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Comment by WillPostForFood | Hacker News Reader

What’s the theory behind the cold shower?

One theory is that it is supposed to reduce tissue inflammation.

for me it wakes me the f up. It's strong like having drunk coffee or something. Results may vary of course, but works wonders for me and my focus during the day.

I know of an old woman who's beed ice-cold bucketing for years and looks great and hasn't been sick in a long time. Does this with -20C outside too. Yet I find I may get sick easier if it's too cold outside and I go all out freezing shower.

I believe there is research into anti-depressive effects of cold water exercise too. It seems to be helpful when treating stubborn depression that doesn't respond to other treatments.

The topic was covered in a BBC programme:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p047z13f

I still do cold showers, but just finishing with cold water for a short interval, 20 seconds or so. That seems to be entirely beneficial (I don't remember were I read it but there's some other cold shower expert recommending not going longer than that)

I've been doing cold showers after working out ... but when I do, I'm freezing _the entire day_. Does this happen to anyone else?

Does attire affect your temperature perception? I mean, maybe you're just not wearing enough...

Nothing different than I usually wear ... t-shirt and jeans, and I keep my house at 74 degrees (it's usually a bit warmer in my office). Under normal circumstances, as you can imagine, I find it quite comfortable.

But if s/he just went running s/he is probably pretty awake.

Google for Wim Hoff. It's Wim, not Jim.

And it's Hof, not Hoff. ;-)

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