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The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

21–30 of 163 posts

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

#21

Dr. Rhonda Patrick goes over cold therapy (along with hot therapy) numerous times in her nutrition/health/biology/epidemiological research. cryo usually is -180 degrees F for 2 minutes. But a similar effect can be achieved with ~40 F (IIRC) exposure for ~4-6 hours. I think she has mentioned similar effects for immersion in cold water for several minutes as well. The benefits of cold shock are basically: * increase no…

Would you mind linking to an academic study concerning the mitochondrial biogenesis effect?

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

40F with or without clothes? 4-6 hours without clothes and Im pretty sure you're looking at fairly severe hypothermia.

In 40F water for 4-6 hours and you're looking at a severe case of death.

I figured that was air, like "cryo". Later:

similar effects for immersion in cold water for several minutes as well

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

#24

I used to do this every morning... just take a normal hot shower, then at the end crank it full cold and endure until normalized. It's a free high, great way to start a day. I presumed endorphins are being released. Now I prefer to run a bunch of miles and immediately jump into the (cold) ocean while still all hot and amped up from the run. The water doesn't even seem cold, it's great. Normally people wear wet-suits…

> Now I prefer to run a bunch of miles and immediately jump into the (cold) ocean while still all hot and amped up from the run. The water doesn't even seem cold, it's great. Normally people wear wet-suits in the ocean here.

This sounds great, but what about the trip home? I usually run to the ocean and I sometimes feel cold on my way back just from the sweat.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

#25
post #22

I feel like the benefits you obtain through cold showers disappear after a while as you get used to them. That's similar to the benefits I felt of meditation.

IDK, I have yet to get used to cold showers during the last two winters. Still too lazy to get my gas turned back on in 2.5 years so it isn't all that bad I guess...but during the deep Arizona winter when the temperature drops to around 50 those showers aren't even a little fun.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

#26

Dr. Rhonda Patrick goes over cold therapy (along with hot therapy) numerous times in her nutrition/health/biology/epidemiological research. cryo usually is -180 degrees F for 2 minutes. But a similar effect can be achieved with ~40 F (IIRC) exposure for ~4-6 hours. I think she has mentioned similar effects for immersion in cold water for several minutes as well. The benefits of cold shock are basically: * increase no…

40F with or without clothes? 4-6 hours without clothes and Im pretty sure you're looking at fairly severe hypothermia.

I am not sure how much clothes would help in preventing hypothermia.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

40F with or without clothes? 4-6 hours without clothes and Im pretty sure you're looking at fairly severe hypothermia.

I am not sure how much clothes would help in preventing hypothermia.

Generally, quite a lot, as long as you stay dry. I spent 8 straight hours outside shooting pictures while standing - and occasionally lying down - on a frozen lake in northern Canada in January. It was -25C / -13F. I was perfectly comfortable, although I did have to repeatedly switch batteries with ones that I'd been keeping inside my coat.

Goal was to get pictures like this: https://goo.gl/images/imXCMy

(Those are methane bubbles frozen in the ice.)

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

#28
post #17

“The total amount of days a participant felt ill (including symptoms of cold and flu)” responded but “the total number of days of absence from their work due to sickness“ which the study’s designers view as “the most objective indirect parameter indicative of illness severity” did not.

> but “the total number of days of absence from their work due to sickness“ which the study’s designers view as “the most objective indirect parameter indicative of illness severity” did not. ahahahahahahah. that's rich.

Agreed. People take sick days for reasons other than getting sick.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial

#29
Cold/heat exposure are great, cold water immersion in particular. I've observed positive effects on my physical recovery.

But I have not seen a comment here warning that cold water immersion is absolutely not something you should try for the first several times alone, even in very shallow water (IE a bathtub). The risk of entering shock/going unconscious and drowning is non-trivial.

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