We know how fabulous getting out in the water can be for our mental health & overall well-being but there's a growing body of research showing that cold water can be absolutely transformative, whether it's from your shower, pool or the ocean.
So what is it ACTUALLY doing to our bodies & how can we start to reap the benefits in our own lives?
Dr Mark Harper is a consultant anesthetist at Sussex University hospitals in the UK and a leading expert in the prevention of hypothermia in surgical patients and in the therapeutic uses of cold-water adaptation and cold water swimming.
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BOOKS
Chill, The Cold Water Swim Cure
OTHER THINGS MENTIONED
100 Days of Vitamin Sea
That's Helpful - Drawn To Water? Blue Mind is Why
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:26 - When is cold good for us & when is it bad?
00:02:14 - When did Mark become interested in this?
00:05:05 - Why are we only just discovering the benefits?
00:06:52 - The benefits of cold water exposure
00:10:00 - What's happening in our bodies when we're exposed?
00:11:38 - Cold water exposure keeps you in the moment
00:13:07 - The optimum conditions
00:15:00 - Why is 3 mins the ideal time?
00:19:06 - Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
00:19:53 - How to utilise cold showers for health benefits
00:21:47 - Things to avoid
00:24:13 - The side-effects of cold water exposure
00:26:10 - Should you combine a sauna with cold water exposure?
00:28:47 - The main take-aways
00:30:00 - Cold water exposure for migraines
00:34:27 - Cold water exposure as prep for surgery