Morning Cold Exposure: What Cold Showers and Ice Baths Really Do | Biohack

00:00:00: You do burn calories, but it's obviously such a tiny amount.

00:00:04: You need that uncomfortable factor you know?

00:00:07: Otherwise its not worth it

00:00:08: Exactly and that can end really badly.

00:00:11: Maybe the most uncomfortable part is actually one which does them

00:00:18: all A new biohack every day for a week.

00:00:24: Today number One Morning Cold Exposure.

00:00:27: Max who this four and what people expect from it?

00:00:31: Yeah, what can you expect?

00:00:32: I think it's for almost everyone to answer your first question and To answer the second question.

00:00:38: Yeah What?

00:00:38: Can you expect from it?

00:00:40: well From my perspective and this is actually proven by studies which will get into more later It's mostly just about alertness.

00:00:48: It gives you a bit of a kickstart in the morning.

00:00:51: A Second thing is stress resilience.

00:00:53: that's not necessarily right after the shower but definitely better throughout today.

00:00:58: What unfortunately doesn't work so well, though is fat burning.

00:01:01: People say that a lot and an unfortunate there's not very good data on it.

00:01:06: Yeah That's mainly because this brown adipose tissue which is supposed to be activated by the cold Is first of all only present in relatively rudimentary amounts in adults meaning too Avery-very small extent.

00:01:19: And while it is activated by cold and calories are burned It's obviously such a tiny amount You can't really expect any real weight loss from it.

00:01:31: So like I said, that alertness is something you can prove and something you feel yourself.

00:01:37: the fat-loss thing is unfortunately nonsense.

00:01:40: so That's not a good reason to do cold therapy or take a cold shower in the morning for example?

00:01:54: Exactly.

00:01:55: So on one hand you can just take a cold shower in the morning, make the shower really cold like uncomfortably cold.

00:02:02: it has to have that uncomfortable factor otherwise its not worth it.

00:02:06: but of course that doesn't cover your whole body so-to speak right?

00:02:10: You only get it at spots where water actually hits.

00:02:13: if you are having good rain showers then thats probably best.

00:02:15: even better would be dumping bucket over your head and getting real shock.

00:02:21: But what's actually much better is if you have a kind of cold like being completely surrounded by cold that means on one hand either called chamber, which can assume probably works better for several minutes and the other hand ice baths.

00:02:40: So I don't like in winter or you have an iced up to sit down And ice bathing in particular is actually what's been studied the most and it's probably also the most effective.

00:02:53: I think everyone knows when you step into cold water, It's incredibly uncomfortable right?

00:02:56: But you can imagine maybe the most uncomfortable part.

00:03:00: that does the most

00:03:03: very important so that you can handle a cold plunge or go to a cold lake.

00:03:11: first of all don't do this alone.

00:03:16: gasping for air at first and you can very quickly start hyperventilating might not even be able to get out of the water yourself.

00:03:24: What do against?

00:03:25: that?

00:03:26: is box breathing, for example?

00:03:28: That means inhale four seconds hold for four seconds exhale for four second hold for five seconds then start all over again.

00:03:37: when taking a cold shower focus heavily on your breathing too much on how cold it actually is and how uncomfortable.

00:03:46: It feels so that definitely helps you last much longer in the cold water, but of course easier said than done You have to admit That means even when taking a cold shower focus very heavily on your breathing And not Too Much On How Cold Actually Is And How Uncomfortable It Feels So that Definitely Helps You Last Much Longer In The Cold Water.

00:04:09: But of course, yeah.

00:04:10: Easier said than done you have to admit that.

00:04:12: I mean what happens when you expose yourself too cold?

00:04:15: First your body goes into a fight or flight response telling you What is this i want to get out Of here right?

00:04:20: That's also part of the reason why so much more norepinephrine Is released and You really ramp up those neurotransmitters in The body that are actually responsible for This.

00:04:29: let say fight-or-flight response And stress response and um Actually you wanna show Your body.

00:04:34: hey wait A minute i'm doing it on purpose chill Out!

00:04:37: It not bad.

00:04:38: and you can do that really well with breathing by using it to let's say shift the autonomic nervous system toward the parasympathetic state towards relaxation.

00:04:46: And then after a few seconds maybe twenty or thirty seconds, the body slowly starts to realize okay yeah now I see its actually not bad i'm still alive doesn't hurt right?

00:04:57: Then also notice at some point that keeps getting better especially ice bathing in cold chamber.

00:05:03: You could experience once this breathing even after two minutes.

00:05:07: Okay, I could actually stay in here longer right but those first thirty seconds not minutes.

00:05:11: Those are especially important.

00:05:13: another exciting fun fact because there was a pretty big study and meta analysis that looked at cold exposure and stress resilience And it showed that you actually Could increase stress resilience.

00:05:23: It wasn't in a range where You'd say wow That's extremely impressive But There Was Definitely Some Improvement.

00:05:29: It Wasn'T Immediately After The Cold Stimulus So Not Like When You Walk Out Of A Cryo Chamber Or Step out of A Cold Tub You're not immediately more stress resilient, but rather it developed a few hours after the cold almost as if it was a little nudge for the body.

