Cold exposure provides a wide range of health benefits and practice takes many forms. People who were born or live in countries such as Norway carry out cold therapy for at least a half of year.
Those who live near the sea or river can connect with local groups for swimming in cold water.
The wellness industry provides the latest hit – the Finnish cryo cabin which is great for recovering after challenging physical activities. Its computer is very close to what I imagine as artificial intelligence.
Or, you may practise the Wim Hof (The Ice man) method.
His method combines gradual exposure to cold combined with breathing techniques and exercises.
If you are interested in his method you have a few options:
Firstly, sign up for his boot camp in Poland where you may be lucky to be guided by the one and only Wim Hof.
Secondly, join a day dedicated to the Wim Hof method in the local luxury hotel. The guide will be a certificated instructor of the Wim Hof method.
Thirdly, follow my example and upload the WimHof app on your phone. I just paid my subscription for the third year running.
I hope you realise that these methods of cold display demand time and money – the two things we are always short of.
Therefore I offer you a simple, ingenious solution – take a 2 minute daily dose of cold shower and reap the benefits of cold exposure without investing time or money (even saving them!).
I took this idea from the Wim Hof app and gradually tailored it to my needs and lifestyle.
I began modestly by having a cold shower each morning for 1 minute and when I felt ready I increased the time to 1.5 minutes and then to 2 minutes. I tried staying longer under the cold water to discover that a cold shower for 2 minutes works best for me. It is long enough to deliver the benefits and short enough to keep me doing it every day.
I start with a hot shower and then turn it cold. The timer alarm on my phone helps me to ensure the exact time.
As a result I have taken my daily dose of cold exposure for the last 2 years and I am still going strong. The benefits are tremendous.
However, one thing is worth mentioning – every time you go under the cold water you encounter stress and shock regardless of how long have you been practising.
The way you deal with the stress depends on your personality and the context. Some people just jump into the cold water and feel the shock.
I approach the challenge differently by firstly exposing my arms, then my feet, followed by my face. Then I endure the stronger shock of exposing the front of my body and finally the crescendo – the cold water is pouring over my shoulders, back and head. And after that, bliss – I stay under the freezing cold water and enjoy it.
Every day is different.
Sometimes I pray for the phone alarm to ring for the end of the session, sometimes I want to stay in the shower much longer.
Some days I am so eager to have the shower and to experience the bliss, another days I do not want to do it and it takes all of my willpower. There are days when the shower stays hot.
The reasons for these deviations vary but nowadays I know that the body and mind will request the cold shower again without fail.
Because very pleasant things happen outside the cold shower programme apart from some excellent blood test results.
I become calmer, more creative and more adaptable. Even if you have a calm temperament I assure you that you will experience a degree of improvement. Life feels good.
If life brings upheavals which you usually avoid or procrastinate about you will begin to face them head on with full self awareness that despite the stress or pain you undergo you will endure and solve.
And not only that – the solution which you have found is simple, practical, cost and time effective as it is the 2 minute daily dose of a cold shower.
4 Comments
Very brave!
Sounds fascinating. Must give it a go.
Nine,well done if it suits you carry on with it. Ppppersonally it gives me the shivers having had hypothermia on 3 occasions,I know the cold is not for me.
Good luck with your continuing cold therapy.
Вече пробвам студения душ. Много е ефикасен , особено с увеличаване на годините живот. Ключът е в постепенното адаптиране, описано в статията.