Dani's Rebel Log

[Dani_Shugart]

Cold Exposure: Thoughts and Strategies

1. Cold showers and ice baths suck in the winter in Colorado. Cool thing is, you don’t have to take them. Just step outside in a bathing suit or shorts and a sports bra.

2. Cover your extremities. Think gloves, socks, beanie. My fingertips would’ve gotten frostbite this morning if I hadn’t kept them warm. If gloves aren’t enough, use some of those Hot Hands things at first. Then see if you can eventually set them down.

3. Play an audiobook or podcast. Sometimes it’s not the discomfort that prevents you from continuing, but boredom or overthinking.

4. Move around as much as you want. Once you get used to the cold, step away from your house so that the breeze and the snowflakes can hit your body.

5. See if you can calm your nervous system and embrace the cold.

6. Note how long you went and try to go a little longer the next time.

7. It will be easier if your core temperature is slightly elevated. So take your dog on a brisk walk first or have a dance party in your kitchen. Whatever works for you.

8. If none of this seems reasonable, commit to just one minute. Then the next time, try intervals. Go a minute, get back inside the house for a minute, then do another. I might do this when the temperature is insanely cold with a massive wind-chill factor.

NOTE: A lot of cold exposure experts say that in order to get the benefits you need to be shivering, but others say the opposite. So I actually don’t know what’s true. My body didn’t shiver this morning and I was outside for just over 15 minutes. It was 13 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 celsius).

Why Do This?

• Mindset: If you can master your own discomfort, you can do a lot of things. I always feel energized and extroverted afterward… like an extreme bubbliness. Maybe I need to join a local club for this type of thing.

• Cold Tolerance: Do this often enough, and 13 degrees fully clothed will seem warm and cozy.

• Increased Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT): Cold exposure increases BAT, which burns more calories by creating heat (thermogenesis). The more BAT you build, the better your metabolism.

• Challenge: It’s just fun.

[QuadQueen]

@Dani_Shugart

Challenge: It’s just fun.

It’s been RIDICULOUSLY cold here and the past three days I’ve been making myself drive to work without turning the heat on. I park in a detached garage, so my car isn’t warm when I get in and I have a 15 minute drive.

Tuesday morning the outside temp was -12 degrees F, Wednesday -10 degrees F, and today -5 degrees F. Once i get to work, I have about a 3 to 5 minute walk to the door.

Every single second of this roughly 20 minutes is terrible. But…

@Dani_Shugart

If you can master your own discomfort, you can do a lot of things. I always feel energized and extroverted afterward… like an extreme bubbliness.

and

@Dani_Shugart

Challenge:

I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call it “fun” but… lol

[Dani_Shugart]

@QuadQueen

I’ve been making myself drive to work without turning the heat on.

This is such a tough challenge. What you’re doing is a thousand times harder. When getting into a cold car, that first instinct is to crank up the heat. Way to gooooo! I might have to steal your idea. And by might, I mean definitely.

You know what’s so weird? No idea what this phenomenon is, but I sometimes feel colder with a jacket and tons of layers on than I do in a swimsuit or exercise clothing. It’s like the brain primes you for what’s coming, and then you’re like, “well, this is okay.”

But I haven’t experienced it with any temps below zero. So we’ll see if that magic trick holds up when our temperatures get to where yours are. HA!

@QuadQueen

I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call it “fun” but… lol

I bet that if you weren’t sitting in a car, it’d be a different experience. Driving in traffic, restricted to a seat, heading to work, freezing sounds like torture!

Wearing workout clothes or bathing suit while moving around outdoors might have a different effect.

[jshaving]

@QuadQueen

Tuesday morning the outside temp was -12 degrees F, Wednesday -10 degrees F, and today -5 degrees F.

It’s been crazy. Windchill was like -30 a few days ago and now next week is going to be 50.

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

@Dani_Shugart

A lot of cold exposure experts say that in order to get the benefits you need to be shivering, but others say the opposite. So I actually don’t know what’s true.

I think it depends which benefits you’re looking for.

For better stress management, shivering is probably a no… the point is to get used to your body screaming at you to panick and the corresponding cortisol spike.

For fat loss… shivvering is extremely effective.

