Cold Water Therapy to Support the Immune System
If you’re familiar with the Wim-Hof (the wild man who endures top-less treks up snow peaked mountains) then you may have heard of cold plunging or cold therapy. It is the practice of exposing your body to extreme cold temperatures to create a healthy stress response and encourage cell regeneration. This technique may sound a bit out there but it is completely doable in your daily routine.
I first learned about cold water therapy when I was at the yoga ashram in New Mexico in 2010. We would wake up before sunrise for morning chanting which started at 3am. We were instructed to lather ourselves in almond oil (to protect the skin) and stand under a freezing cold shower while vigorously rubbing our arms and legs. The goal was to stay under the stream until your body temperature adjusted and it felt warm. I assumed this was to keep us awake while chanting at such an early hour! Though this did help (and I must admit once I got used to the ritual I actually looked forward to it) the ancient yogis knew that this practice moved the blood and kept the body young. Recent research has revealed that cold water therapy has the following benefits:
Increase natural killer cells (support the immune system)
improves sleep
eases pain
alleviates anxiety and depression
stimulate “longevity genes” for anti-aging
weight loss
lymphatic circulation
lowers incidence of sickness
Increase in willpower
Support the Immune System
A 2014 study found that exposing the body to cold temperatures releases epinephrine or adrenaline which increases anti inflammatory cytokine IL-10. This regulates the body’s response to infection. In the above mentioned study participants were exposed to cold temperatures while practicing breathing techniques.
Improves Sleep
Cold showers improve your quality of sleep. Core temperature influences the quality of your sleep, by lowering core temperature you will have a deeper more relaxing sleep and wake up ready for the next cold flush!
Pain reduction and muscle restoration
The anti inflammatory action of cold water therapy reduces pain and encourages muscle regeneration. Athletes have been practicing this for years. The increase in circulation speeds up recovery time.
Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Shock of the body invigorates your mind which will naturally improve your mood. Cold therapy has been shown to produce beta-endorphin and noradrenaline in the body. Theses are also found in antidepressants. Those who have experienced it will agree that after a cold plunge or shower you definitely feel lighter, more vibrant and alive!
Anti-aging and glowing skin
Short burst of stress on the body stimulate your longevity genes. Much like fasting. Chilly showers also improve the appearance of the skin by constricting blood vessels. This reduced inflammation and redness and makes the skin glow!
Weight Loss
Cold therapy activates brown fat cells, which allow you to generate heat and burn energy. When you are exposed to cold shower the stimulation of brown cells will cause you to lose weight. This is also what happens in strength training.
Lymphatic Circulation
Any activity that increases circulation will benefit the lymphatic system. This is where toxins in our body are stored and out antibodies which fight infection are transported. The lymphatic system does not have a pump of its own. The only way to activate is through exercise or cold therapy!
Less Sick Days
In 2016 researchers found that healthy individuals who practiced a hot - cold shower protocol for 30 days reduced their incidence of sick days by 29% . This was increased to 35% with regular physical activity (Yay exercise!)
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0161749
Increase Willpower
This one sort of goes without saying but if you can endure and icy cold shower every morning you will find your mental health starts to improve. You will learn to step back from your impulses. You will feel better physically and start to believe you can do more. Similar to kundalini yoga if you can just keep going a little more your will learn to condition your mind which will positively affect all areas of your life.
If you are lucky enough to live in a cold climate plunging in a frozen lake or river may be an option to get your cold therapy and a nature time all at once! Ideally a sauna session to follow will offer amazing results. This somehow takes me back to my teenage years when after a long day of snowboarding on the mountain we would jump in the hot tub (spa) and then roll in the snow and back in the tub. Somehow I think the excessive alcohol consumption may have counteracted the therapeutic benefits and I do not by any means recommend this!
What is the best way to incorporate this technique today?
Not to worry, It doesn’t have to be cold the whole time! If you’re new to cold therapy I would recommend starting slow. Following your usual morning shower routine do this:
Step out of the stream of water and turn the water as cold as possible
Start with your foot and lower leg then your hand and arm
Rub your skin rigorously to encourage blood flow.
Gradually submerge your lower body then upper body all the way to your lower lip.
Do not cover your head unless you like the feeling of a brain freeze!
Start with 30 seconds and then gradually work up to 3 minutes. The goal is to feel warm under the tap.
Be brave and feel amazing!!!
* You way want to apply almond or coconut oil to your skin prior to the cold experience.
** Warning - do not undergo cold therapy if you are sick or during menstruation due to the increase in blood flow. This is a time for warm baths and rest!
So what is the take away?
Like so many other therapies that are being reintroduced to the mainstream, cold therapy is making a come back from ancient times. Science has a bit of catching up to do to prove the benefits however the yogis and sages of the past would be proud of our current health trend and many modern experts agree on the benefits of this practice. I encourage you to give this one a try, it is inexpensive and invaluable.
If you need me I’ll be out front of the cabin cutting a hole in the frozen lake to plunge into!
Reference:
https://www.pnas.org/content/111/20/7379#sec-1
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0161749