Face Plunge?
This blog post is from the Nurse Kim archives of myth busting. I want to share some "alternative" or maybe just lesser known health and wellness viewpoints for you to chew on.
*These posts are not intended as official medical advice.
They ARE meant to be fun, informative, and thought provoking, hopefully sparking an interest for you to do your own research (you can start with the links I provide!) and discover the marvels of the human body, and how it can function at its optimal performance level if we understand how it works and interacts with our environment and our diet.
I have a passion for health and wellness through lifestyle and nutrition and have done thousands of hours of research in addition to being a registered nurse for 24 years. I have done A LOT of self-experimentation in and around diet, lifestyle, body care, and supplementation and have spent a lot of time looking into the science behind it all (or lack thereof!). Check back regularly for the latest post!
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So what in the world is going on here?
Yes this is me being weird on the weekend, nothing new. But it is for a purpose, I assure you. By now you have probably heard all the hype about cold plunging, and if you haven't allow me to yammer...
Human beings are not at their best in a perfect 70 degree temperature controlled environment at all times. Indoor temperature controls are a modern luxury and not something we had for the vast majority of our human history. Now don't get me wrong, experiencing the extremes for too long would not end well, which is why we always had to battle the elements to stay alive. However, our bodies actually get stronger and more resilient when we are exposed to cold and heat intermittently. This is due to something called hormesis. I have another post you can check out on the subject.
Cold and heat exposure is something that modern biohackers (people obsessed with improving their health, vitality, and longevity) practice regularly, but for most of us, enjoying a daily sauna is not necessarily in the budget. Living in southern California can certainly provide the heat benefits just by letting yourself sweat in the sun in warm weather months, but today I want to talk about the other side of the spectrum... cold... and when considering sauna vs. cold plunge, a much more economical option.
What happens to your body when you cold plunge?
It turns out, a lot of cool things. When we stress our bodies for a short period of time, all kinds of beneficial chemical reactions happen that result in better health. One study showed that a cold plunge caused a 250% increase in dopamine levels, and a 530% increase in noradrenaline levels that lasted for several hours. Dopamine is the hormone that allows us to "feel good." Noradrenaline affects our mood and alertness, and not having enough can result in anxiety and depression.
Cold exposure also strengthens the immune system. Another study conducted followed 3,000 participants and found a 29% reduction in sick days after implementing cold showers. Now this doesn't mean you have to take your entire shower cold, but blasting yourself, especially your face, head, and neck, with cold water for the last minute or two (3 once you work up to it) is the goal.
But wait, there's more!
You can get almost all the same benefits of a cold plunge or shower (which are many more than the ones I listed above) just by putting your face into a bowl of ice water for a few minutes a day. It doesn't get any simpler than that! The reason being, there are way more receptors in the face, head, and neck than the rest of the body so your body responds with all those great chemical reactions by just submerging the face.
You get additional benefits because there are unique advantages of also holding your breath involving the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system such as slowing of the heart rate and constricting blood vessels in the body, redirecting the oxygen-rich blood to sensitive cells, specifically in the brain. This improves mood and alertness, and reduces anxiety. Facial plunges can also promote healthier, less inflamed facial skin.
As for me, I thought this might be an easier approach than the plunge or shower (which are both kind of daunting) but let me tell you, getting my face all the way into the bowl and holding it there for 10-15 seconds at a time and repeating was no small task. The cool thing is (pun intended), the body is so resilient, that the tolerance for it increases rapidly in a short period of time. Within just a few tries, I was able to keep my entire face in for the length of time I could hold my breath.
So start slow and give yourself a little grace.
Well... of all the unconventional things I recommend, this probably tops the charts, but hey... it's a new year so we might as well start of with a bang!
So take the (face) plunge and see what kind of benefits you experience!
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