Ice baths are way harder than being outside (even if really cold outside) IMO… water is a better conductor of heat than air.

I wouldnt call it “fun” though, lol

[Dani_Shugart]

@Andrewgen_Receptors

For better stress management, shivering is probably a no… the point is to get used to your body screaming at you to panick and the corresponding cortisol spike.

For fat loss… shivvering is extremely effective.

Thank you!

This is really helpful. Yeah, right now I’m more interested in the psychological benefits. #alreadyripped #justkidding

@Andrewgen_Receptors

Ice baths are way harder than being outside (even if really cold outside) IMO… water is a better conductor of heat than air.

I believe it. Getting in an ice bath is so much harder. And that explains something I was wondering about today. The temps in a lot of ice baths are well above freezing and they’re almost unbearable for more than a few minutes. But today’s low was 13 and I felt pretty good for 15 minutes.

[QuadQueen]

@jshaving

now next week is going to be 50.

I know! I can’t wait! We just have to power through!

[QuadQueen]

@Dani_Shugart

You know what’s so weird? No idea what this phenomenon is, but I sometimes feel colder with a jacket and tons of layers on than I do in a swimsuit or exercise clothing.

I totally agree! Sometimes I’ll take the trash out in shorts and a sweatshirt and it’s like, not bad. So weird…

@Dani_Shugart

I bet that if you weren’t sitting in a car, it’d be a different experience. Driving in traffic, restricted to a seat, heading to work, freezing sounds like torture!

It’s kind of crazy - but yeah, walking from the car into work - even with the wind - was better than sitting in car driving.

@Dani_Shugart

Wearing workout clothes or bathing suit while moving around outdoors might have a different effect.

I’ll try it out - next year. lol

[alex_uk]

@Andrewgen_Receptors

IMO… water is a better conductor of heat than air.

Not just your opinion - fact.

Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air because it has a greater density (therefore a greater heat capacity). This is particularly effective/noticeable in moving water.

I still cold shower and it’s still miserable, but I’m better at it these days.

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

@alex_uk

@Andrewgen_Receptors

IMO… water is a better conductor of heat than air.

Not just your opinion - fact.

I used the “IMO” as a prophylactic as i didnt want to deep dive into thermodynamics before committing to a comment.

Like, i know it is a better conductor of heat, but i dont know know, you know?

God, i love abusing the English language.

[Dani_Shugart]

@alex_uk

This is particularly effective/noticeable in moving water.

That must be why you have to move around a bit in a freezing bath. The water closest to your body will start to warm up; particularly near the armpits.

@alex_uk

I still cold shower and it’s still miserable, but I’m better at it these days.

Brave soul. Cold showering in the winter is really tough.

[Dani_Shugart]

@Andrewgen_Receptors

I used the “IMO” as a prophylactic as i didnt want to deep dive into thermodynamics before committing to a comment.

Like, i know it is a better conductor of heat, but i dont know know, you know?

That is weirdly relatable.

So immersion in water is harder and more beneficial. But what if we’re not comparing the same time spent doing it and the same temperature?

Seems like there would be some amount of compensation you can do to make up for air not being as good a conductor as water, wouldn’t you think?

At what point in playing with the variables of time and temp could a person get the same benefits? That would be such a cool study.

But then again, it may be one of those things that’s completely dependent on the individual. And if a person is more cold-tolerant, they may not get as many benefits as a more cold-intolerant person, no matter how much they subject themselves to cold water or air.

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

@Dani_Shugart

At what point in playing with the variables of time and temp could a person get the same benefits? That would be such a cool study.

I can think of a group of… scientists… likely to have experimented on such things in the 40s. Maybe they know? Lets ask NASA
#ShittyDarkHumor

I think for the purposes of mental health, water submersion is going to be unparalleled because it has the shock factor you need to trigger that cortisol response.

But i think for shivvering, cold air exposure would be superior. You can stay cold in air for a while before going hypothermic, so you could shiver longer. In water, it takes minutes.

[Friedrich]

I read John 18 this morning. I keep a copy of the NRSV Bible in my desk. A co-worker who is Episcopalian gave it to me. My daughter is Episcopalian also. I enjoy attending services with both of them. I have a Catholic Bible at home and a King James version. I obviously have plenty of opportunity to read. I will keep giving it a try. A gentle reminder on occasion would be OK.

