Milwaukee Man Plunges into Lake Michigan for 600th Consecutive Day

Paul Koepnick, cold water therapy expert and founder of Cold Water Effect, has just completed his 600^th consecutive day immersing himself in the icy water of Lake Michigan. With others in the field having completed 365 consecutive days of immersion in the past, Koepnick is pushing the limits, nearly doubling that record. Cold water immersion is known as an advanced natural treatment for stress management and a positive force on mental and physical health, known to bring a list of positive holistic health effects.

“I was feeling stuck in my life and struggling with my mental health specifically depression and anxiety and I wanted to find a way to radically transform my life for the better. “I had heard about the positive effects of cold-water immersion and decided to try it out” says Paul Koepnick. “I was surprised on how fast the cold water began to transform my life and relieve my stress and anxiety. I became more resilient and took control of my life back again”

Known to help with inflammation, boosting immunity, circulation, and sleep, many practitioners of cold water immersion report benefits including better stress management, increased focus, more clarity, heightened productivity, and an overall improvement in affect bringing on joy and better moods. The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new level of pressures and anxieties for people across the world, and has resulted in declines in mental health, for Koepnick, cold water has helped him cope during these stressful times.

“When COVID hit, I continued to stick to my cold water immersion regimen, as I found it to be a grounding exercise that helped me deal with the chaotic world around me and sustained my mental health during quarantine. I never went into this journey aiming to complete 600 days, I was just committed to making everyday count”.

Koepnick reports that this 600-day streak has helped him stay present, keep his mind in the moment, and improve his overall mental health. “I have become a better person as a result; I am a kinder human, a better professional, and a better partner to my wife. Making everyday count in this journey has taught me to stay calm and grateful.”

Throughout the past two years, Koepnick has developed a community around the water immersion routine and now has a group of ten people who join him each morning. In 2019, he founded Cold Water Effect as he sought to teach the benefits of cold water immersion to others, acting as a source of inspiration to those struggling and looking to overcome their limitations.

Through Cold Water Effect, he has made use of his background in infectious disease control to blend knowledge of Eastern and Western medicine, combining philosophies to optimize the power of the mind and make major changes to people’s lives. He also offers services including mindset coaching, holotropic breathwork, and quigong recovery within his cold water immersion sessions and training.”

To learn more about Cold Water Effect, visit their website and social media:

https://www.instagram.com/coldwatereffect

https://www.coldwatereffect.com