How ice baths can help you relieve stress and find inner peace

Ice baths, also called cold dives or cold therapy, have their roots in ancient times. Traces of its use as a medical treatment can be found in Egyptian papyrus dating back to 3,500 BC. However, the practice gained popularity in the 2000s, particularly in sports training, as a tool to improve recovery and optimize performance. Today, this modality is increasingly being offered in spas, resorts and wellness retreats.

The effect of this treatment is similar to cold therapy or cold exposure. According to a study published in 2023 in Biology, immersion in cold water leads to the short-term effects of feeling more active, alert, attentive, and inspired. By constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow, cold exposure also helps reduce inflammation and muscle soreness – similar to how we would freeze an injury to prevent swelling. Other studies of cold stimulation have shown improvement in sleep quality and activation of the vagus nerve, which regulates the nervous system, training your body to relax when stressed.

I later learned that deep breathing is a key component of the process, which I experienced during my second ice bath experience. This time I worked with Keiko Takahashi, the founder of Breath of Life Ice Bath and a certified respiratory therapist. Takahashi developed the Breath of Life cold meditation method after overcoming a particularly challenging time in her life.

“I learned about my body and my trauma. “I studied polyvagal theory, hormesis, and the Japanese misogi ritual,” says Takahashi, “and how the cold can not only reset the nervous system, but also strengthen resilience and relieve stress that is stuck in the body.”

At a beautiful villa in Bali, Takahashi led a small group of us through a guided ice bath meditation. After filling the standing tub with ice packs, we began a grounding meditation in the mild sun. We practiced the breathing patterns to use in the bath and took a few quiet moments to observe our feelings and bodies.