Our well is 500' deep with a water temp of 57 degrees, far to cold for us to even think about a cold shower!

If anyone is serious about the benefits look up Dr. Andrew Huberman. If his credentials aren’t good enough for you, then nobody’s are. He is a neuroscientist at Stanford. His podcasts or written works are better than the shorts on YouTube but here is a sample of his work.

https://youtu.be/2XecbuI-9QE?si=9dDf_TKfIovE2RD-

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
I’m not exactly sure what i said that raised your ire. Apologies.

The pedropcola post you quoted was in response to my first post in this thread where I was describing the first time I heard about the mental health benefits of cold showers. It had absolutely nothing to do with Swimmer's Body Fallacy or giving up modern ammenities.

quote:

Originally posted by sig229-SAS:
a water temp of 57 degrees

This prompted me to wonder what other people mean by “cold” water.
Running the water here for a couple of minutes stabilized it at 41°. That’s probably not as cold as jumping into a lake after breaking the ice, but pretty chilly.

First exposure was in college. Football locker room had an ice bath. Wanted no part of it.

5 years later after heavy weight training for years I began to look at the cold water wondering. Got in my parents pool in middle of winter literally walking across ice to get in. I was hooked. I began experimenting with hot tub to cold pool. Eventually cut out the hot tub.

I began craving the cold water if I missed a day. My sleep quality was all time best as I was doing it right before bed. Soreness or just discomfort from weights went way down.

I would take cold showers exclusively if it wasn't in the way of muscle building after workouts (supposedly the science is showing this currently.)

Biggest problem I have is the water doesn't get cold enough in the shower.

I have a place by the Rogue River which is COLD and I get in there as much as I can all year long. Hard to do a minute in that water.

When I heard Wim Hof put science to it around 2015 I felt vindicated and was north/southing my head and fist pumping the whole time.

I won't stand here and tell you it will cure your Aids but it's a game changer for me. I love it.

What’s the word I am thinking of…..machocist?

I've long heard of changing shower temp to cold at the end. I've done it off and on, but I plan to make it more of a habit.

Based on the interview shown in this thread, I find it very compelling.

I'm offended, this is sort of like cultural appropriation. All you people who have hot water, not using it.

Any chance of a synopsis of that video? It’s 2 hours plus. I started watching but 10 minutes in he still wasn’t getting to a point so I gave up. He might be brilliant but he’s not particularly riveting. Lol

I was referring to this one...if you're asking me. 5:51

If you become a Navy Seal you can get paid to be cold. I may try it just to see if I notice any benefits.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
I’m not exactly sure what i said that raised your ire. Apologies.

The pedropcola post you quoted was in response to my first post in this thread where I was describing the first time I heard about the mental health benefits of cold showers. It had absolutely nothing to do with Swimmer's Body Fallacy or giving up modern ammenities.

It kind of did tough. pedro’s question was valid. Neither of us said you were wrong.

It was just an odd response in general. I didn’t even understand the basis for the “poor guesser” comment. Quality discussion involves people asking questions, discussing alternative explanations, not always agreeing with you.

As for the guys 4 talking points, unless the 4th one was amazing I don’t see how it got you so worked up. Do things you like, do things you don’t like, be responsible for your actions. That isn’t ground breaking stuff.

I read the synopsis of his posted peer reviewed study and if you read it, it stops well short of claiming huge medical benefits. In fact what is appears to do is merely support their hypothesis of WHAT controls the cold exposure response. Looking at the results, merely immersing in hot (90 degree F) water does a couple of the aforementioned benefits. It lowered heart rate and blood pressure, no mention of dopamine. So, just immersing in water of basically any temperature improves heart rate and blood pressure. Hot, cold, doesn’t matter except in degree (get it, degree? lol) Once again I will suggest that the long term benefits often stated aren't really scientifically proven. No one has posted anything that proves long term benefits. Cold water immersion can be shown to immediately cause changes in your body chemistry and rates but that seems pretty obvious. The real question is does cold water immersion lead to long term benefits or is it in fact a placebo effect. You think you feel better, more alert, more everything and so you do. And it typically is done by people who are fitness centric which is very likely the cause of this feeling, not the cold water. Ie, if a fat, out of shape individual started cold water immersion I suspect you would see a different result potentially.

Ok, I watched that Huberman video. 5 minutes was way easier than 2 plus hours.

I have questions. He says things very matter of factly but I will admit it isn’t compelling. Telling us brown fat is good, it’s like the oil in a candle, a Scandinavian study says 11 minutes a week increases its density, they think there is a link to metabolic testing conditions. All of that sounds great I suppose and then the interviewer asks him what temperature water to use. He says uncomfortably cold and then warns about the danger of getting into 30 temperature water. I watched it twice. He’s a neuroscientist who doesn’t understand 5hat water doesn’t exist in liquid state at 30 degrees. That doesn’t lead me to agree with oh my God, He is brilliant. Brilliant scientists shouldn’t make dumb misstatements like that on their pet theories. (yes I know there are conditions under which you can get water below freezing temp without freezing but we aren’t talking about that we are talking immersing in cold water which yes is frozen at 30 degrees).

I’m sure he is smart, but that video wasn’t scientifically compelling at all.

I looked it up. Do you know what else increases brown fat beside cold therapy? Sleep and exercise. I question if the actual link to cold therapy is getting overlapped with other habits, predominantly exercise. Every benefit being claimed also has huge links to exercise. I really do want to see fat out of shape non exercisers reaping cold water benefits to take that out of the picture. Seems reasonable. A control group of fat cold water guys. Maybe a trip to Minnesota Vikings football fans is in order. Lol

Once again to be clear, I find this fascinating. If true this is an amazing, free and relatively easy way to get quantifiable health benefits. My doubt right now centers on the science doesn’t seem to be there. It is thin. I will keep reading.

quote:

Hot water may be a luxury that we won't be able to have one day. It's still worth training yourself to shower in cold water, if only to be used to it should it be necessary.

I think, when all we have is cold water, I'll start training, then.

I like hot showers, the hotter the better - but I will cool it off before getting out, so as not to start sweating when done.

My sister in law is visiting. Does that count?

Used to take cold showers where there was was no shower head, just bent pipe that came out of the wall. That was fun. More like a massage

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
My sister in law is visiting. Does that count?

Well… since there’s more than one way to interpret that question in the context of this thread… is she hot?

Also, let’s not forget that it was Ronald Reagan himself who warned (and I’m paraphrasing here) that if a man told you he takes cold showers and likes it, he’ll lie to you about other things, too.

But yeah, in the summer, after getting dirty and hot and sweaty on the farm or out in the yard, a cold shower can be just the thing.

-Rob

Does anyone know how long until this practice produces noticeable effects?

Hi all,

Since this thread, I've been talking cold showers. I've been doing it every day, starting with my usual hot shower and ending with several minutes under an all cold shower. Can't say I particularly enjoy them, but they've become my routine and I do like the feeling after.

Today I went in for a blood draw for an upcoming physical. The lab tech could not get any blood. Tried both arms, nothing. Told me to come back tomorrow and drink water before coming. I've never had any problem with blood draws. It didn't dawn on me until after - my draw attempt was about 40 minutes after my cold shower. Apparently cold showers can adversely affect this. I talked with a friend who is a phlebotomist at a hospital and he confirmed.