@LondonHug ahahaha Well as we learned in a now-deleted thread from yesterday, this is actually CodingComfort.com We've been mistaken, all this time. We should be writing HTML together. Errps.
~ Sunset Snuggles
No. Just no
@pmvines I've been thinking that the whole time. Lol.
@pmvines @achetocuddle
I was thinking that, until a fit of insanity took me. I still have brain freeze! sob
...But I sure have been awake today.
@CuddleDuncan your comment amused me as homeostasis my world at a hospital laboratory means the delicate balance of coagulation systems to prevent blood loss or blood clots. Funny that works.
@achetocuddle when I lived in Vermont, there was an annual Penguin Plunge where folks would all go running into Lake Champlain in middle of winter . It was to raise money for charity so all for a good cause and all, but I'd much rather just donate directly while drinking my coffee
I have done cold showers in summer time and of course cold bath on Colorado River in March one year boy was that super cold. Next shower on that trip was a sun shower one that was hit.
I believe it is good for getting rid of brown fat and good for your health in general, along with keeping your heat low indoors in the winter and being outside when it's cold. I just don't wanna do it. Lol. I don't even want to get in a swimming pool when the water is chilly. Lol.
@pmvines Me, too except I'll be drinking my juvenile hot chocolate. Lol. Or a coke.
One of the huberman labs podcasts (neuroscience podcasts) talked about this and said there’s research for brown fat and creates a dopamine spike that doesn’t revert to low levels of dopamine later (like most spikes.) though submersion spikes the dopamine more if I remember correctly. It also mentioned that the cold showers build mental resiliency and even help with trauma/ptsd. They said it was important that it’s done by choice for that benefit though. I’ve been doing it for a four or five months at this point. It’s been super interesting to see how much I get used to it and even start looking forward to it. I feel like it’s been helpful for me mentally and physically.
@Babichev appreciate the more in depth view. I’m not trained in medical science so can’t speak to the veracity of the scientific claims. So good to see a more critical eye cast over that aspect. It was interesting to read in the Lichtenbelt study you linked that the lead researcher was not remotely convinced of the full range of claimed health benefits and yet persisted with the daily cold shower anyway after meeting Wim Hof. He couldn’t point to substantive benefits other than enjoying the feeling of mastering his fear of the cold.
From the article there does appear to be some level of metabolic benefit from cold exposure regardless of whether it is practised within the framework of Wim’s method. They reference a study where participants experienced improved insulin sensitivity within 10 days of mild cold acclimatisation. So the extreme low temperatures may not be required to capture the potential metabolic improvements.
Personally, I’m not looking for any particular immune system modulations or shift in body composition. I do enjoy the post shower alertness and so whilst it’s not a daily practice I can well imagine using it as a frequent booster
I've been doing the cold water blast for a while and does work as well as being good for mitochondrial health and also skin and hair. Same concert as a cold plunge.
@me2 and @TheZeroEffect It’s good to hear that the practice is proving beneficial for both of you. I tried again this morning and it definitely induces that alert energised feeling (possibly the dopamine boost, not sure)
@me2 I’m a fan of the Huberman Lab vlog. It would great if he had shorter versions just with the actionable steps. I don’t always get the time to tackle the 2-3 hour marathon discussions. Information always seems solid and well researched
@SunsetSnuggles html > hug tighter, make lighter ? (I know that’s shockingly bad, best I could do on a Sunday morning 😀)
I use the cold in combination with heat, like the ice room after an extremely hot jacuzzi and sauna. I also like the cold with exercise like ocean swimming. But the cold by itself like with a shower... I love the warm shower vibe too much.
@LondonHug hehe Nice!
I think I could stay on a mechanical bull longer than I lasted under the freezing blast! Pretty sure I maintained for all of about three seconds before calling it quits... I know... I'm so hardcore!! 🤘😝
I tried this the other day for a brief few seconds at the end of my shower. I just braced myself and tensed up, turned the water all the way from hot to fully cold, felt the blast of cold water, tried not to scream (though I did for a second), turned it off and said nope not for me.
@CSnMUS87 that is a big enough sample size for me. Not doing it.
@quixotic_life @CSnMUS87 all credit to you both. You can add it to the tried it once, never again list 😀. Writing this thread has had the opposite effect, I’m going for a consistent daily blast.
I thought about trying it again yesterday. And today. ...Thought about... 😏
@SunsetSnuggles and were your thoughts....this is a absolutely terrible idea 😀
@LondonHug Yup. 😖
For me this would be the equivalent of self punishment which I would rather not pursue.
@Btown without any direct benefit, this would definitely be akin to self punishment. For me at least, the feeling of being fully energised throughout the morning outweighs the temporary discomfort. The body tends to acclimatise within seconds of the cold exposure, so the remaining minute or so is fairly comfortable.
This body didn't acclimate. 😬
Sounds brutal 🥶!
My 74 year old body is in decent shape but I don't think it would acclimate to where it would be pleasurable. However, it does well In a hot shower.
I’ve heard putting an ice pack on the chest or neck can aid in a similar effect. I’ve tried the cold shower or cold bath and I can’t do it. It’s just to much. There is someone who was very brave to perform a cold ice therapy and record it, but it’s not for me. *20 day cold water transformation https://www.tiktok.com/t/TTPdpL5efL/
I’ve tried Wim Hof’s method and as a combat veteran, I believe that it’s helped me very greatly but it’s something like with anything else in regards to the body that you have to be careful with. Untrained people HAVE actually died. As for me, I believe that I started some number of years ago, and I just jumped into the cold shower without doing the tummo breath work. It is indeed quite the opposite of being hugged. I now own my own personal ice bath, sometimes though when I desire warmth I will take a warmer shower. However it’s painful and I don’t enjoy it. Winter is hell. Honestly I don’t do the tummo meditation very much, however maybe that’s something I will work towards integrating.
@Tranquilescape @WinterSoldierzz From the responses this thread, around 20-30 % seem to genuinely benefit and the remaining 70- 80% either find the process too brutal or don’t feel the benefit. I’m starting to find the process mildly exhilarating. It’s a complete guess/hypothesis but I wonder if the varying experiences are potentially linked to different levels of dopamine handling in different people
The outdoor ice bath is probably a step too far for me but props for the dedication. I wholeheartedly agree this is something to treat with caution.