Breathwork in Ice Baths: A Cold Plunge One-Two Punch

How to Build an Ice Bath Routine

Want to level up your ice bath game without increasing time or decreasing degrees? Consider adding a breathing practice to your ice bath routine for even more added benefits. 

By now, you’ve probably come across the terms ‘Wim Hof’ and ‘breathwork’ — the viral sensations that have taken the wellness industry by storm over the past five years. And for good reason. These aren’t just buzzwords or TikTok trends, but rather tried-and-tested breathing techniques that, when done correctly, have been proven to reduce levels of inflammation, improve circulation, and more (we’ll cover this later!). 

Besides all the physical benefits, combining wellness practices can be a great time-saver, offering a simple way to up the ice bath benefits without upping time or lowering temps.

But just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy. And as cold water breathing can come with risks, it’s important to get it right. 

Here’s our guide for incorporating controlled breathing into your ice baths. 

BEFORE YOU PLUNGE:

• Claim your quiet time: Both breathwork and ice baths are best practiced mindfully. It’s important to be as present and calm as possible to reap all the physical and mental benefits. Ideally, you’ll choose a time of day to practice your routine regularly. Perhaps you’re an early bird who enjoys the serenity of the world before the rest of it wakes up. Or you’d prefer to unwind after work. Either way, it’s good to be intentional about your time of day. 

• Claim your space: A zen location is just as important as a quiet time of day. Consider a space that is safely isolated and removed from the noise and busyness of modern life. Whether that’s your local park or your own living room, we’d suggest selecting somewhere you can go consistently and remain uninterrupted for around 20-30 minutes. 

• Calm your mind: We’d suggest you sit or lie down in a comfortable position and let your body completely relax, releasing any tension in your limbs, neck or back. 

• Relax into Deep Breathing: Once your body is free of tension, it’s time to begin your inhaling and exhaling exercises. Start by taking a deep breath in through your nose or mouth, filling your lungs completely. Hold for a few seconds. To exhale, slowly — not forcefully — release the breath through your mouth. Repeat this cycle for 30 breaths. If you start to feel lightheaded or tingly, don’t stress. This is considered normal. After 30 breaths, you’ll enter the retention phase, meaning you inhale deeply and let the air out completely, then hold your breath for as long as you can without discomfort. When you feel compelled to breathe, take another deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds, then release. Repeat this whole process for 3-4 sets. With each set, you may notice your breath-holding capacity increases and you slip into a deeper sense of relaxation. Take note of this feeling — it will keep you coming back day after day, week after week!

DURING THE PLUNGE:

Once your breathing is complete and your body is fully relaxed, you’re ready to take the plunge!

As always, enter the ice bath slowly. Whether you’re using the Core Ice Bath or Flow Ice Bath, you should always approach them with intention and caution. This will allow you to focus on maintaining steady, deep breaths and avoid injuries or stress on the body. The breathwork should help you keep both your body and mind calm, taking the initial shock of the cold in stride.

Once you’re as comfortably submerged as your body allows (find more about best practices here), maintain slow breaths. We recommend nasal breathing with long exhales (5-6 seconds, ideally). Be sure to focus on keeping your shoulders relaxed to signal to your body that you are in control and to prevent panic. 

Please note, many land-based breathwork techniques (including ours above) involve a series of hold breaths. While this is great before you submerge, we do not recommend holding long breaths while in the ice bath to avoid any lightheadedness or risk of fainting.

Once you’ve completed your allocated ice bath time (more on that here), continue your slow breathing pattern as you exit the bath. Many people prefer “box breathing”, which involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4, exhaling for 4, and holding for 4. Although you’re welcome to personalise your routine to suit your unique needs. 

BENEFITS YOU SHOULD FEEL:

While everyone will experience ice baths and breathwork differently, research shows some common trends and universal truths that many people report after completing the two together. 

• Increased Resilience: While ice baths are always great for enhancing your mental and physical resilience, adding breathwork can help you handle stress even more effectively. 

• Improved Blood Flow: Breathing deeply before and during the plunge is shown to increase circulation, which helps your body naturally warm itself during and after exposure to freezing temps. 

• Enhanced Endorphin Release: Breathwork and cold plunges are a power couple for endorphins. While each of these practices works well on their own, combining the two gives you even more hormone stimulation, which is known to improve your mood and reduce anxiety. Who doesn’t need that these days?!

• Powerful Focus and Clarity: Mindfulness is contagious. If you start focusing your thinking during your breathwork, you’re more likely to naturally carry that over into your ice bath. 

So, are you intrigued enough to try it? Like we said, the benefits of breathwork and ice baths are powerful on their own, and if you’re able to squeeze even one of these into your day, you’re already winning. However, why not make the absolute most of both? At PeakMe, we’re all about optimising every area of your existence, which starts with small, 1% improvements each day (as James Clear discusses in his mindbending best-seller Atomic Habits). 

We’re also all about results, learnings, and feedback, so please share yours with us! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok for more tips, techniques, and lifestyle improvements. 

And as always, feel free to explore the cold exposure and other collections here to unlock your ultimate PeakMe routine. 

Happy breathing and cold bathing!   

• Written by Michele Danno