Wim Hof: How I'm learning to freeze the fear thanks to TV's 'the iceman' – our West Sussex columnist on her cold showers experience

I am obsessed with Wim Hof, and I don’t care who knows it. I’d seen the so-called ‘ice man’ on ITV’s This Morning show during lockdown, sharing breathing exercises with the audience, and thought he was pretty cool.
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But after watching the Freeze the Fear series, he is right up near the top of my ‘celebrities I’d invite to a dinner party’ list. (Other guests would include Trevor McDonald and The Rock, in case you were wondering).

I’m not normally that into ‘harnessing the power of my mind’, probably because I always find it so hard to switch off.

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Wim Hof is a God in Katherine's eyes. He's also responsible for her uttering some slightly bad words when the cold shower starts. Photo credit: Koen van Weel/AFP via Getty ImagesWim Hof is a God in Katherine's eyes. He's also responsible for her uttering some slightly bad words when the cold shower starts. Photo credit: Koen van Weel/AFP via Getty Images
Wim Hof is a God in Katherine's eyes. He's also responsible for her uttering some slightly bad words when the cold shower starts. Photo credit: Koen van Weel/AFP via Getty Images
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But there was something about the idea of using the power of the cold to retrain your brain, overcome your fears and become the best version of yourself (sorry for using a bit of a modern buzz phrase, I do usually hate them, but it really fits well here – and don’t worry, I will never, ever use the phrase Platty Joobs (insert sick face emoji here)) that really resonated with me.

Maybe it’s because I’m hyper-aware that as a busy working mum, I feel like I spend all week chasing my tail.

It’s hard to just relax and ‘be in the moment’, when there’s washing, homework and a million other things to do.

But what if you could learn to achieve a sense of contentment, overcome your fears, find a way of dealing with life’s challenges with less stress and realise the ability to live in the moment just through being a bit cold?

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It was an idea I was willing to explore, and that is how I have found myself hyperventilating in an icy-cold shower every other day for the last two weeks…

One of the challenges the celebrities on Wim’s show have to face is a daily cold shower. Apparently, the shock of the cold gives the central nervous system a workout. Learning to keep calm and breathe through the pain will, according to Wim, help you deal with stress and fears in general life.

I actually have experience of cold water ‘therapy’. I once signed up for a Warrior Run, because people at my gym were doing it. I didn’t really research it, but being competitive I just said yes so I wasn’t left out of the challenge.

After scrambling over a cargo net, we had to plunge into a freezing cold pond.

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It was nuts and I was completely unprepared, but there was something about the sudden cold and the way it made you feel so alive that was strangely alluring.

Turning the shower to its coldest setting is counterintuitive. I knew it was going to hurt, but I couldn’t think about it too much. I just had to do it.

Wow! The first few seconds are tough.

I honestly thought I wasn’t going to be able to catch my breath that first time, I was hyperventilating so much.

It’s still not necessarily a pleasant experience, but I have got much better at regulating my breathing.

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And the sensation when you get out of the shower – of feeling really awake and actually quite warm and tingly, is quite addictive.

It’s possibly too early to tell if it’s going to have long-term benefits, but I’m hopeful. I really want to be a better person and a better parent.

Perhaps the biggest test will be if I can remain zen-like the next time one of my children displays some, ahem, challenging behaviour. Shouldn’t take too long then… haha!

I had a busy jubilee weekend. Regular readers can probably imagine my delight at ticking off a new-to-me National Trust property.

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We went to Polesden Lacey with friends, and had a fantastic day doing a jubilee trail, walking through the countryside in the sunshine and enjoying some jazz on the lawn.

There was also a barbecue with friends on a day that promised wall-to-wall sunshine and warm temperatures… We ended up sheltering from the rain and then lighting the chiminea when we got really cold.

We also went to London to see my brother. The highlight? A trip to ‘Broccoli Town’ for a family festival. Think Brockley should really consider my son’s cute rebranding suggestion!

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