Hormetic stress: could Hiit, hot saunas, and cold showers be the anxiety-busters we need in difficult times? https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...-cold-showers-anxiety-busters-difficult-times A growing body of research indicates that exposing yourself to short bursts of pressure – or hormetic stress – can you help you when things get tough Feeling stressed? Have a cold shower. Name Hormetic stress. Appearance. You know what stress is like – aches and pains, exhaustion. Also anxiety, restlessness, feeling overwhelmed or unfocused. I am feeling quite stressed, as it happens. Hardly surprising, given what’s going on in the world right now. Not to mention two years of a global pandemic, which seems to be on the up again. So what shall I do about it? Have a cold shower. Seriously? Or a hot sauna. Well, which? They would appear to be kind of opposites. That’s the thing: either works. A growing body of research indicates that exposing yourself to short bursts of pressure, known as hormetic stress, can help you – physically, mentally and emotionally – to get through difficult times. Treating stress with stress? Exactly that. Any other ways of getting stressed, hormetically? Hiit is probably the best known. Isn’t that for the menopause? I think you’re thinking of HRT. Hiit is high-intensity interval training – you know, short periods of intensive anaerobic exercise with brief recovery periods. Other, more controversial ways of achieving hormetic stress include fasting and hypoxic breathing, which deprives the body of oxygen … No, thanks, I think I’ll stick to a nice hot sauna. Or a dip in a freezing lake. Wim Hof swears by it. Wim Hof? Dutch fella, known as the Iceman … … Cometh? Already come. Hof, known for his ability to withstand freezing temperatures, has developed the WHM … World Health … Wim Hof Method, which uses a combination of cold exposure, yoga and breathing techniques. He’s got millions of followers, including Justin Bieber, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise … The Scientologist. What about actual scientists and science, though – is there anything in it? A reduced inflammatory response has been documented. Hof’s other claims aren’t scientifically proven. But Elissa Epel found his breathing methods lowered her stress threshold. Elissa Epel? A professor in the psychiatry department of the University of California, where she is leading a study into hormetic stress. Prof Epel got Hof to teach his breathing technique – which involves a lot of deep breaths followed by a long exhale, then an additional held breath – to healthcare providers during the pandemic. “The practices create short-term spikes of biological stress followed by recovery, ease and deep restoration, and that is otherwise hard to get,” she says. Sold on “deep restoration” (takes a deep breath, exhales, then another …). Just a word of warning: Hof’s own website warns that it can cause light-headedness, even loss of consciousness, and you shouldn’t try it if you have certain conditions or are pregnant. Do say: “Fuel bill crisis? What fuel bill crisis? Turn the heating off to generate some hormetic stress; happy days.” Don’t say: “Oh, go and jump in that icy lake, Hof.” (He’s probably in it already.)
Well, I'll call it wimping out. Not going to make it to the lake. Wife had to go out of town to take care of her Dad, and the 3 sons are still out from last night. I was thinking going on my own, but probably not the best idea.
Just update a previous post, I just watched a video by Scott Carney, and it isn't Hof's brother, but his son who is controlling the business, and apparently doesn't even use the breathing or cold exposure except for promos. Also has blocked his Dad from the social media sites associated with his own name and business. Kind of got the feeling that for all the good, he does have some serious family issues.
For the first time since taking cold showers I had a negative experience today. 3 minutes and as cold as I've done in a long time. It's a bit difficult to explain, but about 10 minutes afterwards it was like I had a massive adrenalin rush accompanied with what I'll call a hyper awareness to my surroundings, but an inability to focus on any one thought. And my friggin legs were numb as hell, yet I didn't feel all that cold. No shivering or anything like that. Lasted about an hour. A bit discombobulating. Maybe it's been a while since I've been wide awake.
I'm only good for 2 minutes these winter days. And it doesn't get easier! Damn near feels like being attacked by a wild animal. I notice that I feel warm immediately after the shower and that I don't shiver. But maybe 10-15 minutes after I'm dried and dressed, I start to feel colder and shiver a bit. A very mild case of afterdrop, perhaps? I do feel a bit of alternating pain and numbness towards the end of the shower, but never afterwards.
The cold showers have felt pretty crappy the past week for some reason. I definitely have felt the cold and have had a harder time than usual getting calm and going with it. The meditation has been the same way, not really getting in to a flow or getting my mind to settle down. I am assuming it is just a phase.