The more you immerse yourself in cold water, the more your body will adapt to the extreme temperature change, according to Tipton, who started off 2013 by donning Bermuda shorts and participating in a polar bear plunge in his hometown of Gosport, England.

CNN: Are polar bear plunges good for you?

When people first immerse themselves in such frigid water, their bodies go into "cold shock, " and they start gasping for air, which puts a strain on the heart.

CNN: Are polar bear plunges good for you?