[Dani_Shugart]

@Friedrich

A gentle reminder on occasion would be OK.

Sounds good! I often need that reminder too.

[Dani_Shugart]

@Andrewgen_Receptors

I can think of a group of… scientists… likely to have experimented on such things in the 40s. Maybe they know? Lets ask NASA

@Andrewgen_Receptors

I think for the purposes of mental health, water submersion is going to be unparalleled because it has the shock factor you need to trigger that cortisol response.

Okay this is going to sound crazy… but I’m testing something specific. Not even sure if you could call it mental health related, but more like controlling a psycho-somatic response.

And of course, if I don’t actually get the weird result I’m after, maybe I can still get a placebo effect by just thinking it works. Plus I’ll absolutely take the side effects that come with cold exposure, like being able to tolerate freezing temps during early morning walks and development of brown adipose tissue.

So here’s the main thing I’m after: I want to be able to calm my nerves and mentally self-sooth in uncomfortable situations. We have our stand-up showcase in a week and I feel confident with my material. Heck, I even feel relatively confident about my energy and presentation.

But I want to own the stage. And if the jitters pop up, I want to have the skill to turn them into excitement instead of anxiety. (There was a study on this – not with cold – but just with verbal assertions, and it’s been useful as well.)

Now, obviously, the body’s not experiencing the same thing when you’re standing in 20 degrees wearing very little and when you’re standing on a stage trying to get strangers to laugh at you.

BUT… I think there might be something there.

And if not, I’m going to pretend like there is. Because in doing this, I’ve been feeling way more energetic and enthusiastic, which is obnoxious for everyone else but super fun for me. Also this morning, when a gust of snowy wind hit me in the face while walking Kipper, I thought, “Pfffft, that’s nothing. I just stood in my backyard in a bikini for 15 minutes in this same weather.”

(I may need to graduate to the cold water this week, just for the shock factor as you mentioned above.)

@Andrewgen_Receptors

But i think for shivvering, cold air exposure would be superior. You can stay cold in air for a while before going hypothermic, so you could shiver longer. In water, it takes minutes.

I’d buy that. It makes sense.

[Dani_Shugart]

Full-ish Body Workout

Abs

Booty Blaster

Barbell RDL

Leg Press

Machine Chest Press

Chest-Supported Row

Shoulder is ticked off still. So no isolation. The back and chest work felt sufficient today.

Other Stuff

Anyone else have low tolerance for high volume or competing sounds?

They’d be so pissed.

Thought this was cool.

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

@Dani_Shugart

I want to be able to calm my nerves and mentally self-sooth in uncomfortable situations.

Ice baths 100%

The immediate brain response is a survival mechanism… floods your brain with holyfuckthisiscoldandimgonnadieifidontgetoutrightnow energy. Also known as cortisol.
When you’re nervous on stage, you get the same cortisol, but without the actual threat of freezing and dying.

I wont promise an increase in confidence, but youll be better at managing cortisol and stressful situations. Arguably, you’ll just be better at handling and tackling challenges in life too.

Something worth noting: its a short lived effect… like it’ll help you the day you do it and maybe somewhat the day afterwards, but that’s it.

You also build up a tolerance to it over the course of about 3 months (if you do it daily).
So you could either time it to coincide with anticipated stressful events (think finals week or having in-laws come over), or you could just do it on the day of the stressful thing… in your case, do a cold plunge the day of your standup class.

Another note… dont tense up doing the cold plunge. The trick is to relax while making your body think you’re dying.

Yes, its as dumb as it sounds.

May also be useful to steady aim during your shooting comps, but idk if thats an issue for you. I also know nothing of shooting comps except for what you and Chris post here - rifles are more my thing.

[Dani_Shugart]

@Andrewgen_Receptors

Ice baths 100%

The immediate brain response is a survival mechanism… floods your brain with holyfuckthisiscoldandimgonnadieifidontgetoutrightnow energy. Also known as cortisol.
When you’re nervous on stage, you get the same cortisol, but without the actual threat of freezing and dying.

YES. Did it this morning! Thank you for helping me figure this out!

