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Cold plunging is currently more popular than ever, but it’s far from a new practice. Historical figures such as Charlemagne (747-814) and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) are said to have practiced cold water immersion. Pastor Sebastian Kneipp also promoted cold water therapies, though at a milder water temperature of around 15 degrees.
In many regions, cold water swimming has a long tradition, and even children grow up with it. In Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus, the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church immerse themselves in ice-cold water to wash away their sins. In Norway, countless bathing spots invite people to experience refreshing winter plunges, and dedicated clubs organize group immersions. Austria’s mountain lakes offer ideal conditions, while in Germany, cold plunging is popular in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Alpine lakes. Even in urban areas, people set up ice bath tubs on balconies or terraces to practice at home
Personally, I tried cold water swimming for the first time 14 years ago, in the freezing cold North Sea off Sylt. Since then, I have never missed an opportunity to go into the cold water whenever possible. Last year, I even joined a Wim Hof workshop with my son to refine my breathing technique. Wim Hof teaches a form of holotropic breathing – fast, intense, and capable of triggering altered states and deep emotions. emotions.
A Good Breathing Technique Helps Regulate Hormones
A proper breathing technique is essential because we can influence our hormones through the way we breathe. Breathing affects blood pressure, heart rate, and the autonomic nervous system. Breathing is not just about inhaling and exhaling air; breathing is life. We take many things that we do routinely every day for granted. We simply do them without thinking about how we do them. Yet breathing really is so incredibly important for the whole body.
We often take breathing for granted, but oxygen can only be absorbed when carbon dioxide is released. With enough red blood cells and iron, oxygen is transported efficiently to organs. Breathing well is therefore vital for overall health and especially useful in practices like the cold plunge.
Rapid Breathing Signals Stress to the Body
For the organism, rapid breathing is equivalent to chasing or being chased – running to survive, breathing to survive. This accelerates the release of cortisol, the stress and activity hormone. While cortisol plays a role in metabolism, blood sugar regulation, and immunity, too much for too long can disrupt hormonal balance.
Over time, this leads to what is known as “pregnenolone stealing,” where the body diverts resources to produce more cortisol. This can lower progesterone and create imbalances with estrogen, leading to health challenges.
Excess Cortisol Has Negative Consequences
Chronic cortisol elevation can cause water retention, bloating, and disruption of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. This in turn suppresses thyroid function, leading to hypothyroidism, even if hormone levels appear normal. lowered.
When cortisol levels remain high, glucose is constantly released into the bloodstream for “energy” that isn’t being used. This unused sugar may be stored as belly fat, converted into triglycerides, or raise LDL cholesterol: factors linked to heart disease, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
Estrogen dominance may also develop, which can trigger histamine release, inflammation, and even increase asthma risk.
From Breathing to the Thyroid Gland – Everything Is Connected
The stress caused by respiratory stress in the body, the thyroid gland and the adrenal glands promotes the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which also disrupt the function of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland.
The release of cortisol is generally always associated with the transfer of glucose from the cells into the blood. The aim of this is to generate energy. Energy that is theoretically intended to keep you running. The only problem is that you are not running fast, but simply breathing frantically because you are simply breathing incorrectly. This means that the sugar released from the cells cannot be burnt while running and walking, but remains unused and causes various problems.
The excess sugar is often stored as belly/hip fat so that it can be used in an emergency. Some of the excess sugar is also converted into triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of developing pancreatitis or arteriosclerosis with the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.
The development of insulin resistance is massively accelerated and thus also the development of diabetes, with all its facets.
If pregnenolone stealing leads to a progesterone deficiency, this disrupts the hormonal balance between progesterone and oestrogen. This results in oestrogen dominance.
A distinction must be made here as to what type of oestrogen dominance is involved. Oestrogens can be within the norm and still be dominant. This is always the case when the progesterone has fallen and no longer matches the oestrogen in terms of quantity. It is comparable to a lentil soup that consists mainly of potatoes.
The other type of oestrogen dominance occurs when there is actually far too much oestrogen, exceeding the norm.
In the third type of oestrogen dominance, both hormones are in the minus range, but still do not match in terms of quantity. Three completely different therapeutic approaches.
