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

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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

#131

Post by ethagnawl »

keypress wrote: post #88
cyberferret wrote: post #58

We did this in our entire house for about 6 months once when our water heater broke and we couldn't afford to get it fixed quickly. UPSIDES: We nearly halved our water bill as all of us (kids and parents) took far shorter showers because it was so cold. This also meant we had to clean the shower much less often. I would also be more awake and alert in the morning after a cold rinse. DOWNSIDES: I noticed I was getting…

The best thing about a cold shower is that when you get out, you feel to only get warmer, and it's very pleasing the sensation of thawing through. Whereas hot shower to coldish environment just makes me shiver.

I can/will second this. Climbing into bed and warming up after a cold shower is a very enjoyable experience.

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

#132

Post by wiz21c »

d13 wrote: post #126
cyberferret wrote: post #58

We did this in our entire house for about 6 months once when our water heater broke and we couldn't afford to get it fixed quickly. UPSIDES: We nearly halved our water bill as all of us (kids and parents) took far shorter showers because it was so cold. This also meant we had to clean the shower much less often. I would also be more awake and alert in the morning after a cold rinse. DOWNSIDES: I noticed I was getting…

A small bucket of warm water and sponge is all you really need. You get just as clean as having a full shower, use a tiny fraction of the water - and no risk of hypothermia. This is what what we did living in a small village in the Himalayas for a year.

True. But one has to admit that a good long hot bath/shower from time to time just make you feel soooo good :-)

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

#133

Post by gadders »

I tell you what has an even bigger effect on the number of sick days you take - going self-employed.

I've taken one day off sick in the 8 years I've been an IT contractor, and that was because I set fire to my legs (in too much pain after a dressing change to WFH).

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

#135

Post by mistersquid »

sytelus wrote: 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?

  > Main difference shown was ~30% reduction in sick days they took.
That's actually not quite the conclusion. Verbatim:

  > Repetitive cold showering can modulate the physiological
  > response.[3] Our findings show that routinely showering
  > (hot-to-) cold for at least 30 days resulted in a reduction
  > of self-reported sick leave from work but not illness days
  > in adults without severe comorbidity.
combined with

  > 79% of participants in the interventions groups completed
  > the 30 consecutive days protocol.
The protocol was randomized exposure to cold showers. Presumably the control group had no recommended exposure to cold showers.

So, one explanation might be that the group able to successfully complete the study is a self-selecting group that may have stronger resistance to physical discomfort that they would also take fewer sick leave days despite feeling sick.

Whereas, individuals unable to complete the study are not as tolerant of physical discomfort and, so, are more likely to take sick days when feeling sick.

I really would like to know what constitutes a control group for this study.

To my mind, cold showers and sick days seem likely to be loosely correlated. This study does not seemed designed to determine whether people who take cold showers actually get sick less often than those who take hot showers.

EDIT: spelling

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

#136

Post by pavel_lishin »

trhway wrote: post #82
blunte wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've tried it before as well (because of studies), but I found it tensed my body up so badly I could barely move. I wonder if there's a way to condition oneself to somehow ignore it and not lock every muscle up? I'm not necessarily talking about Wim Hof, but it would be nice if I weren't so easily affected by cold.

i do like really cold shower ... right after good warm/hot shower. No stiff neck, etc. :) Basically a quick version of occasional weekend hot sauna + cold pool. I think the main issue of Wim Hof vs. regulars like us is whether you're able to maintain near skin blood pipes open in the cold water. These pipes shutting down immediately upon cold contact isn't really a good thing, it hits heart, near skin muscles get not…

> The hot shower/sauna is what makes my and other regular people's near skin blood vessels to not collapse upon entering the cold shower/pool immediately after.

I never thought about that. That's cool.

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

#137

Post by twobyfour »

meesterdude wrote: post #130
twobyfour wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No.

I laughed at this - and totally understand where you're coming from. However. For me, I have known people who weather the cold very well - unlike you and I. They'll go for a swim in a cold lake and enjoy it. Generally, I hate the cold. Even a mild cold is NOPE. My hands especially, get cold very easily. But this is what I saw when I looked up the method: > If you are new to cold exposure, just end your warm shower wi…

No.

I don't want it, don't need it, not interested.

Or are you going be the one to to pay the medical and rehab costs for my next back injury? Are you going to endure the excruciating pain and sleepless nights? Are you going to compensate me for the additional costs I'll bear for the rest of my life due to being unable to lift or carry as much or as far as I once could? Or for a year's worth of lost opportunities (professional and personal) due to being unable to remain upright for more than a few hours at a time? Or for the loss of activities that I once enjoyed?

You go ahead and do that for yourself, but don't pretend you know anything about my body or what risks I should or should not take with it.

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

#138

Post by [deleted] »

dwg wrote: post #60
slap_shot wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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've been using cold water at the end of my showers for a while now and it doesn't feel painful or even uncomfortable. Quite the opposite. So, your point may follow but not exactly in the way stated.

[deleted]

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

#139

Post by stronglikedan »

keypress wrote: post #88
cyberferret wrote: post #58

We did this in our entire house for about 6 months once when our water heater broke and we couldn't afford to get it fixed quickly. UPSIDES: We nearly halved our water bill as all of us (kids and parents) took far shorter showers because it was so cold. This also meant we had to clean the shower much less often. I would also be more awake and alert in the morning after a cold rinse. DOWNSIDES: I noticed I was getting…

The best thing about a cold shower is that when you get out, you feel to only get warmer, and it's very pleasing the sensation of thawing through. Whereas hot shower to coldish environment just makes me shiver.

I enjoy the best of both worlds: cool air --> warm lather --> cool rinse --> warm air.

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

#140

Post by GCU-Empiricist »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #21
itchyouch wrote: post #10

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?

First hit on google: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5545200/ The effects of exercise and cold exposure on mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue

Seems like you need cold and exercise, at least in mice to get the effect in fat.

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