Christopher EllisCEO Dynamic Physio Therapy

Gauge Your Stress: The Simple CO2 Tolerance Test #shorts

6 Oct 2026 · 1 min

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Christopher Ellis explains how your body's tolerance for carbon dioxide drops when you're stressed, making it a measurable sign of your stress levels. He notes his own cold plunge performance tracks with his stress: better sleep and lower stress let him stay in colder water longer.

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That's how much can you— how much can your cardiovascular system take? So, the one simple test that I like to do is a CO2 tolerance test because when you are stressed, you're going to tolerate CO2 in the bloodstream less effectively. We all know that stress is bad, but I would say it's understated just how bad it is. I've noticed this myself just cold plunging. If I slept well and recovered and my body is under very little stress, I can tolerate colder temperatures for longer. I can almost assess my stress levels by just seeing how much I can take in a cold plunge.