Benefits
Please be aware that when doing cold water exposure (Ice bath, open water swimming, ect) to do it safely with a professional or someone that is experienced to avoid the cold shock response as it could be fatal. Please consult a doctor before doing any sort of major changes in your daily routine.
1Fat burning
Brown fat is active in the body and when exposed to cold exposure it increases and activates, which leads to increased calorie expenditure. Unlike white fat, which stores energy and comprises most body fat. Your adiponectin increases which is a protein that can increase fat burning. Cold water exposure can increase your metabolism by 80% compared to warm levels and because of the extra calories you burn, you can eat 50% more and still weigh the same.
2Inflammation
Adiponectin raises when exposed to cold temperatures which then combats inflammation. Exercising in the cold can also reduce the inflammatory response. Exercising past a certain time can also increase the inflammation.
3Longevity
A study was done showing that flies lived twice as long when exposed to lower temperature then higher temperatures. Like worms and fish, even a slight temp drop increased their lifespan by 75%. Studies on insects also has shown a negative response to certain temperatures. Research has shown that lower temperatures promotes longevity as it slows down the reaction to metabolic processes.
4Recovery
Reduction in blood flow, swelling, inflammation, muscle spasm, and metabolic demand. There is evidence that combining ice and exercise can increase the healing speed of any type of injury and even surgery. Cold exposure particularly has a great effect on muscular enzymes linked to muscle damage. Cold water exposure and submerging is becoming more and more popular among professional athletes.
5Blood sugar levels
Adiponectin which is a protein involved in blood glucose regulation has found to increase by 70% when exposed to the cold. It can also enhance the body’s response to insulin so glucose can be cleared from the blood efficiently. Cold exposure increases the glucose, and this is why it is beneficial when fasting as it can cause a peripheral insulin resistance.
6Sleep quality
Temperatures are important when sleeping. It is recommended that your bedroom is about 15 – 19 ͦC.
7Immune system
A clinical has found that over a period of 6 weeks, cold water exposure is beneficial for a more active immune system.
8Oxidative stress
Studies found that swimming in ice cold water regularly can reduce glutathione, an antioxidant that is vital for detoxing, allowing the body to deal with free radicals.
9Reduces pain
There are several ways you can use cold water exposure to benefit from any sort of pain. It can improve the quality of patients suffering from phantom limb pain, provides more pain relief then alternative interventions and migraine attacks.
By doing cold water exposure daily it can increase your will power. The reason for this is because nobody likes a cold shower but by training your brain to do things that make you uncomfortable and to do something that isn’t something you will do for the fun of it, it can show up in other areas of your life.