Bathing in cold water can improve mental and physical health, boost resilience and change your life. That, in a nutshell, is what “Iceman” Wim Hof has been extolling for decades.
Ever since he plunged into a freezing Amsterdam canal, the eccentric Dutch stuntman has been cold bathing daily for more than 45 years, fervently espousing the longevity benefits of submerging your body in sub-zero temperatures. So far, he has set dozens of Guinness World Records, including immersing himself in ice for almost two hours.
While his gruelling stunts have focused attention on the power of cold water, the idea it can improve your health isn’t new. Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates claimed it relieved fatigue, and Thomas Jefferson reportedly had an icy foot bath every morning for 60 years as a health-maintaining strategy. More recently, scientists have found
