Warming Up After Cold Water Immersion
To ensure safe, effective, and conscious rewarming practices after cold exposure, supporting participant wellbeing and long-term cold acclimatisation.
Posted on Thu 27 Mar 2025 · by Danny
For your health and to build true acclimatisation to cold, it's best to end on a cold dip and allow your body to warm up naturally—especially if you're doing regular dips. This is known as the Soberg Principle.
When you rewarm naturally, your body kicks into gear:
🧠 It boosts circulation and strengthens your cardiovascular system
🔥 It increases brown fat activation (helping with heat production)
⚙️ It improves metabolic efficiency and calorie burn
❄️ It enhances your ability to tolerate future cold exposure
🫁 It sharpens your awareness of body signals and resilience over time
💪 It helps your nervous system adapt to stress in a controlled way
HOWEVER natural rewarming isn’t always comfortable. That shivery, teeth-chattering moment can feel intense, especially when you're new to it. So, if you don’t want to end cold, that’s okay! You can go from cold into warmth (like the sauna) and still get many of the benefits. The key is listening to your body, especially on tough days, and building up slowly.
🔥 Ways to Warm Back Up After a Cold Dip:
Get in the sauna – the best way to reheat quickly and safely
Movement – walking, gentle squats, or a horse-stance dance (like Wim Hof style)
Layer up – put on dry, warm clothes immediately, including hat and gloves
Hands in armpits or between thighs – use your body’s warmest zones
Hot drink – herbal tea or warm lemon water (avoid alcohol and caffeine as they mess with your body’s natural response)
More ways to rewarm naturally and safely:
Shelter from wind – it makes rewarming way harder
Wrap in a dry towel or robe first, then dress – especially on windy beaches
Breathwork – deep, controlled breathing can help calm the nervous system and support warming
Huddle – share body heat with someone else if you're really cold
Wool or fleece layers – these warm better than cotton
Stay upright and active – lying down too soon can make you colder
Warm water bottle on core – not hands or feet first (to avoid afterdrop)
⚠️ And finally, watch out for Afterdrop
That’s when your core temp keeps dropping after you get out the water, especially if you warm your skin too fast (like blasting the hands and feet with heat first). Focus warmth on your core first, and let the heat spread gradually.
Also a note on milf hypothermia- if you think you are feeling hypothermic then an effective way to warm the core up is to submerge the amrs and legs in warm water if it is available. Studies have also shown submersion in a bath of hot water is also an effective treatment.
Build up your cold practice with consistency and kindness. Like everything small incremental gains over the long term is the gentlest way to get your body acclmitiased. This is not a race. We are not bravado here. The gains come over time. 🌊🔥