What's the hype about cold water dips and saunas?

Cold water showers or ice baths have grown in popularity over recent years and is commonly known as ‘cold water immersion’. Wim Hof is one of many people that advocate the benefits of this practice. When done right - at just the right temperature and for the right amount of time - cold plunges/showers can offer some serious health benefits. It has been shown to have numerous positive effects on the body including – decreased inflammation, stress, improved immunity, improved circulation, better sleep quality, and quality of life (1, 2)

So what does Cold Therapy do inside your body to create these positive health benefits?

We spend most of our time in warm, climate-controlled environments. But when you step into cold water or expose your body to cold air, you create a kind of healthy stress that can boost your overall health and longevity.

This idea is based on something called hormesis. It means that short bursts of stress - like cold, heat, or exercise - can make your body stronger over time. Cold exposure pushes your body to adapt, helping you become more resilient both physically and mentally.

On a deeper level, cold therapy also supports a process called autophagy. This is your body’s natural way of cleaning house - it breaks down old or damaged cells so healthier ones can take their place. This process plays a big role in slowing aging and keeping you feeling your best.

And that’s not all - cold exposure also improves circulation and helps your body detox naturally. When you go into the cold, your blood vessels tighten (constrict), and then when you warm back up, they relax (dilate). This pumping action helps deliver oxygen and nutrients more efficiently and clears out waste products more effectively.

What about combining Cold Therapy with heat such as Saunas?

One of the best ways to try cold therapy is by combining it with heat, like using a sauna followed by a cold plunge or shower. Heat opens your blood vessels and gets things moving, while the cold quickly tightens everything up again. That sharp contrast helps your lymphatic system flush out toxins and supports your liver in processing them.

This hot-cold combo gives your body a full reset - boosting detox, improving circulation, and strengthening your stress response. And the best part? You only need a few minutes of cold to start seeing the benefits. Finishing with even 30 seconds in a cold shower after a warm shower in the morning has proven effective, gradually build up to 1-4 minutes and if you have access to a sauna, try the hot-cold combo.

Breathing

Wim Hof advocates a breathing technique which can help you before cold exposure (esp. plunges) (3). The steps are as follows –

· Get comfortable: Find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down, where you can breathe freely.

· Perform 30-40 deep breaths: Take 30-40 deep breaths in quick succession. Inhale deeply through your nose or mouth, filling your belly and chest. Then exhale through your mouth without force.

· Breath retention: After the last exhalation, hold your breath for as long as you can. This is the retention phase, where you hold your breath without discomfort.

· Recovery breath: When you feel the urge to breathe again, take one deep inhalation and hold it for about 15 seconds before releasing.

· Repeat: Complete 3-4 rounds of this process without pausing in between rounds.

Next time you are finishing your warm morning shower, why not deep breathe and turn it to as cold as you can tolerate for 30 seconds? 

Let us know if you enjoy this new routine for boosting your wellbeing in comments below!

References 1. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317615 2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11872954/ 3. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/breathing-exercises