Calm the Mind, Shock the Body: Breathing and the Cold

Have you ever heard of Wim Hof?

To learn about him, find a link to a podcast HERE

I did a little digging about 3 years ago on ice, women and the immune system. This happened because my husband was dabbling in the methods of breath work and ice plunging after attending a day long event.

To be honest, I have never wanted to do ANY breath work.

I haven’t been willing to sit still before the death of my daughter.

What changed for me around the breathing and the ice happened after Cassie, my adult daughter died from a long battle with alcoholism. Several people suggested I sit quiet and invite her spirit to be present with me. That REALLY appealed to me in my suffering.

I have found the sweet spot of meditation is little bursts of five minutes in my car parked at a time. I time myself. This helps me relax, knowing that I don’t have to worry about looking at the clock. I have come to enjoy it in the five minute bites.

I had some cold exposure when I attended the School of Lunch Training Academy in 2022. There were nightly opportunities to go into the ice.

Cold exposure and breath work together tap into powerful stress-response systems in the body, and in men specifically, the data points to benefits across hormones, metabolism, mental resilience, and cardiovascular health.

The benefits of the ice are WIDELY different for men in comparison to women. If your body is already under extreme stress, the ice can further exacerbate this for women.

For men:

Men benefit from frequent exposure to ice baths or cold showers without any worry of problems.

Sharper focus & mental clarity

• Stronger stress resilience

• Higher energy & improved mood

• Faster muscle recovery

• Improved cardiovascular health

• Boosted metabolism - brown fat activation, better insulin sensitivity

Brown fat is powerful because it burns energy instead of storing it—making it one of the few tissues in your body that actively helps regulate metabolism and temperature.

For women:

For women, cold exposure and breath work can be incredibly beneficial—but frequency and intensity matter more because of hormone sensitivity.

Cold exposure should be lower dose, more strategic:

• 2–4 times per week

• 1–3 minutes per session

• Water temp: 50–59°F is perfect

• Best timing: morning or post-workout, not late at night (can disrupt sleep/cortisol rhythm)

Why this matters:

• Women are more sensitive to stress signals → too much cold can increase cortisol by 20–30%

• Excess stress can disrupt:

  • Progesterone

  • Thyroid function

  • Menstrual regularity

Breathwork should be more frequent and calming-focused:

• Daily (5–10 minutes) is ideal

• Emphasize:

  • Slow breathing (4–6 breaths/min)

  • Longer exhales (stimulates parasympathetic system)

• Avoid frequent intense hyperventilation-style sessions unless well-tolerated

Benefits for women:

• Can lower cortisol ~10–20%

• Supports hormone balance by improving nervous system regulation

• Helps stabilize blood sugar and cravings

For women, this combo works best when it calms the body more than it stresses it—supporting cortisol balance, thyroid health, and stable reproductive hormones rather than pushing into overdrive.

As with any fad or protocol, women find it frustrating to have different results trying to share these habits with a male partner.

Men are not designed to grow a baby.

EVERYTHING about the male body functions differently than a female. Most of the studies in every area of health have been built around men.

If you would like to explore this and learn more, set a time to chat or text me.

Remember we are all BIOINDIVIDUAL, what works for one does not work the same for another.

For all client offerings, visit Angie’s Real Food and discover your path to wellness.

Find the link to previous blog posts here: