Introducing my new morning routine.
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| | | | For the last few months, I've been waking up with a tight chest and a racing heart. Panic throughout my body before I even have the chance to take off my eye mask. These physical signs of anxiety are familiar to me; I've experienced them throughout my life. But never quite like this. | | In light of this new anxiety era, I've been experimenting with all sorts of calming techniques I can easily do at home. And one remedy in particular has been helping me quite a bit: submerging my body in cold water. | | Conclusive evidence for the benefits of cold water therapy (CWT) is hard to come by. And there are risks to be aware of (which I'll talk more about below). My story today is not intended to make any claims about CWT. Rather, I wanted to share with you all how a simple change to my routine has helped me feel better throughout the day. Let's I dive in. | | | | Take care of yourself,
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline | | | | |
| |  | | Written by Ginger Wojcik
October 4, 2024 • 5 min read | | | | | | | |
| |  | | | Nothing de-stresses me as fast as cold water | | Recently, I enlisted a new therapist. She has a holistic approach to mental health and she's especially keen on somatic therapy, a modality that works with the body (as opposed to the mind) to treat mental health issues. | | Somatic techniques for anxiety relief include shaking your body, breathing deeply, and exposing parts of your body to cold. | | I've been in talk therapy for years putting together pieces of my life story. While knowing the story has helped me build self-compassion, I often left those appointments feeling all shaken up without many — if any — actionable tips for settling back down. | | So when this new therapist ended our first session with a list of physical techniques I could use to activate my sympathetic nervous system, I was all ears. | | In fact, the very next day my boyfriend put a 100-gallon tub in the garage full of cold water. And ever since, he and I have spent 2 minutes each morning and each evening soaking up to our necks. (I haven't mustered the courage for a full dunk yet.) The water isn't icy, I'd guess it to be around 58°F. But it's enough to make me gasp and shiver a little. | | It's still amazing to me how quickly cold water mellows out my physical symptoms. I get in with a pumping heartbeat and a tight chest, and I leave 2 minutes later feeling blanketed by calm. My breathing slows and tension melts away all across my body. These good feelings last an hour or so, which puts me off on the right foot at the beginning of my work day and helps me fall asleep quickly. | | There's limited research to support the benefits of cold water therapy. One small study suggests it may trigger the release of endorphins and other mood-boosting neurotransmitters. Exposing your neck, in particular, to cold water may stimulate your vagus nerve, which sends a signal to slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. | | If you're interested in trying out this technique yourself, you don't need a dunk tank. Simply turn your shower on as cold as you can stand it for as long as you can stand it. Increase duration and decrease temperature gradually over time. | There are also important precautions to take to avoid the potentially dangerous effects of CWT: - Avoid CWT altogether if you have, or if you're at risk for, a heart-related condition (cardiovascular disease, arrhythmia, etc.).
- Always ease into the water slowly (and avoid going head first) to avoid cold water shock, which can, in rare cases, cause a heart attack.
- If you're plunging in the outdoors, take a buddy with you for safety.
- Speak with a doctor before trying a cold plunge to make sure that it's safe for you.
| | 💌 Over to you: Are you a fan of cold water therapy? Tell us your story at wellnesswire@healthline.com, and you might see your quote featured in an upcoming edition!! | | | | | | |
| | | | Chill out | | | | | | |  | | Medi Grade Cooling Ice Face Mask | | This is another handy tool I use to bring my symptoms down in a pinch. If my anxiety flares and I need a sensation to ground me in reality, I grab this face mask out of the freezer and put it on for a few minutes. I find it's especially helpful for extremely strong bouts of anxiety that don't respond to reason or logic. There's something about the shock of cold on my face that brings me back to a point where I have access to my thinking brain. | | | Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline's or Optum Store's vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Store are owned by RVO Health. | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | *It can not be combined with your health insurance. Healthline and Optum Perks are owned by RVO Health. By using this Optum Perks service, we may receive a tangible benefit. | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Thanks for reading, everyone! If you're dealing with mental health issues of your own, I encourage you to reach out to a loved one or a trained professional. The power of connection and support really can't be overstated. ️ | | | | | | |
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