Ice Baths, Breathing, and a Little Wim Hof: One Month In
Getting Started
I never thought I’d be into something so cold, but here we are! ❄️ Honestly, I was just scrolling around looking for some breathing exercises (gotta stay sane with these two kiddos running around 🫠), and I stumbled across this guy, Wim Hof. He’s all about breathing, cold exposure, and pushing your body to the limit—sounds like something I’d be into, right? 😏
So, I thought, why not? Let’s get wet 💦 and give this ice bath thing a try.
My Journey with Daily Ice Baths and Breathwork
Let me tell you, the first dip was like jumping into a freezing cold ocean—except you can’t swim away from the cold 😅. My body was like, Girl, what are you DOING? But I powered through. I did the Wim Hof breathing thing before each dip, and guess what? After just a few days, I started feeling like a total badass. 💪
And surprise, surprise... there’s a lot of power in breathwork. The longer I can hold my breath, the longer I can last in the ice. Mmm… longer does tend to be better, right? 😉
Here’s a little peek at the progress I’ve been making over the last month:
| Day | Breath Hold Time (secs) | Ice Bath Duration (mins) |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 31 | 0:58 |
| Day 5 | 46 | 1:33 |
| Day 10 | 64 | 2:06 |
| Day 15 | 76 | 2:25 |
| Day 20 | 93 | 3:12 |
| Day 25 | 101 | 3:40 |
| Day 30 | 117 | 4:05 |
See what I mean? The more I focus on my breath, the longer I can keep things going. You’d be amazed at what your body can handle when you train it the right way… and yes, that goes for more than just cold water! 😉
What’s the Deal with Wim Hof?
For those of you who haven’t heard of Wim Hof, aka “The Iceman,” he’s this wild Dutchman who made waves with his extreme feats of endurance in cold temperatures. I’m talking running marathons barefoot in snow, swimming under ice, and sitting in ice baths for hours. 😲 He claims that his method of controlled breathing, cold exposure, and commitment to mindset can help anyone tap into their bodies’ natural strength and health.
The cool part? It’s not just some hippie, woo-woo stuff. Wim Hof has put his body on the line (literally!) to show that his method works—backed by actual science.
Scientists have studied Wim and his followers, and they found that his techniques really do change the body’s physiology. For example, during one experiment, Wim was injected with a bacterial endotoxin that should’ve made him sick. But instead, by using his breathing method, he was able to suppress his immune response and stay healthy. 😱 They even had 12 other people trained in his method try the same thing—and all of them got similar results. The researchers were shocked!
It turns out, Wim Hof’s method can affect our nervous and immune systems in ways that doctors thought weren’t possible. Through controlled hyperventilation and then holding your breath, you actually lower the amount of carbon dioxide in your body, which changes your blood's pH. This shift helps you tap into your autonomic nervous system—basically, the system that controls things like your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress response. Pretty wild, right?
How the Science Behind It Hooked Me
I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker for things that make me feel like a superwoman 🦸♀️, but the science is what really got me. This isn’t just some "mind over matter" thing—there are actual measurable changes that happen in your body when you do this. Like, we’re talking about:
Boosting brown fat: This is the "good" fat that burns energy to create heat. The more you cold-expose, the more your body builds this type of fat, which helps keep you warm and even boosts your metabolism (yes please 🙋♀️).
Increased energy: By forcing your body into these extreme conditions, it adapts and gets better at generating energy. I mean, with an 8-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son, energy is GOLD. 🔋
Improved mood: Something about the ice baths and breathing releases endorphins that make you feel like you just ran a marathon. But in reality, you just sat in freezing water for a few minutes! 😆
Stronger immune system: Like I mentioned earlier, Wim proved his body could control its immune response, which is just insane to think about.
My Personal Results
Now, I haven’t been injected with any bacterial toxins (thank god!), but I can feel the changes. My body is responding quicker and better to stress—both physical and emotional. When you train your body to stay calm in freezing water, it gets a lot easier to stay calm when your 8-year-old is trying to convince you to buy a horse (🙃) or your 4-year-old wants to be a “superhero astronaut ninja firefighter.” Ice baths? Totally worth it.
Even if science isn’t your thing, just knowing that my body is becoming stronger, more resilient, and able to handle the tough stuff makes this all worth it. And who knows, maybe I’ll be running marathons in the snow next… or maybe I’ll just stick to warming up afterwards. 🔥
So to anyone wondering if they should try something new, even if it seems a little crazy... go for it. You might just find that it makes you feel like a total queen. 👑
Stay cold, babes!
💋 Barbie Mama
