First and foremost, before you get into cold water, you want to do some breathing exercises.
Wim Hof breathing is the most popular type of breathing for this practice.
Sit upright, typically with your hands on your knees, and begin breathing.
You want to do deep, long inhales, and short fast exhales. This is counted as 1 repetition.
Breathe 30 repetitions; on the exhale of your 30th repetition, let all of the air out and hold that until you feel the urge to breathe. Once you feel the urge, breathe in 1 full breath and hold that one as well until you can no longer hold it. Do this 2 more times, and you will be primed and ready for a cold plunge.
Protocol:
3 sets of 30 repetitions of breathwork. In between sets, exhale and hold, and inhale and hold before starting your next set.
The Goal Of Breathing before Cold Plunging?
It primes your sympathetic nervous system and puts you into a fight or flight state, and assists you in crossing the threshold of the cold water. Your adrenals pump adrenaline into your system, where it acts as an analgesic blunting pain, making it easier to enter the cold water.
Scientific Mechanism:
Contrary to popular belief, this type of breathing does not necessarily oxygenate your blood; rather, it offloads your body of carbon dioxide faster than loading up on oxygen, which increases the ph levels of your blood. By performing these breathing exercises, your adrenals pump adrenaline into your system, giving you energy, focus, and an analgesic effect.