Research proves cold exposure can boost dopamine by up to 250%.
What does that mean for us ADHDers?
More motivation
Deeper focus / less distracted
Elevated mood
Cold exposure is also proven to reduce cortisol levels (a hormone we associate with negative stress).
Instead, cold exposure increases something called “use stress” (a positive stress — like that caused by exercise).
Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Taking a three to five minute ice bath (the time it takes to see most benefits) we first need to build up our tolerance to cold water.
We do that with cold showers.
Step one: your first cold shower
Baby steps.
Always, baby steps.
Your first cold shower should be ten seconds.
This isn’t going to boost your dopamine, make you more focused, or elevate your mood. But it will condition your body for longer cold showers and, finally, the ice bath.
99% of people go wrong here.
They get excited by the massive benefits and attempt a long shower, find it excruciating, and then stop. Forever
What a shame.
By taking baby steps, starting at ten seconds, your cardiovascular system will get used to the cold and before long you’ll crave longer sessions.
My advice: for week one, take a hot shower (as usual) followed by ten seconds of cold at the end. Always finish on cold.
Step two:
Add another ten seconds.
After a week at ten seconds, you’ll start to want more.
Increase to twenty seconds after a hot shower.
As the cold water hits your body, rub the water all over yourself. Cover each part of your body, including your head.
Do another week before increasing the time.
Step three:
Increase time under cold every week.
You’re now getting into it. You’re gaining confidence under the cold water. You’re starting to get excited by what cold exposure can give to you.
But please remain patient.
I’ll get you to the ice bath if you follow these steps.
Increase by ten seconds every week until you reach one minute.
Next, you’ll be increasing by thirty seconds per week…
Step four:
Add thirty seconds per week (up to 2.5 mins)
We’re officially leaving baby steps. Shit gets real here. You’re now doing your hot shower as usual, but taking ninety seconds under cold water at the end.
From here you’ll notice your body temperature drop after the shower. This is good, it gives you the opportunity to increase it naturally.
We do that using Wim Hof’s Horse Stance exercise.
Here’s how:
Step five:
Ditching the hot shower.
Now you’re doing at least 2.5 minutes in the cold shower, it’s time to drop the hot and take a cold shower from beginning to end.
Before you enter the shower, do 30 seconds of deep breathing to prepare your cardiovascular system for the hit of the cold water.
Here’s how:
Deep breath in through the nose (3 seconds)
Deep breath out through the mouth (3 seconds
Fill the lungs as much as possible
Allow the air to fall out naturally (don’t push it)
When you’re ready, enter the shower.
Continue to breathe deeply, rubbing water across your body, making sure to get plenty on your chest (around your heart).
After 2.5 minutes, turn off the water, exit the shower, dry yourself, and immediately begin the horse stance exercise from part four.
Step five:
Your first ice bath.
I recommend starting with a cold water bath (no ice).
Why?
To get used to it.
Submerging your body in extremely cold water is a whole different ball game from the cold shower.
It feels unnatural at first. So the first step towards taking an ice bath here is to do a cold bath without the ice.
If you managed a couple of minutes you’re going to feel many of the benefits anyway.
Then, when you’re ready, you can add the ice at a later date.
But DON’T rush it.
Think about where you’ve come from.
You were once the sort of person who thought cold showers were impossible. Now you’re willingly chucking yourself into an ice bath.
I believe this is possible for most of you.
I’ve seen several coaching clients go through this transformation in just a few months.
Good luck.
If you need more advice, leave a comment below!
Thank you so much for reading.
Took the plunge and just started doing weekly cold/ice baths two weeks ago! Started doing it to decompress after a long day/week but aiming to try it in the morning one day. I absolutely love it