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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

#3

But not a reduction in how many days people felt ill. I wonder if this speaks more to self-help style "leaders take a cold shower in the morning to get their day started" jump-start to your day than to any health consequences.

As someone who has taken cold showers. I can say that there are definitely physiological changes resulting from cold showers. The hard part is forcing yourself to step into freezing cold water while knowing that relief is just at the turn of a dial.

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

#4
post #3

But not a reduction in how many days people felt ill. I wonder if this speaks more to self-help style "leaders take a cold shower in the morning to get their day started" jump-start to your day than to any health consequences.

As someone who has taken cold showers. I can say that there are definitely physiological changes resulting from cold showers. The hard part is forcing yourself to step into freezing cold water while knowing that relief is just at the turn of a dial.

I'm interested, can you please elaborate on the changes you noticed?

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

#5
post #3

But not a reduction in how many days people felt ill. I wonder if this speaks more to self-help style "leaders take a cold shower in the morning to get their day started" jump-start to your day than to any health consequences.

As someone who has taken cold showers. I can say that there are definitely physiological changes resulting from cold showers. The hard part is forcing yourself to step into freezing cold water while knowing that relief is just at the turn of a dial.

I get in while it's hot, and then turn it to cold.

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

#6
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 in the ocean here.

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

#7
post #4
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who has taken cold showers. I can say that there are definitely physiological changes resulting from cold showers. The hard part is forcing yourself to step into freezing cold water while knowing that relief is just at the turn of a dial.

I'm interested, can you please elaborate on the changes you noticed?

"shrinkage" ?

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

#8
post #3

But not a reduction in how many days people felt ill. I wonder if this speaks more to self-help style "leaders take a cold shower in the morning to get their day started" jump-start to your day than to any health consequences.

As someone who has taken cold showers. I can say that there are definitely physiological changes resulting from cold showers. The hard part is forcing yourself to step into freezing cold water while knowing that relief is just at the turn of a dial.

I agree. The attitude of foregoing comfort up front for the greater reward of a cold shower (in my opinion). Delayed gratification.

It requires me to immediately face harsh conditions until I adjust to the cold and then it is awesome.

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

#9

But not a reduction in how many days people felt ill. I wonder if this speaks more to self-help style "leaders take a cold shower in the morning to get their day started" jump-start to your day than to any health consequences.

Given that it is a clinical trial with random assignment, and assuming that compliance was not a major issue, I think we can assume this is not about pre-existing tendencies toward self-help leadership styles. However, I suppose there could be something to what you are saying, as in 'look the part, be the part.' If I were to speculate I'd suppose that exposure to the hot and cold elements expands the sensory experience, and expanded sensory experiences often stimulate the brain and its capacity to adapt.

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

#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 norepinephrine up to 5 fold which provides a ton of focus/attention. * induces biogenesis of mitochondria, thus increases endurance. * that biogensis turns white fat brown as fat cells grow mitochondria to generate heat to stay warm

Looks like she has a report on it here: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/?sendme=cold-stress

You can also listen to it in bits and pieces in various videos she has posted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if-J8w2ay94

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