promises. Cold and heat do not cure, treat or guarantee anything on this site.
• Dated prices. Any dollar figure says when it was checked, because gear prices move.
• Independent. No tub, sauna, chiller or app maker pays to be recommended. When we name one, the page says so. Affiliate links may come later; they will be marked when they do, and they will never change a verdict.
• Corrections. Tell us about a mistake and we fix the page and note the change.

The safety disclaimer, in full

PlungeLog's tools and guides are general information. They are not medical advice, they do not diagnose or treat anything, and no cold or heat routine is right for everyone. Cold water causes a cold shock response (gasping, fast breathing, a spike in heart rate and blood pressure) and can lead to incapacitation, hypothermia and drowning. Saunas cause fluid loss and can cause fainting, and moving from heat to cold water spikes blood pressure. Never plunge alone, never after alcohol, never hold your breath or hyperventilate in or before the water, and get out when you feel lightheaded, numb or confused. Talk to your doctor before you start if you have a heart condition or arrhythmia, high or low blood pressure or take medication for it, diabetes, Raynaud's, peripheral neuropathy or poor circulation, or if you are pregnant.

The app

The PlungeLog app is a session timer and log: water or air temperature, minutes, rounds, a breath timer, a weekly heat and cold target built on published protocols, streaks that forgive a rest day, and Health Connect or Apple Health sync. It never controls hardware. It is coming to Android first, then iPhone. The app page has the details and the early-access list.

Say hello

Spotted a mistake, a study we should read, or a question we should answer? Email viral.b.tandel@gmail.com. We read everything.