Cardiovascular and Mood Responses to an Acute Bout of Cold Water Immersion
Cold water immersion, or exposing the body to cold temperatures, has been found to have positive effects on both our cardiovascular and mood responses.
That's why today I'm going to discuss how our bodies react to cold water immersion and why it may have a positive impact on our overall well-being.
So what happens to your cardiovascular system when you take a cold shower or jump into an icy lake?
Cold water immersion can improve blood flow and circulation, as well as increase the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that helps relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
Cold Water and Heart Rate
What's interesting is that the magnitude of the increase in heart rate varies depending on the water temperature and duration of exposure. In cold water, heart rate can increase from its baseline. This is due to the body's natural response to maintain core body temperature in cold environments.
One fascinating study by Hani Al Haddad and colleagues aimed to see how immersing highly trained swimmers in cold water every day would affect their heart rate and overall well-being. They recruited eight highly trained swimmers, four men and four women, with an average age of 19.6 years.
These swimmers were put through their typical training schedule for two weeks (5 days a week, about 21 hours total). At the end of each training day, they were randomly assigned to either sit in cold water (15°C) for 5 minutes.
In the mornings before their first training session, participants would rate their well-being and have their heart rate recorded for 5 minutes while lying down.
Their heart rate was then used to calculate a measure called Ln rMSSD, which is an indicator of parasympathetic activity (the part of our nervous system associated with rest and relaxation).
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Firstly, let's talk about the cardiovascular effects.
The results showed that when participants used cold water immersion compared to the control condition, they had a possible improvement in their parasympathetic activity on the second day, a likely improvement on the third day, a very likely improvement on the fourth day, and another likely improvement on the fifth day.
Additionally, using cold water immersion was associated with better perceived sleep quality compared to the control group. This study suggests that 5 minutes of cold water immersion after training can help reduce the usual decrease in parasympathetic activity and improve how well swimmers perceive their sleep quality.
This could potentially be beneficial for highly trained athletes to help them recover from training and maintain their overall well-being.
Next, let have a look at the effects of cold water immersion on blood pressure. Will it increase or decrease it? And how will this be beneficial to your health?
The following study will tell.
Cold Water and Blood Pressure
Does the idea of jumping into a cold shower make your heart race? It might surprise you to learn that drinking cold water or cold carbonated water can improve baroreflex function and raise blood pressure in orthostatic pre-syncope patients.
In an interesting study by Satoshi Kubota and colleagues, the effects of drinking different types of water on blood pressure were examined in healthy younger and older adults.
Specifically, the researchers were interested in whether drinking cold or carbonated water would result in a greater increase in blood pressure compared to room temperature water. This is because water has been suggested as a potential treatment for low blood pressure, which can cause dizziness and fainting.
To conduct the study, 13 younger adults (average age of 19.9 years) and nine older adults (average age of 71.4 years) were asked to drink 200 mL of either cold, cold carbonated, or room temperature water while their blood pressure and heart rate were monitored using non-invasive methods.
The results showed that drinking both cold and cold carbonated water led to a greater increase in blood pressure compared to room temperature water, in both younger and older participants.
This pressor response was also sustained during the recovery period, meaning that blood pressure remained higher for some time after drinking the water. Interestingly, older participants showed a stronger pressor response than younger participants.
These findings suggest that even small amounts of cold and carbonated water can effectively raise blood pressure and may be a useful first aid method for acute hypotension.
This could potentially help prevent dizziness and fainting in situations where blood pressure suddenly drops. The study also provides insight into the differences between younger and older adults in their response to different types of water.
Cold Water and Mood
In addition to its effects on the cardiovascular system, cold water immersion has also been linked to improvements in mood. Many people have experienced a "rush" of adrenaline and an increased sense of alertness after plunging into icy cold water, which may be attributed to the release of endorphins.
But what does the research say about this? A study by Emma L. Reed and colleagues, published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, sought to explore the effects of cold water immersion on vascular function and psychological health.
In this study, 14 healthy young adults participated in a session of cold water immersion for 30 minutes. Blood flow in their arm was measured before, during, and after the immersion using ultrasound imaging. The participants also completed surveys assessing their mood and emotions before and after the immersion.
The results showed that there were minimal changes in blood flow during the immersion, but the greatest changes occurred at the end of the 30-minute post-immersion period.
