Cold Water Therapy

Anyone who follows Laura on Instagram knows she is religious about her morning dips in the cold Atlantic. We asked Laura to elaborate on some of the amazing benefits of Cold Water Therapy for us.

You may think that immersing into cold water is a crazy idea but there are many health benefits to gain from it. Apart from these health benefits it also acts as a natural high and is quite exhilarating every single time.

My husband and I have been swimming in the cold Atlantic sea for a couple of years now. It has become a part of our daily routine. We swim all year round, even in winter. We go mostly in the mornings as it is an incredible way to start the day. In summer, we love to go twice a day, first thing in the morning then at sunset with the warm evening breeze, it is truly magical watching the sun set while in the sea. We have always been big beach goers so we would always love a cold dip on a hot sunny day but it was when we heard of the Wim Hoff Method that we really took it seriously. One of the three pillars of the Wim Hof Method are Cold Water Therapy. It has gained huge popularity in recent years and is linked to numerous health benefits.

These Health Benefits Include:

• Reducing Inflammation
• Speeding up your metabolism
• Improved sleep quality
• Recovery of swelling & sore muscles
• Improved focus
• Improved immune response

Other Benefits:

• Promotes happy endorphins
• Improves mood
• Helps against depression
• More energy
• Stress reliever

In recent years, several scientists have performed controlled experiments to proof the powers of the Wim Hoff Method, so the research and science is there to proof the health benefits.

Want to get started?

We are very lucky that we live close to the beach but you can always start your cold-water therapy at home. Start by having a cold shower in the morning. It sounds a lot easier than it is but start for 60 seconds and try build from there. Controlling your breathing is essential when exposing your body to cold water so I strongly recommend research on the 3 pillars of the Wim Hoff Method first. You can read more about them here.

If you have access to the sea then start by getting your whole body and shoulders under the water and keep your head out and control your breathing. Challenge yourself to 5 minutes and slowly build up to the full 20 minutes to gain all the health benefits. Make it a fun new challenge with a partner or friend. Remember to bring some warm clothes for after and maybe a hot flask of tea.

See you at the beach.

Laura