What are the best protocols for cold exposure?

Sources:

The best protocols for cold exposure as discussed by are as follows:

  1. Fat Loss Optimization Protocol: This protocol involves shivering through cooling and rewarming the body to induce fat loss and other health benefits. The process of moving from a cold environment to a slightly warmer one is where shivering kicks in, aiding in fat loss and resilience against inflammation 1.

  2. Deliberate Cold Exposure for Mental Health and Performance: This protocol includes deliberate cold exposure to increase norepinephrine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline release, which improves mental performance, resilience, mood, and cognitive attention. It teaches one to maintain mental clarity and calm during stressful situations, enhancing resilience 2 3.

    Cold Exposure Protocol

    Andrew discusses a free cold exposure protocol that can be accessed on the website of The Cold Plunge. The protocol is focused on inducing shiver through cooling and rewarming the body, which can help with fat loss and other health benefits.

    Huberman Lab

    How to Lose Fat with Science-Based Tools | Huberman Lab Podcast #21
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  3. Cold Shower Protocol: Ending a warm shower with a blast of cold water can be invigorating and has been linked to enhancing cognitive function 4.

  4. Temperature Guidelines for Cold Exposure: The ideal temperature for cold exposure is one that is safe to enter and remain in for 30 seconds to 3 minutes while being uncomfortable enough to induce the impulse to exit due to adrenaline release 5.

  5. Cold Exposure for Physical Performance: Guidelines include avoiding cold water immersion up to the neck for four hours immediately following strength and hypertrophy training to not inhibit muscle growth. However, cold showers after such training are unlikely to have the same adverse effect 6.

  6. Building Resilience Protocol: This protocol involves starting with a comfortable duration in deliberate cold exposure and incrementally increasing the time or decreasing the temperature to build mental toughness and navigate the release of stress hormones 7.

notes that cold exposure is a reliable stimulus for increasing catecholamines which can improve mood and attention levels for extended periods 2. Cold exposure after high-intensity training can also reduce muscle soreness and improve training efficacy 8.

For more detailed explanations of these protocols, please see the respective sources cited.

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