5 Benefits of Cold Exposure
The Case for Cold Showers
Today I want to touch in on something that I have been doing for about 3 months now, and have noticed some amazing changes with daily cold showers. So, let's hop right in!
What's all the hype about anyway? Cold showers? Ice baths? Cold exposure? I didn't understand, until I adopted this practice from our very first program, Whealth Foundations. As always, consult with a doctor - because this blog is for educational purposes only.
5 Scientific Benefits of Cold Exposure!
1. Exercise 60,000 miles of blood vessels in the body!
Yes, you read that right. We have 60,000 miles of blood vessels that are lined with smooth muscle in our bodies. Depending on the perception temperature, your vessels either dilate or constrict. Intentional cold exposure is in a way - exercising your blood vessels, as they vasodilate or vasoconstrict!
2. Increase tolerance to stress.
The biological process called hormesis explains this: by inducing lower levels of stress on the body, our body adapts and gets stronger. Plain and simple: cold exposure stresses the system a bit, in a good way, and we get stronger as a result!
3. Strengthens immunity and metabolism.
Researchers hypothesize that it is the increased metabolic rate that occurs when the body warms itself up that activates the immune system- thus releasing more white blood cells.
4. Increases endorphins.
As cold water sends electrical impulses to your brain, you will notice an increase in alertness, clarity, and energy. Endorphins (happiness hormones) are released, making you feel better and be happier.
5. Improved weight loss.
Cold showers can stimulate the generation of brown fat. Brown fat is a healthy type of fat (rather than white fat) that gives you energy by burning calories.
My Personal Experience
I read those benefits a few months ago from our program and was somewhat impressed.. but that wasn't what drew me in. To be honest, what pulled me in was a quote from a book I loved reading at the time, called Chasing Excellence. The author said "Humans naturally fear adversity, which is ironic because adversity is the only thing that makes us better. We have an instinctive fear of the one thing that is certain to lead to the results we crave."
Light bulb moment. Any outcome in your life that feels good, is typically the result of some sort of previous discomfort. It is not comfortable to eat well, workout every day, or work towards a goal every day. It produces the results we crave in the long term.
At that time, I decided to fully embrace cold showers not really for the scientific benefits (though those would be awesome), but more so as an opportunity for me to do something "uncomfortable" every day that a future me would be satisfied with.
My Technique to Become Consistent. What I Notice Today.
I taped a piece of paper on my bathroom mirror that had daily checkmark boxes for my cold shower. Every time I walked in to shower, that piece of paper stared me right in the eyes.. I couldn't NOT take a cold shower. (Also, my shower takes a few minutes to heat up, so I figured taking cold showers was good for the environment. No wasted water!) After about 21 days of consistent cold showers, I removed the paper from the mirror, as my habit was formed. I will admit, it took about a week of cold showers to fully embrace the experience and get my breathing relaxed.
Cold showers have now become one of my favorite things during the day... weird to say I look forward to them (they aren't as bad as they first were). Every time I complete a cold shower, I feel accomplished. The biggest things I notice after a cold shower are:
-euphoria
-happiness
-alertness
-energy
Every time I shower, I am reminded that I am doing something uncomfortable that is ultimately making me a better and healthier person. That being said, don't just take my word for it. It is an experience you have to feel for yourself. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to share your experiences on cold exposure with me.
In health,
Cameron from Whealth
