Learn to love it
Cold exposure
Feel your inner fire
Most of us know the dreadful feeling of winter times. Grey weather, threes without leaves and ice-cold temperatures don’t usually invite us to come out of our cosy living rooms. Luckily, winter also withholds amazing sceneries for us such a crispy forest fields and long sunny days with amazing views as nature is covered by snow.
One consistent in both situations is the appearance of cold, but the way we perceive it is completely opposite. This time I want to invite you to embrace the vast amounts of information about us that is stored in this cold. An overwhelming movement started by the legend himself Wim Hof, is showing how embracing the cold can be seen as a metaphor for life and how it can ultimately lead to happiness. This article will merely focus on the benefits of cold exposure to your body and mind based on scientific papers. The effects of cold exposure to your spirit are personal for everyone and can best be explored through experience.
About 2 years ago I took my first cold shower during the fall season. Earlier that week I had finished a podcast where we talked about cold-showers, and I realized that I could go even further in my pursuit of strength building. And to be brutally honest, I did not like it at all. The first few seconds were painful and made me want to quit. After 30 seconds I stopped the shower and was shivering all over. But, I did it!
That final feeling of “I did it” is what made me fall in love with it. The benefits of cold exposure for the body are widely researched as it can lead to the following benefits.
Benefits
Improved quality of sleep
Increased focus
Increased blood flow
Improved immune response
Decrease of inflammation
Decrease of body swelling
The physical benefits described above should already be sufficient for you to start a cold exposure practice. However, even better than the physical benefits are the mental and emotional benefits.
Modern day society drove us away from things such as feeling and intuition and the cold forces you to feel. In the beginning this might be unpleasant, but the benefits of returning to yourself through cold exposure are amazing and will empower your personal growth. The best part of it, is that after some practice you can apply deliberate cold exposure anywhere, thereby living a more relaxed and empowered life.
The method consists of three pillars that, once combined, lead you to full relaxation and surrendering to the situation.
How it works
Breathwork
If you want to live a more energetic, relaxed, and better rested life I would highly encourage you to pick up such a practice. The breathing exercises are easy allowing everybody to do them and consists of 30 consecutive deep breaths in and out. After the 30th breath you exhale and resist breathing as long as possible (but at least 1 minute) whilst focussing on relaxing your body’s state. You might experience this as a form of meditation.
Next, a deep breath in, which is held in for 15 seconds, allowing your body to take in all the oxygen it needs to recover. After those 15 seconds, you let go of all the stress that was build up in your body and repeat the exercise for at least 2 times. Your body will enter a deepened state of relaxation, your heart rate will decrease and your heart rate variability (i.e. the difference in heart rates between your in – and exhale) is optimized. Note: this breathing is done in a safe environment and not in the cold water.
Commitment & mind-set
The key to successful lasting transformation is the willingness to change and the associated brutal honesty with oneself. The commitment to a better life allows you to consistently work for a better outcome and is required to overcome all challenges faced during your growth. Because sometimes focussing on growth (and mediation or deliberate cold exposure) isn’t fun and requires dedication and hard work.
Cold exposure
Finally, the cold exposure is key to finding your inner strength. Whilst in the water you focus on slow deep and controlled breaths. Dare to feel the cold and remain calm as you challenge yourself. It allows you to push through all kinds of fears whilst realizing that the fear itself is often your worst enemy. Once you start to consciously choose to move through this pain it grows your character and brings you back to a feeling of love. This feeling of empowerment will stay with you and allows you to better listen to your intuition and at the same time enjoy all the benefits of the cold.
Once you’re out of the water it is important that you dry yourself and focus on getting your heart rate up. That will help you in warming up the body again.