It was exactly as you described above, in that scientifically-accurate-super-long-word above, and it was absolutely brutal but perfect.

So when getting into the tub, my body’s first physical response was breathlessness. This is actually one of the things that’s happened when I’ve gotten nervous on stage. So it simulated that really well. Plus, it created a physical sense of urgency… or the feeling of “get me outta here NOW!”

But I was able to slow my breathing, and go through my set twice… with pauses, inflection, and improvised tags. I actually laughed my ass off while freezing my ass off. The whole thing took 15-ish minutes.

I’m so stoked about how well this worked.

@Andrewgen_Receptors

Another note… dont tense up doing the cold plunge. The trick is to relax while making your body think you’re dying.

Exactly right. The whole point is to relax your body when it’s wanting to tense up. Same as on stage. And if you can do that, the brain will follow. A person who acts relaxed will then feel relaxed… and a person who feels relaxed will be able to act that way. It’s gotta be some sort of feedback loop.

That meme is perfect. And that might be one of the reasons that I think cold exposure is fun (sometimes). Because you can train yourself to like it by leaning into it, approaching it as a form of training, and learning to relax.

I also believe it helps build the anterior mid-cingulate cortex (AMCC), which Andrew Huberman talks about a lot. It’s the part of the brain that grows when you lean into challenges, and helps you become more capable of future challenges.

For anyone swinging by this log, here’s a bit about that:

Andrew Huberman on Anterior Mid Cingulate Cortex and His Function

@Andrewgen_Receptors

May also be useful to steady aim during your shooting comps, but idk if thats an issue for you. I also know nothing of shooting comps except for what you and Chris post here - rifles are more my thing.

Also a cool idea! And it makes sense, if you can calm your nerves during a comp then you’ll likely perform better. Especially if anxiety is your biggest weakness during competition. Haha but I probably wouldn’t try to dry fire in an ice bath… it would be just like me to drop a gun in the water.

I’m at the point with shooting that the anxiety isn’t my biggest weakness anymore, but rather speed and skill, the two most important things.

[Dani_Shugart]

There’s a very specific noise you’ll hear when your dog is about to vomit on the carpet at 3:30 am. It’s like a heavy, rhythmic breathing. So that was an eventful wakeup call.

Got an improv performance tonight. Come on out! It’s actually family-friendly, so if you want to catch a flight to Colorado you are welcome to see me act like a popsicle… or a penguin… or anything silly.

Today’s Workout…

Was brought to me by this song:

I focused on very few exercises. Given the lost sleep and the slight nerves about tonight’s thing, I made a deal with myself: Do at least three lifts, get a solid mind-muscle connection, then hit some incline walking. So that’s what happened.

• Abs

• Booty Blaster

• Ham Curls

• Zone-2 Cardio

Cold and Calculated

I had another ice bath today. My self discipline is strongest between 6-9 am and then after that, everything hard will feel so much harder. So today’s session was pretty difficult.

But with ice baths, once you’re submerged (particularly the upper back), then the hardest part is done. That first 20 seconds is the worst. Tolerating the next 10-15 minutes is somehow easier. Especially if you have something to focus on.

When the two smarty-pants guys above said that cold exposure via water was far more effective than air, THEY WERE NOT JOKING.

Getting in a 50 degree (farenheit) bath is deceivingly more painful than standing in 10 degree weather. Even if there’s wind and snow, it’s nothing compared to water. Cold exposure via water is shocking.

But I believe in the benefits of both. And dabbling with the outdoor exposure can work as a stepping stone to ice baths. It builds resilience. Just don’t forget to protect the extremities.

A pic from last week: temp was in the teens, snow was starting to come down, no shivers required.

Then the next day: a little snow.

I think maybe the coolest thing (pun intended) about this, is that walking dogs before sunrise is becoming more enjoyable. I used to dread taking them out in the cold weather, but now being outside – especially in layers – feels like summertime. This morning we had ~40 degree temps and wearing a puffy jacket made me feel like I was overheating.

So, yeah your tolerance for cold weather can shoot up significantly in just one week of cold exposure.

Other Stuff

I get it though. When everything hurts, it’s hard to be motivated. But you can do the hard stuff.

Hope you have some glimmers today.