The increasingly cold temperatures experienced with the approach of winter should not scare people, according to some therapists, quite the opposite. Some research, presented by the famous Wim Hof, shows that exposure to cold brings a state of well-being to the body.
Wim Hof. Source: his Facebook page, Wim Hof
Just as humans fed their sugar cravings, they also fed their heat preference. This is one of the reasons why we are often afraid of the cold, informs the website of the famous Wim Hof.
The endurance athlete nicknamed “The Iceman” is one of the most popular promoters of cold baths and therapeutic exposure of the body to low temperatures.
Wim Hof is famous for his extreme performances in the cold: he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, ran a half-marathon in the Arctic Circle barefoot, and survived for 112 minutes in a container covered with ice cubes.
Due to his performances, his lifestyle and his therapeutic methods, breathing and cold exposure, he became extremely popular in the virtual space. His YouTube channel has almost three million fans and his Facebook page has almost one million followers.
“People in cold countries are more likely to be happy”
According to him, research shows that the cold can increase the feeling of happiness.
“Cool temperatures increase happiness and reduce fatigue and stress, while warm temperatures make you more exhausted and decrease happiness. That’s why you should embrace the cold and add more of it to your life”informs the website wimhofmethod.com.
Wim Hof also offers some explanations for how cool weather can contribute to people’s sense of well-being.
“When it’s cold, your body has to work harder, which increases the production of endorphins. More endorphins in your body puts you in a happier mood and relieves stress at the same time. The cold can help you get more energy and boost your focus. This may also be one of the reasons why people in cold countries such as Finland, Norway, Iceland and Sweden are more likely to be happy than people in countries with warmer climates. In hot climates or hot summer days, it can be difficult to focus and feel energized. Heat takes a lot of energy from your body. To remedy this, a cold shower in the morning can help you feel better, boost your energy levels and increase your willpower”the athlete’s website shows.
Exercising in the cold has many physical and emotional benefits, and several types of research have shown that people can train better and run faster in cooler temperatures.
“Because the cold allows you to increase speed and intensity, it means you burn more calories. This is another good reason why you should exercise in cold weather! So, put on warm clothes and don’t skip your outdoor training in winter. And even in the summer, it is better to exercise early in the morning, just before the sun rises and warms the day. During extreme heat, it can even be dangerous to exercise vigorously”shows the therapist.
In recent years, cold therapy and exposing the body to cold has gained serious popularity, being associated, according to Wim Hof, with numerous benefits for physical and mental health.
“Exposing the body to cold reduces inflammation, swelling, high blood pressure and relieves symptoms caused by autoimmune diseases. What’s more, cold body therapy is associated with improved quality sleep, more focus, and even an improved immune response.” this one shows.
Forcing exposure to the cold does not bring good, it does not bring development and it can cause destruction, he states, in a clip on his YouTube channel, watched by almost three million people.
Promoters of exposure to low temperatures
And other therapists have claimed that frequent exposure to cold and cold water baths can bring a number of health benefits to the body. Galina Shatalova (1916 – 2011), one of the famous doctors of the former Soviet Union, was among the supporters of cold exposure therapy and cold water baths, using it as a method of curing some ailments.
American scientist Andrew Huberman, one of YouTube’s most popular health content creators, began his academic career studying the effects of deliberate exposure to low temperatures on the body.
According to him, exposure to cold causes a significant release of epinephrine (adrenaline), a hormone with intense effects on blood circulation, and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) in the brain and body.
However, it advises people not to venture into dangerous waters and not to start cold exposure exercises or cold showers and baths at very low temperatures to prevent shock.