An oestrogen deficiency makes the lung tissue more vulnerable and increases the risk of developing asthma. An excess of oestrogen triggers the mast cell, which then releases more histamine. The histamine causes the tissue to swell, provokes inflammatory processes and also promotes the development of asthma via this mechanism.
Breathing Well Matters for Everyday Health and Cold Plunging
If you constantly breathe incorrectly, you risk a lot. Thankfully, not everyone breathes hectically and quickly. But many people breathe in an uncoordinated manner, breathe too shallowly, not deep enough or constantly breathe through their mouth. Not to mention those who snore at night and have breathing interruptions. This also changes the release of cortisol and poses an incredible number of health risks if nothing is done about it.
For the most part, we are only used to warmth, sitting in heated rooms, wearing thick clothes, wrapping ourselves in warm blankets in the evening, taking warm/hot showers… Cold has become an unbearable condition for many. Cold is poorly tolerated. Because we are only ever used to warmth, our bodies increasingly lose the ability to adapt to different temperatures. As a result, we find it difficult to leave our warm comfort zone and expose ourselves to the unloved cold.
The Benefits of Cold Plunging
Cold exposure through an ice bath tub or natural cold water has many advantages:
- Improved circulation – blood vessels contract in the cold, then expand afterwards, strengthening vessel elasticity.
- Anti-inflammatory effects – cytokine release supports immune function.
- Hormonal balance – cold activates the thyroid gland, boosting heat regulation and energy.
- Increased energy – mitochondrial activity rises, providing more long-term energy.
- Stress resilience – the vagus nerve is stimulated, supporting relaxation and recovery.
- Athletic recovery – muscles receive better oxygen and nutrient supply, while lactic acid breaks down faster.
Contraindications for Cold Plunging
Not everyone should practice cold plunging. Contraindications include:
- Graves’ disease or hyperthyroidism – cold increases thyroid activity, which can worsen symptoms.
- Fever – the body is already stressed, and cold immersion may add strain.
- Severe heart conditions – the cardiovascular stress of cold water can be dangerous.
If you’re unsure, always consult a health professional.
How to Get Started with Cold Plunging
If you’re new, begin with cold showers. Ending your shower with cold water helps the body adapt.
You can look for Kneipp facilities and tread water with cold water. This also prepares the body very well.
Another alternative is keeping your home slightly cooler in winter (19–20°C).
Spending more time outdoors in the cold really helps, too.
A visit to a cold chamber would also be good preparation. However, the dry cold of the cold chambers feels different from water immersion.
People who find it difficult to switch off, who find it difficult to focus, benefit very well from cold plunging First of all, you have to concentrate on your breathing and, of course, on yourself. When you come into contact with cold water, you often lose your breath. Of course, you shouldn’t hold your breath while ice bathing. This is also the reason why preparatory breathing exercises are important. When you enter the water, your focus must be directly on breathing. The head has no time to worry about anything other than breathing.
Breathing is then under my own control, so that you are very much with yourself. We have often lost the feeling of “being with ourselves”, and ice bathing gives us the opportunity to regain and relearn this ability.
Conclusion
I strongly recommend trying cold water swimming. You go beyond your personal limits, get to know yourself and your abilities in a new way, learn to focus and tune out your surroundings. It’s a great experience, with a great feeling after cold plunging.
It is important that you never go into the water alone in public waters, especially if you are inexperienced. You should always have someone by your side to make sure that nothing happens to you. The shock of the unfamiliar cold can sometimes cause you to stumble or take your breath away. If you want to be on the safe side, I would always recommend attending a workshop at the beginning. There are many great, very empathetic Wim Hof instructors who offer workshops all over Germany, Austria, Poland, etc. offer workshops. I also offer workshops sporadically, but I am not a Wim Hof Instructor.
Alexandra Nau is a naturopath, 1st chairwoman of the Biochemical Association in Velbert-Neviges and has published a total of four books on the subject of holistic health. She has been interested in ice bathing, holistic health, breathing, hormones, the thyroid gland, mitochondria and pain treatment for many years.
