Introduction
Your body is designed to maintain a core temperature of 37°C, whether you’re in the Arctic or the Sahara. To do this, it relies on two things: heat production and heat loss. In cold weather, your body’s first line of defense is to constrict blood vessels in your extremities to minimize heat loss. It also starts shivering, which generates heat by burning calories. If these mechanisms fail and your core temperature starts to drop, you can experience hypothermia, which can be dangerous or even fatal.
The science behind cold training
Brown fat
When you’re cold, your body improves its ability to burn fat for warmth by creating more brown fat. Brown fat is different from the “white” fat that mainly stores energy. Brown fat contains more blood vessels and is packed with mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells. When active, brown fat generates heat by burning calories.
Researchers are still trying to understand exactly how brown fat works, but they believe that it may be possible to increase its activity to help people lose weight. Some studies have shown that exposure to cold temperatures can activate brown fat and help people burn more calories.
If you want to try this yourself, you can start by spending a few minutes every day in a cool environment, such as a chilly office or an air-conditioned room. You can also take a cool shower or ice bath after your workout. It’s important not to overdo it, though, because too much cold exposure can lead to shivering, which actually burns calories and can make you tired.
Blood flow
Your body is very good at regulating its own temperature. In fact, when you’re cold, your body constricts blood vessels in your extremities to preserve heat for your vital organs. This process is called vasoconstriction.
But what happens if you train in the cold regularly?
Repeated exposure to the cold causes your body to adapt in two ways. First, your body becomes more efficient at constricting and dilating blood vessels in response to changes in temperature. Second, your body starts to produce more of a protein called “cold-shock protein” (CSP). CSP helps keep your blood from clotting, and it also helps protect your cells from stress and damage caused by extreme temperatures.
The benefits of cold training don’t stop there. Research has shown that regular exposure to the cold can improve cardiovascular health, boost immunity, and even help fight inflammation.
The nervous system
The human nervous system is comprised of two main divisions: the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain and the spinal cord; and the peripheral nervous system (PNS), which consists of all the nerves that branch out from the CNS to innervate the rest of the body. The PNS can be further divided into the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary movement, and the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary processes such as heart rate and digestion.
When exposed to cold temperatures, it is the autonomic nervous system that is primarily responsible for mediating our physiological response. This response is mediated by two main branches of the autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
The sympathetic nerve fibers originate from neurons in the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spinal cord and innervate all organs except for those of the gastrointestinal tract. Under normal circumstances, sympathetic activity promotes activities such as increased heart rate, sweating, and pupil dilation – all of which serve to increase blood flow to working muscles and dissipate heat.
In contrast, parasympathetic nerve fibers originate from neurons in the cranial and sacral regions of the spinal cord and primarily innervate organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Under normal circumstances, parasympathetic activity promotes activities such as decreased heart rate and increased intestinal activity – all of which serve to conserve energy and promote rest and digestion.
So what happens when we are exposed to cold temperatures? In general, exposure to colds will result in an increase in sympathetic activity and a decrease in parasympathetic activity. This change in autonomic balance results in an array of physiological changes that help us to withstand exposure to cold temperatures.
How to train your body to withstand the cold
The human body is an amazing thing. It can adapt to all sorts of different conditions and climates. If you’re someone who gets cold easily, you might be wondering if it’s possible to train your body to withstand the cold. The short answer is yes, you can train your body to withstand the cold. There are a few different methods you can use to do this.
Cold showers
Shivering in the cold is your body’s way of trying to warm itself up. But what if you could train your body to withstand the cold—and even enjoy it?
Cold showers are one way to do this. They stimulate your body’s circulation and help you burn calories, while also providing a host of other benefits.
Here’s how to take a cold shower:
- Start with a warm shower to relax your muscles and get your skin wet.
- Gradually turn the temperature down as low as you can tolerate it.
- Start with 30 seconds, then gradually increase the time as you get used to it.
- When you’re finished, turn the temperature back up to warm and enjoy the feeling of invigoration!
Ice baths
Regularly taking ice baths can help your body become more tolerant of cold temperatures. Some research suggests that this may be because ice baths can help improve blood flow and reduce inflammation.
To take an ice bath, fill a tub with cold water and ice cubes. Aim for a water temperature of 50–59°F (10–15°C). Sit in the tub for 10–15 minutes, then slowly get out and dry off.
Cryotherapy
Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is a short-term exposure to extremely cold temperatures. It is usually done in a chamber where liquid nitrogen creates a cold environment.
WBC has been used for many years to treat different medical conditions. It is most often used to relieve pain and inflammation, but it may also be used to boost energy levels or speed up recovery from exercise.
There is some evidence that WBC may help reduce inflammation, but more research is needed to confirm this. WBC may also help improve energy levels and speed up recovery from exercise, but more research is needed in these areas.
If you are interested in trying WBC, it is important to talk to your doctor first and make sure you are healthy enough for this treatment. WBC is not right for everyone, and there are some risks associated with this therapy.
The benefits of cold training
There are many benefits to cold training, including increased calorie burn, increased fat burn, improved circulation, reduced inflammation, and improved recovery from exercise.
While there is no one perfect way to cold train, some methods include taking cold showers or baths, spending time in a cryotherapy chamber, or applying ice packs to the skin.
Cold training can have some drawbacks, such as the risk of frostbite or other injuries. It is important to start slowly and gradually increase the amount of time you spend in the cold. You should also dress appropriately and take breaks if you start to feel too cold.
The risks of cold training
There are a few risks associated with cold training that you should be aware of before you jump in. First, it’s important to ease into cold training gradually. If you go from no exposure to the cold to spending hours in a freezing-cold ice bath, you’re much more likely to experience negative side effects like hypothermia, frostbite, or shock. Second, people with certain medical conditions (including heart conditions, diabetes, and circulation problems) should talk to their doctor before undertaking any kind of cold training, as it could aggravate their condition. Finally, it’s important to be aware of the signs of hypothermia and frostbite so that you can get out of the cold and warm up if you start to experience any of these symptoms.
Conclusion
Overall, there is not enough evidence to say that you can train your body to withstand the cold. Some studies have shown that regular exposure to cold temperatures may help improve your tolerance to cold, but more research is needed. If you do decide to expose yourself to cold temperatures regularly, make sure to do so safely and under the supervision of a doctor.