Cold Showers for depression/immunity/addiction?

[SpartanII]

DISCLAIMER: If you have heart conditions, please don't try this without talking to a doctor.

I've read about many claims of cold water therapy- helping depression, boosting immune function, treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, improving circulation, weight loss, even for healthy skin and hair, and Aura cleansing. I would think it could even help opiate addictions because of the extra endorphins produced.

The idea is to take a normal shower with warm water, then switch it to cold water during the last couple minutes before you get out. When the water is alternated between hot and cold the effects seem to be enhanced. Be sure to end with cold water if you do this or it may loose effectiveness.

My concerns:

Safety- If it's too cold and the shock is great, this could be dangerous and give you a heart attack. The recommended water temperatures are 10-20 degrees C. If it's not cold enough, it may not provide suggested benefits.

Adaptation for convenience- Could one just use a bucket and dunk the head, or a spray bottle full of ice water sprayed on different areas of the body, for a similar effect?

Info and sources:

Notification

COLD SHOWERS

I take a cold shower every morning. Now when I say cold shower, I want to clarify exactly what I mean by that. Taking a full cold shower, me...

drmarkscorner.blogspot.com

Chronic Fatige

Antioxidant

Immunity

Habituation

Depression

 

[corpus callosum]

A shower taken whilst in the midst of opiate withdrawal is really quite bizarre.One in this predicament will inevitably vary the temeperature from very high to cold, in an effort to deal with the thermal instability found under these circumstances.Plus, the water feels like needles hitting the skin due to the skin hypersensitivity.It doesnt refresh much..... but it does pass a few minutes of agony which are not spent vomiting, crapping or writhing on the bed trying to get comfortable.

 

[SpartanII]

Yea I think the cold shower would be tolerable only for mild to moderate WD's.

Nobody else has anything to share/contribute/discuss? I'm kind of disappointed as I expected a lot of positive feedback. I really believe this could help people.

 

[christian]

cold showers help with insomnia..i can vouch for that, they are VERY calming and grounding. Maybe because they are natural. Where do you get hot showers in nature???

 

[bransondude]

wow this is really interesting. It makes some good sense after all, many human pain experiments involve dunking a hand in icy cold water. It stands to follow that the body would release endorphins at that point. I bet this could help one ease off a kratom habit.

Doing this after a daily workout should make for a great combination. the endorphins with the endocannibinoids sounds like a nice time to me.

I have gave myself cold showers and always felt good afterward but never knew why and never thought it would be so beneficial. I think I'll have to start doing this myself on a regular basis.

 

[Laban Shrewsbury III]

Alternating cold/hot showers are a highly recommended recovery aid for hard-training athletes. The health benefits are fairly well proven, based on the fact that greater temperature fluctuations force a host of positive metabolic adaptations (research into obesity has targeted decreased temperature fluctuation in consistently heated/air conditioned populations as a potentiating factor).

Sure it hurts like a motherfuck, but it's very good for you. It's quite a test of one's meditative capacities as well: ever seen Taoist monks sat under a freezing waterfall?

 

[magickpsychonaut]

Hot Epsom salt baths always help me relax and relieve stress. It gets me into a deep trance and I often do visualization and ritual work with salt baths. Not sure how they would do for someone who is going through withdrawals, but they are quite comforting in my experience.

 

[bindu]

I thought that many people already know about these facts about hot/cold treatment.
This is very old knowledge and it has been used extensively in a german healing method by Kneipp
its like a massage for all the blood vessels, expand contract.

Epsom salts are great, so relaxing that they are almost psychedilic

 

[Fractalyzed]

I remember one of the threads here in the nexus began discussing the benefits of it. I started trying it, by alternating between hot and uncomfortably cold water a few times in the shower. I noticed that i felt great after these showers; kind of energizing.

I've gotten out of the habit though, thanks for reminding me; definitely worth incorporating this!

 

[proto-pax]

just took one of these. love it. I am switching over to military showers, but I will throw these in every now and then.

 

[SpartanII]

Bumping this.

It's good to see some people have found benefit from hot/cold showers. It takes dedication, but the rewards are great.

Any new brave souls wanna try it out and post there experiences?:d

 

[polytrip]

I sometimes take a cold shower. I find it has an uplifting effect, just like running. Though i always like to end with warm water. To me, the psychological effect of 'pushing one´s limit' is the major reason for doing it. And then afterwards, a hot shower realy feels like a reward :d .

 

[SpartanII]

It's effects are definitely more than psychological (the links I posted show that science does back up the physical effects), but I hear what you're saying about the reward aspect.

 

[obliguhl]

I think in the case of severe depression, it is meant to battle the onset of body dissociation.
To feel that you are "still alive" as a human, not floating inside an emotionless bubble nothingness.

 

[smokerx]

I do this almost all the time. First hot shower then cold. Perfect

In summer only cold of course

 

[Wax]

Ya cold water at the end of a warm shower is nice, definitely gets you going and feeling good in the morning!
It does take a lot of dedication though, its so nice and comfy in that warm water.

I've never been a fan of hot water, I always take mild showers but recently I've been gradually decreasing the general temperature of my showers and then turning it to cold at the end.

 

[John Smith]

Its great. hot/cold shower + cup of tea in the morning really keeps me going.

To make it as painless as possible, prior to switching the temperature to cold, make the temperature as hot as you can withstand for a few minutes. Then even almost icy water is quite pleasant for up to a minute.

I think most of the dangers of cold water are over-exaggerated. Ice hole dipping(from early-teen age in religious orthodox communities) is popular throughout eastern/northern europe and thats far more severe than a cold shower. Unless you already have a pre-existing heart condition it's known to be quite safe, in places where its popular.

 

[xsparkyx]

I do a lot of multi day hiking in the sierra Nevada mountains, which is full of icy lakes and streams. I was shown the wonderful effects of jumping into icy cold water many years ago by an old park ranger. Mind, body, and soul are completely rejuvinated. Like hitting the reset button on your being. I take multiple dips in and out. It's tough to stay in too long! Of course no soap is used, some sand is all that is needed to get clean. Laying on granite in the sun warming up and drying off is akin to the afterglow of a heavy psychedelic trip.
My job requires me to spend a lot of time outdoors here in southern California. It gets hot in the summer, and I always enjoy a cold shower.

 

[universecannon]

I love going to canada in the summer and just swimming in the lake everyday. Swimming multiple times a day in the sun was really therapeutic feeling

I remember hearing a few months ago something about heated water in typical houses being much dirtier than cold water for some reason. Does anyone know if theres any truth to this?

 

[Phantastica]

this is such an excellent topic, even though its kinda common sense. i always get lazy under those warm showers; i have probably only taken like 5 cold showers in ~2yrs+ I needed a post like this to make me reconsider the importance of cold showers:x
i will def switch to cold showers from now (gradually), cuz it does always rejuvenate my entire being for the rest of the day whenever i take cold showers. i also believe that it does indeed have aura/energy cleansing effects as well.
I will see how the consistency of regular cold showers turn out for me in the near future. thanks for sharing Spartan!:d

@christian: that is a great point about our natural state being adapted for cold showers.
@magickpsychonaut: thanks for sharing that info about epsom salts; i'll give it a try soon.
@bindu: thanks for sharing that expand/contract vessel massage info; i didn't know that...some good info to know.

I remember hearing a few months ago something about heated water in typical houses being much dirtier than cold water for some reason. Does anyone know if theres any truth to this?

i'm not sure, but perhaps its because the solubility of chemicals (chlorine/fluoride/calcium, etc) is a lot higher in hotter temperatures than lower temps.
:d