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| Nothing de-stresses me as fast as cold water |
| Recently, I enlisted a new therapist. She has a holistic approach to mental health and she’s especially keen on somatic therapy, a modality that works with the body (as opposed to the mind) to treat mental health issues. |
| Somatic techniques for anxiety relief include shaking your body, breathing deeply, and exposing parts of your body to cold. |
| I’ve been in talk therapy for years putting together pieces of my life story. While knowing the story has helped me build self-compassion, I often left those appointments feeling all shaken up without many — if any — actionable tips for settling back down. |
| So when this new therapist ended our first session with a list of physical techniques I could use to activate my sympathetic nervous system, I was all ears.
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| In fact, the very next day my boyfriend put a 100-gallon tub in the garage full of cold water. And ever since, he and I have spent 2 minutes each morning and each evening soaking up to our necks. (I haven’t mustered the courage for a full dunk yet.) The water isn’t icy, I’d guess it to be around 58°F. But it’s enough to make me gasp and shiver a little.
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| It’s still amazing to me how quickly cold water mellows out my physical symptoms. I get in with a pumping heartbeat and a tight chest, and I leave 2 minutes later feeling blanketed by calm. My breathing slows and tension melts away all across my body. These good feelings last an hour or so, which puts me off on the right foot at the beginning of my work day and helps me fall asleep quickly.
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| There’s limited research to support the benefits of cold water therapy. One small study suggests it may trigger the release of endorphins and other mood-boosting neurotransmitters. Exposing your neck, in particular, to cold water may stimulate your vagus nerve, which sends a signal to slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure.
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| If you’re interested in trying out this technique yourself, you don’t need a dunk tank. Simply turn your shower on as cold as you can stand it for as long as you can stand it. Increase duration and decrease temperature gradually over time.
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There are also important precautions to take to avoid the potentially dangerous effects of CWT:
- Avoid CWT altogether if you have, or if you’re at risk for, a heart-related condition (cardiovascular disease, arrhythmia, etc.).
- Always ease into the water slowly (and avoid going head first) to avoid cold water shock, which can, in rare cases, cause a heart attack.
- If you’re plunging in the outdoors, take a buddy with you for safety.
- Speak with a doctor before trying a cold plunge to make sure that it’s safe for you.
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| 💌 Over to you: Are you a fan of cold water therapy? Tell us your story at wellnesswire@healthline.com, and you might see your quote featured in an upcoming edition!!
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