The Unexpected Benefits of Cold Water Immersion for Overcoming Addiction
Cold water immersion has been a therapy used throughout history to build body strength using ice baths, cold lakes, and cold showers. In more recent times it is a hydrotherapy technique showing promising results in building a robust immune system and decreasing inflammation.
Cold water immersion has been receiving much attention in the media mainly due to the work of Wim Hof, who includes it within his training of the Wim Hof method for excessive or persistent inflammations such as auto-immune disorders and long Covid symptoms. (Kox et al. 2012) In addition, it is helping those suffering from depression, anxiety, and stress and those struggling with a dependency to drugs and alcohol.
How Cold Water Immersion Improves Improves Mental Health and Recovery from Drugs and Alcohol
The Neurochemical and Hormonal Stress Response
The neurochemical and hormonal stress response under cold conditions is managed, in large part, by norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and dopamine. At water temperatures of around 40°F, a steep spike of norepinephrine occurs in the body and brain, as much as 200 to 300 percent above baseline in as few as 20 seconds. (Soule, 2021) When submerged in cold water, norepinephrine primarily works on vasoconstriction to reroute blood to the core while epinephrine helps dilate the core’s vascular network to support proper blood flow around the vital organs.
Many people report feeling energized, having more mental clarity and feeling better at managing stress from doing cold water therapies. Participants also report a “high” that is all too familiar to folks involved in addictive behaviors and substances. This is likely a result of a healthy increase in dopamine, one of the other major neurotransmitters involved in this practice.
The brain’s beta-endorphin levels increase as well. This chemical acts on the opioid receptors in the brain, which can reduce cravings and physical stress, resulting in better pain management. It also activates the reward system in the brain, so it can be very helpful, especially in the early days of recovery.
Stress hormones that are initially released under cold stress conditions, such as ACTH and cortisol, will lessen over the course of regular practice of cold water immersion. These hormones decline with time while the positive effects of norepinephrine and dopamine are maintained helping one to feel calm in stressful situations more easily.
Improved circulation through the internal organs such as the liver and brain
As the hypothalamus senses the decreased temperature it signals the body to adapt in order to maintain a stable core body temperature. Vasoconstriction in the extremities redirects blood to the core of the body. The vasoconstriction process of blood being redirected from the extremities and gathered in the core occurs rapidly in the early stages of cold immersion. As this occurs, glucose is pumped from the liver to the heart and other organs, thereby increasing the metabolic activity of the cells. Heat production results from this type of increased metabolic activity.
When the brain gets perfused with blood, just like any other organ of the body, it functions better, has less inflammation, and has improved detoxification, all of which help in the recovery process.
Decreased Symptoms of Depression
Some studies demonstrate that cold water immersion can help alleviate depression by stimulating norepinephrine production, naturally boosting mood and energy.
Cold water immersion has been shown to help support a healthy immune system and decrease inflammation – it helps reduce inflammation in the brain as well, contributing to less feelings of depression.
Strengthening of the will
It takes something deep within to sit in freezing cold water while the racing heart and increased respiration send signals throughout the body that one is in danger. What keeps one from jumping out? The will. Strengthening this force within oneself makes it easier when encountering other situations that cause thoughts and desires to be activated. As the will grows and discipline is practiced, temptations to use drugs and alcohol can seem like just a passing breeze, easily overcome.
Optimal Dosages of Cold
Temperatures of less than 64°F are needed to trigger beneficial non-shivering cold-induced thermogenesis. Temperatures less than approximately 44°F with ten to twenty-minute total time exposures tend to correlate with positive outcomes for several days (Roberts et al, 2015) including changes in proinflammatory cytokines and white blood cells. Cold showers of less than 30 seconds when done consecutively over 30 days also has been shown to have immune enhancing effects and decrease fatigue. (Soule, 2021) Women may need shorter duration, less frequency, and higher temperatures than these, due to their increased sensitivity to cold temperatures compared to men. (Sims, 2023)
Law of Action and Reaction
“We are just beginning to understand the benefit of cold water immersion.” is the message in a recent article. (Stone, 2023) However, in Henry Lindlahr’s book “Nature Cure” originally published more than 100 years ago in 1914 and used as a foundational text in the field of naturopathic medicine, he describes the mechanism and benefits of cold water immersion in detail.
"Every therapeutic agent affecting the human organism has a primary, temporary, and a secondary, permanent effect. The secondary, lasting effect is contrary to the primary, transient effect… the first, transient effect of cold-water applications upon the body as a whole or any particular part is to chill the surface and send the blood scurrying inward, leaving the skin in a chilled, bloodless condition. This lack of blood and sensation of cold are at once telegraphed over the afferent nerves to headquarters in the brain, and from there the command goes forth to the nerve centers regulating the circulation: "Send blood into the surface!" As a result, the circulation is stirred up and accelerated throughout the system and the blood rushes with force into the depleted skin, flushing the surface of the body with warm, red blood and restoring to it the rosy color of health. This is the secondary effect. In other words, the well-applied cold-water treatment is followed by a good reaction, and this is accompanied by many permanent beneficial results.” (Lindlahr, 2006, Chp 28)
These permanent results from changes in circulation are many, he goes on to say, most significantly the continual elimination of “impurities and morbid matter” which are the primary causes of acute and chronic diseases.
Special Considerations
Those with an underlying heart condition will want to use caution. In some rare cases, jumping into extremely cold water can cause a heart attack due in part to the rapid vasoconstriction that occurs and the simultaneous sympathetic and parasympathetic inverse responses to cold water.
Lindlahr cautions on the use of water that is too cold or icy for chronic disease and states therapies must be regulated by patients' individual conditions and by their powers of reaction. (Lindlahr, 2006, Chp 28) Increasing the frequency and duration or cold water immersion sessions over several weeks, and decreasing water temperature over time is recommended for those in their senior years or with lowered vitality.
RESOURCES
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