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

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

41–50 of 163 posts

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

#41
post #30

TLDR; 3000 participants study that asked them to do cold showers for 30-90 seconds each day for 1 month. Main difference shown was ~30% reduction in sick days they took. On a side note, has anyone here tried wim hof method?

inducing hypoxia will make you euphoric but is generally a bad idea for much the same reason that huffing paint thinner is a bad idea.

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

#42
post #30

TLDR; 3000 participants study that asked them to do cold showers for 30-90 seconds each day for 1 month. Main difference shown was ~30% reduction in sick days they took. On a side note, has anyone here tried wim hof method?

Is it possible that that people who are more willing to tolerate pain and uncomfortable situations are less likely to take sicks days, even when sick?

I've trie the wim hof method. It's a pretty incredible feeling but I'm afraid of collapsing and knocking myself out.

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

#43
post #30

TLDR; 3000 participants study that asked them to do cold showers for 30-90 seconds each day for 1 month. Main difference shown was ~30% reduction in sick days they took. On a side note, has anyone here tried wim hof method?

Didn't expect them to mention him in the article:

> In The Netherlands, there has been an increasing trend for cold bathing over the past few years. Part of this growing popularity is owed to the scientific approach of a health and mindset technique hallmarked by cold-exposure as created by an individual named Wim Hof, nicknamed the Iceman for his ability to remain constant body temperature in extreme cold conditions.[25] These methods involving concentration, breathing and cold-exposure have shown to modulate the immune response.[26] These findings served as inspiration to design the present trial and its popularity facilitated recruitment of over three thousand participants in just one month time.

I tried, but honestly I half-assed it because it was both difficult to set up and uncomfortable, so I was unsuccessful in implementing any Wim Hof-like protocol.

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

#45
Joel Runyon's Cold Shower Therapy is an awesome introduction, at least for certain types, which includes me.

https://impossiblehq.com/cold-shower-therapy

I've taken cold showers regularly for years. One of the best things I've done for myself -- creating discipline, self awareness, etc. at zero cost in money or time.

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

#47

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.

and even a mild case of death can kill you...be careful out there!

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

#48
post #30

TLDR; 3000 participants study that asked them to do cold showers for 30-90 seconds each day for 1 month. Main difference shown was ~30% reduction in sick days they took. On a side note, has anyone here tried wim hof method?

Is it possible that that people who are more willing to tolerate pain and uncomfortable situations are less likely to take sicks days, even when sick? I've trie the wim hof method. It's a pretty incredible feeling but I'm afraid of collapsing and knocking myself out.

I think a better control group would have been a group who had to bash their thumb with a hammer or something....

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

#49
post #30

TLDR; 3000 participants study that asked them to do cold showers for 30-90 seconds each day for 1 month. Main difference shown was ~30% reduction in sick days they took. On a side note, has anyone here tried wim hof method?

Important to note that it did not find any reduction in illness days. Meaning, they examined both whether participants got sick and whether they took the day off from work, and only found a reduction in the latter.

“The contrast between the results of both primary outcome parameters is suggestive of the fact that the intensity rather than the duration of symptoms is modulated by the intervention.”

My conjecture is this is consistent with a placebo effect. Placebos can make your symptoms feel less severe.

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

#50
post #30

TLDR; 3000 participants study that asked them to do cold showers for 30-90 seconds each day for 1 month. Main difference shown was ~30% reduction in sick days they took. On a side note, has anyone here tried wim hof method?

Is it possible that that people who are more willing to tolerate pain and uncomfortable situations are less likely to take sicks days, even when sick? I've trie the wim hof method. It's a pretty incredible feeling but I'm afraid of collapsing and knocking myself out.

No because this was not a self-selected group. It was people with no regular history of cold showering. My money’s on placebo effect here.
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