Ever wondered about the benefits of cold water therapy? This post is an exploration of how it could play a key role in becoming a stronger and more resilient human being.
An Ode to Stress
The word stress has become a colloquial term used to describe various negative mental states of mind. We throw it around as though the vocabulary we use isn’t important. But it is! I feel bad for Stress… she’s only doing her job. Therefore, I’d like to take a moment to thank stress. If you want, you can too. Consider how many times you’ve felt genuinely stressed. And I mean stressed in the true sense of the word. Think what might have happened if that cortisol boost hadn’t kicked in. Personally, my stress response has been my number one saviour through many testing situations. When I feel my adrenaline pumping and I’m suddenly performing in ways I didn’t know I could, I feel like I have a super power. I choose to use this as a reminder that my body is functioning as it should. As I discussed in my recent blog post, I believe stress is a superhero in disguise.
Turn Stress into Strength
It can be argued that one of the best ways to overcome a fear is to face it. If we expose ourselves to the things we’re are afraid of, the fear has the chance to eventually dissipate. Have you ever tried facing your fears in order to overcome them? (I started roller skating this year. I’m slightly less terrified, but still working on it!)
Recently I’ve been exploring how we can borrow from the idea of facing our fears, but in the context of stress. To intentionally activate our stress response and build resilience, we can expose ourselves to stressors in a controlled manner. This may involve gradually increasing our exposure to a fear-inducing stimulus, taking on new challenges, or intentionally putting ourselves in stressful situations. Provided we maintain a mindful approach to exposing ourself to stress, this process could potentially make us more resilient.
Essentially I’m pondering if we could turn our stress into strength.
From Hot and Bothered to Cool and Collected
I’m a big fan of theThe Wim Hof Method® You can read more about it here from the guru himself.The Wim Hof Method® is a way to optimise the body and mind through techniques like cold water therapy and mindfulness. It’s based on the idea that our ancestors’ exposure to harsh environments kept their bodies and minds in a natural state, while modern technology and sedentary lifestyles have had negative effects. As a result, we’ve become less resilient. Wim’s on to something – I’m sure of it.
Diving deeper into the concept of cold water therapy, let’s crack through the ice and get to the core. Cold water therapy is, as implied, intentional exposure to cold water. It could be a cold shower, a plunge in the cold sea, or an ice bath. Brrr. Sound stressful? Well that’s great! Because that’s the exact point.
Inducing Stress with Cold Water
Needless to say, exposing ourselves to extremely cold water is not the most comforting of concepts. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. When submerged in cold water, the shock of the cold can quite literally take your breath away. It’s a very stressful situation, therefore the body has to find a way to cope. Not only do we need to mentally focus on regulating our breath so as not to panic and hyperventilate, but below the surface, the body physically responds by increasing heart rate and blood flow to the core in order to keep us safe.
Just as our fears can be healed by facing them head on, I don’t see why the intentional induction of stress wouldn’t make us stronger and more resilient. After all, if we can willingly wade into the cold sea all the while remaining cool and collected, logic tells me that this is great training for real-life encounters with stress.
Enter the Stress-Freeze Zone
Friends – I dare you to challenge yourself to a cold shower a day, and discover how cold water therapy might just be the unexpected step towards improving your own wellbeing, your overall mood, and your life. Good luck, and welcome to the stress-freeze zone!