Another study on mood and cold water immersion
Another study by John S. Kelly, and colleagues examined how taking a dip in cold water can improve our mood. This is based on the increasing anecdotal and scientific evidence that suggests swimming in cold water has positive effects on our emotions.
The specific reasons behind this are still not clear, but it could be due to the physical exercise of swimming or the effects of being exposed to cold temperatures.
The study involved 64 undergraduate students who completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, which is used to measure different aspects of mood.
The following week, 42 participants were asked to immerse themselves in cold sea water for up to 20 minutes while another group of 22 acted as controls and did not participate in the immersion.
The results showed that the group who underwent cold-water immersion experienced a significant improvement in mood, with a decrease of 15 points on the POMS scale. This is compared to the control group who only had a 2-point decrease.
Specifically, positive aspects such as vigor and esteem-related affect increased significantly, while negative aspects like tension, anger, depression, fatigue, and confusion all decreased.
The researchers wanted to ensure that the improvement in mood was not solely due to the physical activity of swimming. Therefore, they made sure that swimming was not the primary activity during the immersion and found that there was still a significant increase in mood.
This further supports the idea that cold temperatures alone can have a positive effect on our emotions.
This study shows that taking a dip in cold water is a safe and effective way to improve mood, even in young and healthy individuals. The results also suggest that it is not just the physical activity of swimming, but cold temperatures themselves that have a positive impact on our emotions.
Interestingly, 3 hours after the immersion, participants reported feeling less negative emotions and their levels of the stress hormone cortisol were reduced. This highlights the potential use of cold water immersion to target psychological well-being.
This study suggests that cold water immersion may have benefits for psychological health, particularly in reducing negative emotions. Therefore the next time you take an icy dip or use cold therapy, remember that it may not only be good for your body but also your mind!
Another study showing cold water immersion is the real deal for positive emotions
Do you sometimes feel like negative emotions are taking the better part of you? You might be surprised to know that cold water immersion has been linked to promoting positive emotions.
A study by Ala Yankouskaya and colleagues focused on the effects of short-term cold-water immersion on mood and brain connectivity. The researchers wanted to see if there was a connection between the changes in mood after cold-water immersion and changes in brain activity.
The study involved thirty-three healthy adults aged between 20-45 years old, with an equal number of males and females. They were all new to cold-water swimming and were asked to take a 5-minute bath in water that was 20°C (68°F) in temperature.
Before and after the immersion, the participants' brain connectivity and self-reported emotional states were measured. The results showed that after the cold-water bath, the participants reported feeling more positive emotions such as being active, alert, attentive, proud, and inspired. They also reported feeling less distressed and nervous.
The changes in positive emotions were found to be linked to the connections between different areas of the brain responsible for attention control, emotion regulation, and self-control.
These findings suggest that short-term cold-water immersion can have a positive impact on brain function, which may contribute to the reported improvement in mood.
Affect & blood biomarkers
There were also changes in how the participants felt and their blood markers after being immersed in cold water for a certain amount of time.
Positive feelings did not change after 30 minutes or 180 minutes, while negative feelings decreased after 180 minutes compared to before the immersion.
However, there were no significant changes in the levels of endorphins (chemicals that make us feel good) or cortisol (a stress hormone) during or 30 minutes after the immersion.
After 180 minutes, cortisol levels were lower compared to before the immersion. This was measured through a survey and blood tests taken before and after being in cold water for different lengths of time.
The results showed that the changes in negative feelings were more pronounced after 180 minutes of being immersed in cold water. These findings further support the use of cold water immersion as a potential therapy for reducing stress and improving overall well-being.
Final Remarks
Cold water immersion is a simple and accessible way to improve mood and promote positive emotions. The studies discussed show that even a short dip in cold water can have significant effects on our mental well-being, with changes observed in mood, brain activity, and biomarkers of stress.
The next time you're feeling down, consider taking a refreshing plunge into cold water to give yourself a boost of positivity. And remember, always practice safety measures and listen to your body's limits when engaging in cold water immersion activities.
Key Protocols and Takeaway
Doing cold water immersion for two weeks, 5 days a week (15°C) for 5 minutes leads to improvement in parasympathetic activity
Small amounts of cold and carbonated water can effectively raise blood pressure and may be a useful first aid method for acute hypotension.
Cold water immersion for 30 minutes improves your mood
Taking a 5-minute bath in water that was 20°C (68°F) in temperature leads to positive emotions
Susanna