Chill Out! Transform Your Mind & Body with Cold Exposure Therapy
Cold Showers & the power of a somatic practice
When I took a challenging class and was forced to focus intently on my yoga teacher’s instructions, I completely escaped my rumination.
I found myself FREE, and it was such a relief!
To want to stay present in my body, in this positive way, when usually migraines make me want to escape my body the most.
This was the power of a somatic practice!
I’ve been on a mission to explore other somatic practices, ever since.
Two weeks ago, I decided to try Cold Exposure Therapy.
Cold Exposure Therapy, a.k.a. cryotherapy, has been around for decades.
Many professional athletes submerge themselves in ice-baths to soothe their sore bodies and reduce inflammation.
And I’ve discovered other doctors and scientists, including a fave Neuroscientist, who take cold showers and praise the powerful effects, too.
It’s no wonder then, that in recent years, the practice has exploded in popularity.
One of the most well-known proponents is none other than “The Iceman” himself, Wim Hof.
If you’re not familiar with Mr. Hof, you can easily take a gander at his approach to cold exposure by reading his book on Kindle Unlimited.
Reading a book about it…that, I could do.
But was I willing to give it a try?
I had to overcome my resistance.
We’re human. We all want to avoid pain and discomfort.
Still, I think I took more convincing than most.
You see, I’m one of those people who hates the cold.
I love to be warm and cozy.
You know, the concept of hygge, where you’ve got layers upon layers of soft fuzzy clothes on, a bowl of hot soup, and soft candles flickering in the corner of the room?
That’s my idea of heaven.
A super cold shower’s NOT my cup of tea — not by a long shot.
But letting such a promising somatic practice go unexplored just didn’t jive with my new identity:
To be a “Scientist of Self,” you have to give new thoughts and experiences a try, to be the N of 1, and examine your unique results for yourself.
These past few years, I’ve devoted myself to finding synergy, to identify what works for me in one area, and translate that to achieve greater success in all areas of my life.
Sometimes, the goal is:
• to maximize my work.
• to reach my creative potential.
• to relax into peace and flow.
In other words, sometimes the goal is aspirational.
But, other times, it’s a matter of survival.
Sometimes, I have to find synergy, to alleviate my physical or emotional pain.
Whatever the goal might be, I decided a few years ago to adopt a mindful mindset when it comes to reaching my goals. But, I had to get over my resistance. And the identity of a Scientist helped to do that for me.
By seeing myself as that N=1, I was able to loosen the hold that my old Identity (a Perfectionist) had on me.
Even if I wasn’t great at it, even if my experiment “failed,” I could see that “failure” as helpful data.
So what did I have to lose?
On the heels of my miraculous mind-body transformation with yoga, I figured I had much to gain.
It wasn’t long before I warmed up to the idea and thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if I test it for myself, and cold showers actually help me? Wouldn’t it be awesome, if it’s as beneficial as Mr. Hof claims?”
Benefits like:
1. Fortified immune system
2. Reduced inflammation
3. Improved blood circulation
4. Boost in energy
5. Rise in dopamine levels
6. Reduced stress response
7. Enhanced metabolism
Now, Mr. Hof espouses a particular breathing method in tandem with cold exposure, both in and out of the water. To many, it’s an extreme practice that most would not want to endure.
But, we don’t have to go that far if we don’t want to.
Cold exposure can be beneficial at a far lower threshold.
Take a COLD shower.
When we enter the cold, our circulatory system gets a total body workout.
This is no small feat.
Your circulatory system is 70,000 miles long; that’s like going around the world 3x.
The cold acts as a positive stressor. It trains our body’s cardiovascular system to contract and dilate, improving the elasticity of our blood vessels.
Our blood’s rerouted, away from our extremities and towards our core.
And that benefits our body long after the shower’s over.
Better circulation means a stronger delivery system for the oxygen and nutrients in our body.
The immune system also produces more white blood cells, which bolsters our protection against infection and disease.
And, the benefits aren’t limited to the physical.
It also improves our mental health, by releasing the “feel-good” hormones (endorphins) that reduce our stress. Cortisol drops and the result is a natural high, a state of calm that can last for hours, if not the entire day.
