Episode Summary
After being inspired by the videos I found yesterday on the benefits of Cold Water Immersion I thought I would dig a little deeper to see if I could find out more of the science behind what is going on. In this episode I share my interpretation of the research I unearthed.
Episode Show Notes
00:05 – In yesterday’s episode I shared the three video clips I found about the Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs
00:39 – In a previous episode of the podcast I discovered some basics about the brain’s chemistry in relation to depression.
01:09 – I did a Google Search on “benefits of cold water immersion”
02:31 – The first search result I checked out was an article on Tony Robbins’ website called The Power of (COLD) Water – 5 Surprising Health Benefits Of Cold Water Immersion.
03:24 – The Tony Robbins article refers to a study done in 2007 that said cold showers help treat depressive symptoms by flooding the brain with mood boosting neurotransmitters.
05:01 – I tracked down the 2007 study that worked on the hypothesis that our modern day lifestyle denies us of physiological stresses (like swimming in cold water) that would have been good for our ancestors.
06:21 – The 2007 study had subjects take a warm shower that was gradually cooled over about 5 minutes until they were exposed to 20 degree C water for 2-3 minutes.
08:07 – I found another study which was a comprehensive review of research carried out on the effect of hydrotherapy on different systems within the body.
08:36 – Immersion in 14 deg C water increased the levels of plasma noradrenaline by 530% and dopamine by 250%.
09:04 – Yesterday’s episode featured a video where Dr Chris visited Portsmouth University to meet a Professor Tipton. I found an article of his that said cold water immersion increases levels of dopamine and serotonin.
09:58 – There were a lot of articles on the benefits of cold water swimming that I didn’t explore in depth [but see the references at the foot of the page].
Sources Used To Compile The Information Discussed In This Episode
[1] – The Power of (COLD) Water – 5 Surprising Health Benefits Of Cold Water Immersion – (www.TonyRobbins.com)
[2] – Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression – (National Center for Biotechnology Information)
[3] – Scientific Evidence-Based Effects of Hydrotherapy on Various Systems of the Body – (National Center for Biotechnology Information)
[4] – COLD WATER IMMERSION: KILL OR CURE? – (Portsmouth University)
Links To References Not Discussed In This Episode But Worthy Of A Read
[5] – Open water swimming as a treatment for major depressive disorder – (BMJ Case Reports)
[6] – Can cold water swimming treat depression? – (www.BBC.co.uk)
[7] – The big chill: the health benefits of swimming in ice water – (www.TheGuardian.com)