00:05:45: And now the actual fun fact is they observed twenty nine percent fewer sick days in people who take regular cold showers.

00:05:53: so to all the employers I'd say are listening right now It seems like Cold showering Is Not Just A Crazy Biohack But Also A Crazy Corporate Hack.

00:06:05: When it comes to sick days, It's almost a third which I thought was pretty funny.

00:06:10: There is direct executive order from the very top now.

00:06:12: Yeah Now i can already see many companies just introducing a cold plunger at their office To reduce sick days.

00:06:20: How do you handle yourself?

00:06:22: Exactly well what I definitely Do every day Is take a cold shower Not extremely long or anything so its probably always somewhere between thirty seconds and a minute.

00:06:32: So not Crazy long.

00:06:34: I've never really pushed it to do it for longer than a minute, i'd say Sometimes in the summer?

00:06:40: I do but that's because I wake up in the morning and I'm so hot That I just want to get into the cold you know.

00:06:45: But that's more of a different.

00:06:46: yeah A different reason but I actually do it every morning.

00:06:51: And what I obviously do in connection with sauna is actually ice bathing But other then that honestly Not so much.

00:06:59: I don't have a cryo chamber around the corner that I go too regularly.

00:07:02: The same goes for ice baths.

00:07:04: really.

00:07:04: I only do that in combination with the sauna because it just doesn't fit into my daily routine.

00:07:10: And and doesn't work would take up too much of my time, and then they benefit let's say is just not the same.

00:07:16: yeah you already described at the easiest way to start as a classic cold shower?

00:07:21: That means if your taking a shower morning anyway can take normal warm shower first end turn the shower to cold about half minute.

00:07:32: The water is then at a temperature of around fifteen degrees, I'd say depending on how long the water actually runs.

00:07:39: That's cold!

00:07:40: Wouldn't you say?

00:07:41: Well...I would say that it's cold and we'll get to this in just a moment.

00:07:43: but thats'the easiest start even if its feels very uncomfortable for the first couple times.

00:07:50: by the fifth or sixth time You notice much less discomfort from the cold.

00:07:59: It's not as unpleasant anymore.

00:08:01: that happens relatively quickly because the body just gets used to it.

00:08:05: The next step up would be simply taking longer cold showers or just taking a cold shower.

00:08:10: so practically without warming up beforehand, maybe warming up afterward... Or doing quick cold plunge.

00:08:16: there are these tubs you can buy!

00:08:18: You could go into small creek in winter by edge of lake.

00:08:21: like I said should always be careful and especially if do alone don't jump into a lake Because that can also exactly.

00:08:30: That could end really badly, but

00:08:32: exactly or swim in a creek Exactly?

00:08:34: That would be an idea.

00:08:35: otherwise there's the cryo chamber.

00:08:37: The cryo Chamber feels much more pleasant I can say from my own experience because cold that surrounds the whole body meaning wet cold is Much much more unpleasant than dry cold mainly because air doesn't transfer cold as well as water does right.

00:08:54: That's why a cold plunge is much, more unpleasant than just standing in a cryo chamber at minus one hundred and ten degrees for three minutes or minus eighty five depending there.

00:09:04: actually two main models.

00:09:05: Three minutes of one hundred ten definitely has statement that

00:09:08: very intense.

00:09:09: you also have the chamber beforehand where you acclimate it so don't go from room temperature straight into one hundred twenty.

00:09:15: but thats an alternative.

00:09:17: to be fair i'm more expensive alternative then buying a cold plan and its least bit less researched.

00:09:24: The majority of the studies that have been done, Have always been on either cold showers or classic cold plunges and not necessarily On a cryo chamber.

00:09:34: For me personally I'm Not particularly resilient when it comes to Cold water.

00:09:38: Either i have no problem with a cryochamber But When It Comes To Taking A Cold Shower A cold shower is maybe just barely okay but not for a minute either.

00:09:47: And um...the worst for Me Is getting into a cold plunge.

00:09:51: you know so they're I don't know.

00:09:53: maybe it's the breathing or that you have to focus a bit better on something else, but i'm definitely very sensitive there and its not for me.

00:10:02: But thats also fine doesn't have to be forever.

00:10:05: one is just like with heat.

00:10:07: if u get the alertness effect yourself whatever you expect from the cold that great otherwise you can leave it not something everyone should do by default just because there are a few studies saying it's good for, let's say specific topics.

00:10:24: We'd also definitely be interested in how you handle this at home so feel free to write in the comment what your experiences have been with cold.

00:10:34: we also have quick poll on whether if had any experience of cold at all?

00:10:38: If try to call shower or tried called plunge something would definitely very exciting to know.

00:10:46: Max already established that much.

00:10:48: I don't want to say braver but more experimental.

00:10:52: Manly you called it, i'll just leave at that.

00:10:54: But there are definitely many different ways to benefit from cold and... ...I much prefer the heat to the cold.. ..but also use for myself every month.

00:11:05: then

00:11:06: More manly me too.

00:11:09: Otherwise we will continue tomorrow with a next bio hack.

00:11:12: We're already looking forward to it!

00:11:13: Hope u r too Until Then.

00:11:16: Thanks For Listening And Bye Two doctors on longevity in biohacking.