Entering as our next topic of discussion is “cold immersion”. While it’s become common on social media to see people jumping into frigid bodies of water or talking about how a cold shower in the morning has changed their life, most people don’t really understand the vast health benefits, both physically and psychologically, of exposing their body to cold temperatures typically in the 40-65-degree range. And while I won’t be surprised if most of you are totally averse to being cold, reading this post may make you second-guess that steaming hot shower you take every morning. It’s also true that exposing yourself to cold temperatures will make them more tolerable over time! After reading this post, you’ll understand the health benefits of cold immersion and where to start if you’re hesitant. Let’s dive in!
Benefits of Cold Immersion
Metabolic Health
There are two ways in which cold immersion elicits benefits on our metabolic health. The first and more straightforward one comes from the fact that being cold causes our bodies to shiver to keep our core temperature in an ideal range. These involuntary, intermittent contractions of our muscles utilize the calories we have laying around (including our fat stores) and use them as chemical energy to create heat as a welcome byproduct. These calories that are ‘burned’ contribute to our overall daily expenditure and can assist in the weight loss process in conjunction with a healthy diet, of course.
The next way in which cold immersion promotes our metabolic health is through something called brown fat, which we all have! In our bodies, we have two different types of fat: white fat, which is the one that we are all too familiar with that often accumulates in stubborn areas, and brown fat, which is highly beneficial to our metabolic health. Brown fat, named after its color (due to the high number of mitochondria it contains) plays a remarkable role in our metabolism and is most concentrated in the neck area. Interestingly, exposure to cold temperatures is known to activate brown fat stores, induce a calorie burn to create heat (without shivering), and cause the ‘bad’ white fat stores to shift over to beneficial brown fat.
With the knowledge of both mechanisms mentioned above, researchers have turned to examine the impact that regular cold exposure has on certain metabolic conditions such as Type II diabetes. Due to its ability to enhance sugar usage and fat burning capabilities, cold immersion has been shown to lower fasting glucose levels, increase our bodies’ sensitivity to insulin, and improve diabetes outcomes in various research studies.1
Psychological Health
Even more interesting and powerful, in my opinion, are the positive effects that cold immersion has been shown to have on our mental health. When we are exposed to cold, our brains are flooded with sensory information, and it responds by releasing beta-endorphins, noradrenaline, and dopamine. Beta-endorphins and dopamine are those ‘feel-good’ hormones that get associated with the feeling long-distance runners get after finishing a long run. Noradrenaline, on the other hand, stimulates our arousal, focus, and attention to the task in front of us. This combination of effects is the exact reason why professional athletes and high performers tend to use cold immersion before intense practices and bouts of effort. Interestingly, there has also been some research done regarding the anti-depressive effect of cold immersion with some really positive results due to the release of these various hormones.2
In addition, it’s known that cold water immersion has been shown to increase resilience and decrease anxiety responses to subsequent cold exposures as well as general situations that promote anxiety.3 One key item to point out here is the importance of remaining calm and prioritizing your breathing during cold exposure. This signals to the body that although the external circumstance (freezing cold) is present, the body can remain
in a calm state rather than a panicked one. Navy seals were one of the first groups to incorporate cold immersion into their training and it was for this exact reason – they want these individuals to remain as cool, calm, and collected as possible in high-intense situations.
How should you apply this information?
For most people, having access to a cold plunge or large body of water that remains cold year-round isn’t feasible. While this is the most ‘ideal’ way to expose yourself to cold, it’s not the only way! The most logical way to get cold exposure for the vast majority of individuals is going to be a cold shower. This doesn’t mean your shower has to start and end on cold either!
To start out, turn your shower temperature colder than usual (doesn’t have to be all the way cold!) and remain in the water for 10 seconds at the end of your shower. Try to work up to 1-2 minutes while gradually turning the water colder each time! It’s best to END your shower with cold so your body is forced to ‘warm itself back up’ which enhances the fat-burning effect. Current research shows that roughly 10 minutes per week of cold immersion is the amount of time required to receive the majority of its’ benefits.
When should you not use cold exposure?
One piece of caution needs to be given to those who engage in strenuous strength training for the purposes of getting stronger and adding muscle. If this is you, try to avoid cold immersion for the 4-6 hours after your strength training sessions as the cold can inhibit your overall gains. The inflammation you get after lifting is beneficial to long-term progression and exposing yourself to cold can inhibit this process! For me, I prefer to get my cold immersion before a training session as it tends to wake me up and get me in a state that is suitable for exercise.
P.S. Never expose yourself to so cold of temperatures that you feel unsafe. There have been reports of individuals going into shock from extremely cold temperatures, which isn’t something you want! Start slow and gradually build up.
As always, reach out with any questions you may have on cold immersion!
Quote of the week:
“The only thing that is stopping you from where you are to where you want to go is your comfort zone.” -Dhaval Gaudier
Works Cited:
1. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00934.2020
2. doi/full/10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789
3. DOI: 10.1136/military-2022-002237
DISCLAIMER
- This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.