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The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

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Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

#11

Post by lucideer »

lbj wrote: post #6
jph wrote: post #3

https://hbr.org/2018/03/cold-showers-lead-to-fewer-sick-days The link is an interview with the study author, and excerpts are below. This is the first high-level evidence showing that cold showers can benefit your health. People who took them for at least 30 seconds for one month called in sick 29% less than our control group — and 54% less if they also engaged in regular physical exercise. Participants who took the…

That doesn't sound healthy at all. If the only difference is that they went to work sick, then I see little benefit. Except to the disease of course, it get spread around more effectively.

The problem you're describing sounds more like a societal/work-culture problem that's completely orthogonal to the study.

Cold showering improved individual health: the fact that those experiencing said improved health made unwise decisions that may increase the spread of disease doesn't change the fact.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

#13

Post by joncrane »

lbj wrote: post #6
jph wrote: post #3

https://hbr.org/2018/03/cold-showers-lead-to-fewer-sick-days The link is an interview with the study author, and excerpts are below. This is the first high-level evidence showing that cold showers can benefit your health. People who took them for at least 30 seconds for one month called in sick 29% less than our control group — and 54% less if they also engaged in regular physical exercise. Participants who took the…

That doesn't sound healthy at all. If the only difference is that they went to work sick, then I see little benefit. Except to the disease of course, it get spread around more effectively.

The takeaway I get is that it increases perseverance. So basically, "doing something physically unpleasant every day increases ability to push through/withstand other physically unpleasant events" is my big takeaway. Seems pretty straightforward. Not necessarily novel, especially when you add in the exercise portion.

I think there's some value to pushing yourself harder than the minimum to be comfortable and survive. But I don't think that's a eureka.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

#14

Post by blowski »

jph wrote: post #3

https://hbr.org/2018/03/cold-showers-lead-to-fewer-sick-days The link is an interview with the study author, and excerpts are below. This is the first high-level evidence showing that cold showers can benefit your health. People who took them for at least 30 seconds for one month called in sick 29% less than our control group — and 54% less if they also engaged in regular physical exercise. Participants who took the…

Sounds spurious to me. I imagine people that take regular cold showers are also more likely to push themselves at work. To make this really interesting, you'd need to have a blind control group of people who are paid to have cold showers, and see whether their absence rates go down when they start.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

#15

Post by quattrofan »

lbj wrote: post #6
jph wrote: post #3

https://hbr.org/2018/03/cold-showers-lead-to-fewer-sick-days The link is an interview with the study author, and excerpts are below. This is the first high-level evidence showing that cold showers can benefit your health. People who took them for at least 30 seconds for one month called in sick 29% less than our control group — and 54% less if they also engaged in regular physical exercise. Participants who took the…

That doesn't sound healthy at all. If the only difference is that they went to work sick, then I see little benefit. Except to the disease of course, it get spread around more effectively.

Lots of science to back this up, look up Wim Hof

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

#17

Post by michalu »

I've been taking cold showers exclusively for 11 years now.

It doesn't get much easier but you'll get addicted to the great feeling after.

It's similar to running or exercise, it sucks to do but you do it anyway because the benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort.

The trick for me was to never use warm shower again and never compromise ... only coldest water available counts. First thing in the morning.

It makes everything easier as once you experience that comfort of warmer water you'll have to fight with it again and again.

That's why I don't believe in James Bond showers and similar stuff.

Only last year I started to take warmer showers if I need to take one late at night and want to get a good sleep fast (I took about 4 so far) ... to build this habit, for me personally, it was paramount to leave no other option.

For the first 7 years I haven't been sick at all. At the same time, I don't think it's a miracle practice for your health. You will get sick if you expose yourself to risks of getting sick often enough - it's simple.

In the early days, I used to procrastinate in the bathroom ... a good trick was to start timing my showers. I would leave a timer set for 5 min and paper to log time, I tried to get in and out beating 5 min time-frame. In less than couple of weeks it became a habit that I enjoy for some 8 years now.

Other than health, energy and willpower, I suspect it has some solid psychological benefits ... you get out in the morning you feel like a superhuman, imagine starting your day in such way and how that compounds over the years.

It's great habit to start.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

#18

Post by acqq »

blowski wrote: post #14
jph wrote: post #3

https://hbr.org/2018/03/cold-showers-lead-to-fewer-sick-days The link is an interview with the study author, and excerpts are below. This is the first high-level evidence showing that cold showers can benefit your health. People who took them for at least 30 seconds for one month called in sick 29% less than our control group — and 54% less if they also engaged in regular physical exercise. Participants who took the…

Sounds spurious to me. I imagine people that take regular cold showers are also more likely to push themselves at work. To make this really interesting, you'd need to have a blind control group of people who are paid to have cold showers, and see whether their absence rates go down when they start.

My bigger problem is too short time span of the experiment:

“The intervention period was 30 consecutive days from January 1st-30th 2015. During the following 60 days January 31st-March 31st 2015 participants of all three intervention groups were instructed to shower as preferred.”

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

#19

Post by jokoon »

During winter I never heat my home above 18C, so I never use any heating. My computer and I are the only sources of heat and it's enough (not to mention the fridge, etc). If it goes below 16 I do some pushups and dress accordingly. If the bed is really cold, I just use a hot-water bag.

I like the cold.

To be honest, I'm also wondering if getting used to the cold might result in some form of slight weight loss, since your body would naturally burn additional calories to maintain a normal body temperature, but it's just a guess.

Re: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work (2016)

#20

Post by blowski »

acqq wrote: post #18
blowski wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds spurious to me. I imagine people that take regular cold showers are also more likely to push themselves at work. To make this really interesting, you'd need to have a blind control group of people who are paid to have cold showers, and see whether their absence rates go down when they start.

My bigger problem is too short time span of the experiment: “The intervention period was 30 consecutive days from January 1st-30th 2015. During the following 60 days January 31st-March 31st 2015 participants of all three intervention groups were instructed to shower as preferred.”

Indeed. The whole article has a strong whiff of confirmation bias to it.
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