What’s more, we’ll accelerate our metabolic rate when our bodies generate heat to maintain our core temperature, a process known as “thermogenesis.” The end result? Burning more calories, all of the time.
Sounds good to me!
The only catch?
We’ve got to get a little…uncomfortable.
What do we have to lose?
Only 15- to 20- to 30-seconds of our warm and cozy comfort.
“It’s just a short amount of time,” I reminded myself.
Yes, even The Iceman recommends easing into it for just fifteen to thirty seconds at a time.
The immediate goal’s not to plunge into an icy cold sea.
Instead, he recommends taking a warm shower, as usual; then, end it with a steady stream of cold water. For gradually longer periods of time.
Let’s Get Personal: Here’s How I Prepped for My Experiment:
I decided it wouldn’t make any sense for me to make the contrast between hot and cold more pronounced than it had to be. ’Cause that would make it more painful.
So, my standard 90+ degree showers had to go.
I settled on 80 degrees as a reasonable starting point.
And, I confess, even that took some getting used to.
Then the mental gymnastics started. Every morning, my brain got a workout, as I told myself, “You’re going to drop that dial down to 60 degrees.”
In the beginning, just the idea of it made me hyperventilate. Like most anything difficult, the anticipation of it was something I had to overcome.
But, I stayed the course, grabbed hold of that dial and eased my way down.
I shampooed my hair.
80 dropped to 75, and I started to take deeper, slower breaths.
Conditioner went in. 75 dropped to 70.
I soaped and, as the bubbles streamed down, my breaths became steadier.
Then came the hardest part:
The drop from 70 to 60.
I decided the most painful part had to be paired with the greatest reward, to make this process as painless and as enjoyable as possible:
For that, I reserved my favorite, most luxurious body wash.
I turned the dial those last 10 degrees and Breathed.
Breathe!
“Damn it, that is so freakin’ COLD!”
That’s literally all I could think.
1 Mississippi. 2 Mississippi. 3 Mississippi.
On and on.
Until 1 Mississippi became 15.
15 became 30.
30 became 40.
40 became 50.
50 became 60.
And on and on….
The hilariously awkward shuffling of my legs and vigorous rubbing of my goosebump-covered arms transformed into something I absolutely NEVER envisioned for myself:
Two weeks later and I’m like a swan, arms open wide, my chest rising up to meet the steady stream of icy COLD water.
I’ve graduated. From bracing myself against the painfully cold water, to welcoming it, like it’s bringing me my very first breath.
Just like The Iceman said would happen, I’ve noticed a shift in me:
I’m able to control my body to receive the cold.
It’s not to the point that I feel no reaction whatsoever. I’m not there yet.
But, the cold’s not frightening to me anymore. I’m strangely eager to experience it now.
And, something even odder has happened: I’ve found warmth in the cold.
I don’t know how to explain it.
After the first few moments of sensing cold, something else happens:
It’s like the temperature dial in my shower’s been moved up, even though it hasn’t changed.
It’s still set to 60 degrees.
But, it feels like it’s warm.
And, best of all, I feel fantastic. Highly energized.
And, long after the shower’s over, I find a better sense of Self:
My breathing is steadier. I am more aware of my breath, whether I’m meditating or not.
And I feel more regulated — emotionally — throughout the entire day.
What do you think? Are you intrigued? Does it sound like something you’d like to try?
If you do, I’d love to hear about your experience.
I’m loving my results so far.
Not just in my body, but in my mind:
It’s shown me the power behind what a little discomfort can do.
As the cold water’s streaming down on me, I can tell myself, “There’s hygge in the cold. There’s magic inside of you.”
The Iceman in me honors & respects The Iceman in each of you,
Marisa
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Together, we’ll explore all the ways that we can 10x our life — mind, body, & soul.
We’ll learn the scientific, physiological, and psychological reasons why we are the way that we are, and combine that understanding with simple, active practices that will:
• Enliven our emotions & creativity;
• Enhance our efficiency & productivity;
• Foster a greater depth of Self;
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• Reprogram our minds to pivot from the Sympathetic Nervous System to the Parasympathetic Nervous System when we need it to, more often than not.
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We CAN do this, TOGETHER!
Marisa
