Cold Joy: Experience the Wondrous Power of Cold Water

In this exhilarating guide to well-being, creative adventurer and wellness podcast host Libby DeLana illuminates the many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of cold water. She also explores how creating a daily cold plunging practice taught her self-love, courage, resilience, and the joy of being immersed in a community of adventurous women.

For most of her life, Libby DeLana believed she hated the cold―fear of cold became part of her identity. Then, in the midst of a period of deep personal inquiry, an impromptu dip in icy water in the company of other women cracked something open in her heart, forcing her to reexamine the limiting stories she told herself. If she could learn to love cold, what other beautiful life experiences might await?

In Cold Joy, an all-levels guide to cold plunging, DeLana shares her wisdom and expert guidance on how to create your own cold immersion practice for healing, joy, and self-discovery. It features simple-to-follow practices, personal storytelling, essential safety tips, and fascinating details on the science and history of cold immersion, as well as the vibrant community that has sprung up around the practice, providing everything you need to experience the tremendous power of cold water―whether dipping in a sea, lake, river, or tub.

Equal parts inspiring and instructive, and featuring breathtaking photographs throughout, this enriching guide is a must-have companion for anyone curious about cold plunging and a stirring call to open your heart to new adventures, new possibilities, and new joys.

POPULAR WELL-BEING TREND: Cold plunging has become a hugely popular trend in wellness, used for healing injuries, improving circulation, and decreasing stress. The #coldplunge hashtag has over 1 billion views on TikTok. DeLana shares her daily “cold plunge shenanigans” with her tens of thousands of Instagram followers and writes and speaks widely on the topic.

FOR EVERY SKILL LEVEL: A petite handbook-sized package filled with inspiring wisdom and step-by-step instructional tips, Cold Joy offers a highly accessible, budget-friendly approach to healing in nature―whether you are an experienced athlete, someone who enjoys wading in the water, or are curious about cold therapy. The practices can be done in a bathtub, cold pools, or natural bodies of water and require no experience.

HEALING CONNECTIONS: Cold bathing is seen as much more than a wellness practice; it’s a way to unwind in good company, meet new people, and strengthen community. Grab some cold-curious friends (DeLana calls hers her “mermaids”) and head into the water open-minded and judgment-free, or find a local cold-water swimming club near you: this book provides tips for both. 

A NEW APPROACH: For readers who enjoyed The Wim Hof Method and Blue Mind, DeLana offers a more personal, spiritual approach to the health and fitness practice of cold-water immersion, focusing on what cold can teach us about self-love, confidence, and inner healing. Cold Joy is for readers who love beautiful, mindful, nature-inspired books and tools for personal transformation, such as Libby DeLana’s Do Walk, Nature Meditations Deck, Why We Swim, and Forest Bathing.

Perfect for:

• People interested in cold plunging, optimizing, and the Wim Hof method
• Meditators and mindfulness practitioners
• People looking for natural methods for healing and stress-relief
• Fans of the outdoors and forest bathing
• Libby DeLana followers and listeners of This Morning Walk podcast
• Fans of personal growth books on the power of rest and rejuvenation, such as Wintering and How to Do Nothing
• Gift-giving for birthdays, holidays, Mother’s Day, Galentine’s Day, and any moment that celebrates women’s health and wellness

Libby DeLana (@parkhere) is a creative director, writer, and podcast host. She is best known for her daily walking and cold plunging practices, tools she uses for personal empowerment, well-being, and self-discovery. She leads cold plunging groups in Massachusetts and California and cohosts the This Morning Walk podcast with Alex Elle, where they interview a range of lifestyle influencers and spiritual leaders. Libby has been profiled by the BBC and NPR, and she has partnered with like-minded brands such as Fjallraven, Blundstone, and Hoka to encourage people to spend time walking in nature. She splits her time between Massachusetts and the San Francisco Bay Area.