COLD PLUNGE
Done correctly, deliberate cold exposure can positively affect brain and body health.
Never tried it before?
Here are some tips, guidelines and benefits
(in case you still need more convincing 😊)SafetyStart slow (warmer than colder) as cold shock is possible; just as with lifting weights or other forms of exercise, you’ll need to find the right temperature for you.
Never do deliberate hyperventilation before or during cold water (or any water!) immersion.
Always prioritize safety.How cold?
The key is to aim for a temperature that evokes the thought
“This is really cold! and I want to get out, BUT I can safely stay in.”
For some people, that might be 60°F / 15°C, whereas for others, 45°F / 7°C
The key is - the colder the water, the shorter amount of time you need to expose yourself.
The good news is that as you do deliberate cold exposure more often, you will be more comfortable in the cold at all times and can start to use colder temperatures with more confidence, just like exercise. :-)Increase Energy and Focus
Deliberate cold exposure causes a significant release of epinephrine (aka adrenaline) and norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) in the brain and body. These neurochemicals make us feel alert and can make us feel agitated and as if we need to move or vocalize during the cold exposure.
Cold causes their levels to stay elevated for some time and their ongoing effect after the exposure is to increase your level of energy and focus, which can be applied to other mental and/or physical activities.Building Resilience & Grit
By forcing yourself to embrace the stress of cold exposure as a meaningful self-directed challenge. it is a skill that carries over to situations outside of the deliberate cold environment, allowing you to cope better and maintain a calm, clear mind when confronted with real-world stressors.
In other words, deliberate cold exposure is great training for the mind.Enhancing Your Mood
While not true of every stress, cold exposure causes the prolonged release of dopamine.
Dopamine is a powerful molecule capable of elevating mood, enhancing focus, attention, goal-directed behavior, etc.
Even short bouts of cold exposure can cause a lasting increase in dopamine and sustained elevation of mood, energy, and focus.Metabolism
In the short-term, cold exposure increases metabolism as the body has to burn calories to increase core body temperature.
The total calories burned from the cold exposure are not that significant.
However, the conversion of white fat (energy storage) to beige or brown fat (which are highly metabolically active) can be beneficial for:1. Allowing people to feel more comfortable in the cold (i.e., cold adaptation)2. Triggering further and more sustained increases in metabolismProtocol
Always aim to submerge yourself up to your neck, for maximum efficiency.
As a minimum - consider doing deliberate cold exposure for 11 minutes per week TOTAL.
NOT per session, but rather, 2-4 sessions lasting 1-5 mins each.
Again, the water temperature should be uncomfortably cold yet safe to stay in for a few minutes.
Obviously you can do more, but 11 minutes per week sould be the minimum to achieve the benefits of cold exposure.
Also, allowing your body to shiver may enhance metabolic increases from cold.
Shivering causes the release of succinate from muscles and further activates brown fat thermogenesis.
Try not to huddle or cross your arms while in the cold or after getting out.
Also, don’t towel off. Let your body reheat and dry off naturally. Admittedly, this is tough. Unless doing deliberate cold exposure on a hot sunny day 😊Physical Recovery
Cold exposure can be a highly effective recovery tool after high-intensity exercise or endurance training.
Short interval (< 5 mins), cold water immersion demonstrated positive outcomes for muscle power, perceived recovery, and decreased muscle soreness
to get better, stronger, etc.)
Staying completely still while in cold water allows a thermal layer to surround your body, ‘insulating’ you from the cold.
To be most effective as a resilience training tool, move your limbs while keeping your hands and feet in the water. That will break up the thermal layer and you will experience the water as (much) colder than if you stayed still.The main thing is, find what works for YOU.
We want you to love and get as much out of your sessions as we do from ours :-)
