Cold showers and cold-water swimming, the benefits in terms of physical and mental health - what do we know?

[newfhouse]

There’s a 50:50 chance of the showers at work being cold after my cycle commute. I haven’t noticed my temperament or productivity being improved on cold water days.

 

[slowmotion]

There’s a 50:50 chance of the showers at work being cold after my cycle commute. I haven’t noticed my temperament or productivity being improved on cold water days.

That's just a matter of expectation and disappointment. If you plunged into Cornish waters and found that they were as tepid as a heated swimming pool, that would be a disappointment too. Besides, you wouldn't feel virtuous when you got out.

 

[Fram]

A friend who regularly immersed herself in a local (Inverness-shire) river just wearing an ordinary swimming costume through last winter really rates it. Haven't plucked up the courage yet...ever.

 

[mudsticks]

Lately there seems to have been a lot of articles about the potential health benefits of cold showers and cold-water swimming, the latest being that regular cold immersion causes the production of a protein that might inhibit Alzheimers.
Mainstream claims are improvements to:

Mental Health
Boost Immunity
Circulation
Sleep
Libido
Alertness
Muscle soreness
Weight loss

Certainly anecdata from friends make huge claims about wild-swimming, others here the benefits of daily cold showers. Living by the sea am often minded to join the early morning dippers of which there seem a few.

So what do people know cold water immersion and what has been your experience?

Nearly half of my friends seem to have got into this cold water swimming malarkey and will endlessly extol its virtues - of which i'm sure there are many .

But i have plenty other ways of enhancing all of above, using methods , doubtlessly equally unappealing to others - running , long distance cycling and hiking , yoga etc.

Seems to be theme of 'if its a bit of a challenge to the body' then do that, you will benefit in some way.

Although i'm only four miles from the sea, you'll rarely find me in it before June or after October.

Properly cold water just makes my hands and feet really really hurt like they've been hit with hammers, and I've worked outside all my life so its not like I'm a total cold weather wuss.

Also i had hypothermia one time when much younger - i think my body goes into panic mode because of that if its really cold.

So anyway get in the sea with you FF - sure it'll do you a power of good

Right now i'm wrapping myself around a cold beer - its highly invigorating -

I know - and on a school night too

 

[Oldhippy]

Never got the running thing, we invented the wheel to make moving about easier and came up with the perfect design, a bike!

 

[mudsticks]

Never got the running thing, we invented the wheel to make moving about easier and came up with the perfect design, a bike!

Running is not my fave thing tbh, but it's a quickish way of maintaining and building cardio fitness for the cycling and hiking when I haven't got whole days on end to do those more enjoyable (to me) things.

An hour, off road running three times a week does the job.

Agree re bicycle though, we should have stopped with them and trains, and written off automobiles as a step too far..

 

[slowmotion]

I walk into a cold sea up to my waist and always think "this could very well give me a fatal cardiac infarction". When my head bobs up three seconds later, I'm elated at still being alive. One day, my luck will run out. Oh well.

 

[ColinJ]

There is an annual New Year's Day swim in a mill pond at Lumbutts near Todmorden/Hebden Bridge. THIS LOT seemed to enjoy it last year!

 

[wafter]

It certainly seems to be "trending" at the moment. A mate of mine was espousing its virtues having been converted by an old boy he met at the beach who apparently swims daily, regardless.

I personally think this is just part of a wider range of techniques to force positive physiological change through pushing the boundaries of what the body finds comfortable - claims / proven benefits seem similar to saunas, steam rooms and exercise; all of which stress the body in some way and apparently promote improvements and endorphine release as a result.

 

[slowmotion]

It certainly seems to be "trending" at the moment. A mate of mine was espousing its virtues having been converted by an old boy he met at the beach who apparently swims daily, regardless.

I personally think this is just part of a wider range of techniques to force positive physiological change through pushing the boundaries of what the body finds comfortable - claims / proven benefits seem similar to saunas, steam rooms and exercise; all of which stress the body in some way and apparently promote improvements and endorphine release as a result.

Interesting idea. The real killer could be idleness.

 

[screenman]

Cold water swimming has been around for a very long time, think back to Victorians with their lido's.

 

[mudsticks]

Cold water swimming has been around for a very long time, think back to Victorians with their lido's.

But then there's really nothing new, under the sun, is there ?? .

All this taking health giving exercise in nature stuff, has been practiced in one way or another to bring mind body or spiritual 'improvemenrt' for millenia..

It gets repackaged as 'the next big thing' every few decades maybe .

But you come to realise the practice has been going on, in one form or another forever, somewhere in. The world.

 

[mudsticks]

I've just had a shower a la @screenman my going from warm to cold for the final minute. I do feel invigorated/awake compared to how I felt before. I will continue this method for a while and see what happens.... I may die....

Hate to break this to you.. But yes you will die.
But probs not from cold showers.

But who knows?
Perhaps they will make make you live longer.

Or is like all the other 'challenging' stuff, it will just feel that way ??

There’s a 50:50 chance of the showers at work being cold after my cycle commute. I haven’t noticed my temperament or productivity being improved on cold water days.

I'd just resign if I were you, that's totally unacceptable, when you want a hot shower that's what you should get.

 

[screenman]

Our showers at work are always hot, but then again I do work from home.

 

[newfhouse]

I'd just resign if I were you, that's totally unacceptable, when you want a hot shower that's what you should get.

Seems a tad drastic