Cold Showers, Red Light & Breathwork: Which Biohacks Actually Work for Women?
Photo credits: Pinterest
Biohacking for Women Is More Than a Trend
Scroll Instagram or search for “glow up” on Pinterest and you’ll see women plunging into ice baths, basking under red panels, or practicing breathwork. “Biohacking” has officially left the Silicon Valley boys’ club and entered the wellness chat.
But here’s the thing: women’s bodies aren’t just smaller versions of men’s. Hormones, stress responses, and recovery needs all work differently. So the question isn’t “Do biohacks work?”—it’s “Which biohacks actually work for women?”
Let’s break down three of the most hyped methods. The cold showers, red light therapy, and breathwork. Let’s see how can these methods benefit female health, hormones, and performance.
Do Biohacks Really Work?
In the simplest terms, yes, some biohacks work. But their effectiveness depends on:
Your starting health
Your goals (energy, stress relief, skin, hormone balance, etc.)
How consistently you apply them
The danger? Trying a “miracle” hack that’s been tested mainly on men, then wondering why you feel worse. Biohacking is not one-size-fits-all.
For women, the best biohacks tend to be ones that support hormonal balance, stress regulation, and cellular health—not just short-term adrenaline hits.
What Is the Best Biohack for Women?
If we had to crown a winner for women’s health, it wouldn’t be the one with the most hype. It would be the one that supports both your nervous system and your hormones without sending your body into stress overdrive.
That means something that helps you recover as much as it helps you perform.
Spoiler: All three hacks in this article have benefits, but only one shines for long-term female health.
Cold Showers For Women: The Ice-Cold Truth
What Does Wim Hof Say About Cold Showers?
Wim Hof, also known as “The Iceman,” has built an entire breathing-and-cold-exposure method around the idea that cold water trains your cardiovascular system, boosts immunity, and strengthens your mind. He claims that cold showers improve breathing, circulation, and resilience.
What Happens After 30 Days of Cold Showers?
Studies and anecdotal reports say you might notice:
Increased morning energy
Better mood due to dopamine release
A stronger stress response
But here’s where it gets tricky for women: daily intense cold exposure can spike cortisol and affect your cycle if your body already perceives itself to be under stress.
Is a Cold Shower Good for Breathing?
Yes, but mostly because it forces you into deep, controlled breathing to tolerate the shock. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system after the initial stress.
Negatives of a Cold Shower
Possible cortisol spikes if overdone
Lowered body temperature during your luteal phase (which can feel awful)
Potential immune stress if you’re already run down
Best approach for women: Use short cold bursts (30–60 seconds) after a warm shower, especially in your follicular phase, to boost energy without wrecking hormonal balance.
Red Light Therapy For Women: The Glow and the Science
How Does Red Light Therapy Work?
Red light therapy uses low-wavelength red light to penetrate skin and cells, stimulating mitochondria (your cell’s energy factories). This process, called photobiomodulation, supports cellular repair, reduces inflammation, and can boost collagen production.
Does Red Light Therapy Help With Breathing?
Indirectly, yes. By reducing inflammation and improving oxygen use in your cells, it can support better endurance and recovery. Some studies even show it may help lung function in people with respiratory conditions.
What’s Best for Women’s Health?
Red light therapy is particularly promising for women because:
It supports skin health and collagen (hello, anti-aging)
It reduces PMS-related inflammation
It helps with recovery after workouts
Unlike cold showers, it’s not a stressor—meaning it’s cycle-friendly all month long.
Breathwork For Women: The Nervous System Reset
What Is the Point of Breathwork?
Breathwork is an umbrella term for controlled breathing techniques designed to alter your mental, emotional, and physical state. It can energize you (like Wim Hof breathing) or calm you (like box breathing).
What Happens to Your Body During Breathwork?
Your oxygen and CO₂ balance shifts, influencing pH levels
Your heart rate changes, syncing with your breathing rhythm
Your brain wave activity can shift into deeper relaxation or alertness
Stress hormones can drop rapidly
For women, breathwork can be a game-changer for regulating cortisol, improving sleep, and reducing anxiety, especially during the luteal and menstrual phases.
How to Biohack Your Hormones
Women’s hormones respond best to gentle, supportive biohacks—not constant high-intensity stressors. Here’s a cycle-friendly approach:
Follicular phase: Try short cold showers for energy, red light for skin, and energizing breathwork in the morning.
Ovulation: Keep cold exposure brief, continue red light therapy, use calming breathwork at night.
Luteal phase: Skip cold showers if you feel drained, double down on red light therapy, and focus on calming breathwork.
Menstrual phase: Avoid intense cold, keep breathwork gentle, and use red light therapy to reduce cramps and inflammation.
What’s the Best Biohack Overall?
If we’re talking about long-term health for women, red light therapy wins. It’s low-risk, low-stress, and high-reward.
No extreme stress response
Works all month long
Supports skin, recovery, and inflammation
Breathwork comes in at a close second—especially for its hormone-friendly stress regulation. Cold showers? Great in moderation, but not an everyday, year-round tool for all women.
Quick Comparison: Cold Showers vs. Red Light vs. Breathwork
Biohack Best Benefits Risks for Women Best Time to Use Cold Showers Energy, mood boost, circulation Hormone disruption if overdone Follicular phase mornings Red Light Therapy Skin health, recovery, inflammation Minimal Anytime Breathwork Stress relief, focus, nervous system balance Dizziness if overdone Morning (energizing) or evening (calming)
Bottom Line
Biohacking isn’t about doing everything, it’s about doing the right things for your body.
For most women:
Make red light therapy your daily go-to for recovery, skin health, and inflammation.
Layer in breathwork for stress regulation and hormonal balance.
Use cold showers sparingly for a mental and physical boost—especially in the first half of your cycle.
Remember: biohacking is only powerful when it works with your biology, not against it.
Sources:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0161749
https://www.pelvicorerehab.com/biohacking-breath-and-healing-your-body/
https://blog.ultrahuman.com/blog/biohack-your-breathing-the-wim-hof-method/
https://www.getthegloss.com/health/longevity/biohacking-for-women-health-optimisation-hormones/
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/24/health/cold-showers-benefits-risks-wellness
Read more about Biohacking:
Biohacking Your Morning: 5 Habits to Supercharge Your Energy & Focus
Breathwork, Meditation & Sound Therapy: Biohacks for Mental Clarity & Focus
How to Biohack Your Gut for Hormone Balance, Glowing Skin & Mental Clarity
