Yes thats right, 25 days straight…..so far. What started as a bit of a personal challenge is now an integral part of my day.
I really look forward to my morning dip now, even though I know it’s very cold, I also know that it get’s easier every time. I also know that it is very good for me and the benefits will improve the longer I continue.
I guess starting cold water plunges at this time of year has it’s pro’s and con’s. It’s great being able to sit in the sunshine after my dip and take few minutes in the peace and quiet. The downside is that my plunge tub is getting warmed up by the sun most of the day. So, I have the challenge of getting the water cold again ready for the next morning plunge. I’ve tried a few things from buying bags of ice from the supermarket (very expensive) to reuseable plastic food containers (cheap). There are various sizes but I opted for ltr ones. Fortunately, we have a chest freezer in the garage so it’s just a few feet inbetween the freezer and the tub. For now I’m going out to the tub before bed and putting several ice blocks in the tub. These then melt overnight but bring the temperature back down to below 12oC. I can then add a few more blocks in the morning if needed. I also bought a pack of water bottles, the 500ml ones. But not for drinking, I freeze these and just put the bottles in the tub unopened. I can then return them to the freezer once they’ve done the job.
It’s getting serious this is. I’ve even found a new location for the tub, one where it is out of direct sunlight. The view won’t be as nice but for 5 minutes each morning that’s not a priority. If I can keep the water cold I can then use the Ice blocks to get it even colder !
OK, on to the important bits then, what changes have I noticed ? Well, quite a few to be honest. The first thing I noticed was an overall mood uplift. This was pretty instant. In fact, after the very first plunge everything just seemed a whole lot better, easier, more intersting. Less brain fog, making it easier to focus and concentrate. Starting the day with such as huge sense of achievement feels great. Over the next few weeks I then started to notice an improvement in sleep quality and duration.
I’ve not set any expectations regarding instant results or anything like that. I’ve read enough on this subject to know it works, plus, I don’t want it to feel like therapy. I’m doing this because it feels great and offers so many overall benefits.
That said, I knew I needed to add a bit more to my daily routine. Wim Hof talks about the 3 pillars of his “method”;
- Controlled exposure to the cold
- Committment
- Breathing exercises
I think I’m sorted for 1 & 2 so i’m now focusing on number 3, Breathwork. This is where more magic happens. I’ll be creating space for breathwork each day from now on. You can find out more about it here
p.s. I hope you like the new thermometer 🙂
Just a Thought 