| In this Summer heat and inspired by the Olympics, I thought about cold water for this week’s Thursday Tips [TT]! You may have heard about the use of ice baths by athletes for muscle recovery. I still recall the London 2012 image of Jessica Ennis (now Ennis-Hill) Olympic gold medallist for the heptathlon, standing in a wheelie-bin of ice water straight from her event! Some of you may be intrigued. Some of you may be put off. But wait! Turns out you may not need to go to that extreme for cold water immersion benefits – just 15 degrees Celsius could be sufficient, particularly in women. And just for 3 minutes.I was surprised when I first heard about this in an interview with exercise physiologist Dr Stacy Sims.How is this relevant to your brain health, you may wonder? 📍3 brain benefits of cold water immersion 1️⃣ Metabolic and cardiovascular health Cold exposure can improve metabolic and cardiovascular health, through mitochondria activation in brown fat, improve insulin response and lipid, which in turns helps your brain circulation and energy. 2️⃣ Mood Improve mood, alertness through the release of endorphins and norepinephrine 3️⃣ Morning Boost A cold morning shower could support your inner body clock (circadian rhythm) to kick start your day! 📍Practical Tips Some practical tips if you’re interested to give this a try! A good time to give it a go, during these hot Summer months! 🌟Finish your shower with cold water 🌟Start with one part of your body (e.g. an arm!) and gradually your whole body 🌟Take a mindful moment here – relax into your breath, and notice the sensation of the cold water in contact with your skin 🌟and count to 10 ☺️ … and extending for longer duration as you wish! 📍Question for you today: Would you consider trying it out this week, if so when? Wishing you a cool, calming practice! Dr Sui Wong MD FRCP *References https://www.drstacysims.com/blog/Cold%20Plunge%20or%20Sweltering%20Sauna https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2024/05/22/jumping-into-the-ice-bath-trend-mental-health-benefits-of-cold-water-immersion/ PMID 30196892 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30196892/ PMID 37816711 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37816711/ PMID 36829490 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36829490/ |
[TT] Go for 15? Gold!
Dr Sui Wong Empowering Your Brain Health 
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