Repeated cold showers as a method of habituating humans to the initial responses to cold water immersion

Abstract

The hypothesis that the initial responses to cold water immersion could be attenuated by repeated cold showers was tested. Eighteen (13 men, 5 women) non-habituated subjects undertook two 3-min head-out seated immersions into stirred water at 10 degrees C wearing swim wear. The immersions were separated by 4 days during which time they took six cold showers. The subjects were randomly split into three groups with different showering regimes: 3 min at 10 degrees C on the back (10B); 3 min at 15 degrees C on the back (15B); and 30 s at 10 degrees C on the back followed by 30 s on the front (10BF). Over the first 30 s of immersion respiratory frequency ( f (R)) was reduced by 21% in groups 10B and 10BF from 54 (14) to 44 (16) breaths.min(-1) ( P <0.05), and 33 (8) to 26 (10) breaths.min(-1) ( P <0.05) respectively, following repeated showers. Group 15B showed no change in f (R). The tachycardia induced on immersion in water at 10 degrees C was not reduced by repeated showers except in group 15B during the last 150 s [from 119 (23) to 105 (25) beats.min(-1), P <0.05]. Repeated showering in water at 10 degrees C reduced the respiratory drive (as measured by f (R)) during head-out immersion in water at the same temperature. No such habituation was observed with repeated showers in warmer water (15 degrees C). It is concluded that when the body surface area cooled is the same, the rate of change of skin temperature is an important factor in determining the degree of habituation produced.

Effect of Cold-Water Immersion on Skeletal Muscle Contractile Properties in Soccer Players

“…These results are consistent with those of other studies, which show a decrease in HR during multiple immersions and cold showering. 37,38 In contrast, other studies 40 found that CWI increased HR from preimmersion states. Several studies show initial increases in HR, although longer immersions at a milder temperature of 10-C result in a lower mean HR.…”

“…37,38 A steady decrease in HR (bradycardia) as a result of repeated CWI was observed (rest, 63.75 T 9.96 beats/min; immersion 1, 62.08 T 6.50 beats/min; immersion 2, 60.67 T 6.83 beats/min; immersion 3, 59.67 T 5.14 beats/min; immersion 4, 58.33 T 6.12 beats/min), although it was not significant. …”

What is the biochemical and physiological rationale for using cold-water immersion in sports recovery? A systematic review

“…A range of CWI protocols were employed (table 2). Three studies were RCTs, of which two16 30 focused primarily on cold habituation, and one15 compared the body’s response to either CWI or whole body cryotherapy (WBC). The remainder of studies used either cross over, or controlled designs.…”

“…Longer immersions at milder temperatures of 10°C resulted in lower mean heart rates of 95, 92, 84 bpm during the first, second and third minutes of immersion, respectively 28. Others16 29 30 also reported a trend towards increases in heart rate. In contrast, a small study by Kauppinen21 found that heart rates peaked immediately prior to immersion.…”

Cold Stress Effects on Exposure Tolerance and Exercise Performance

“…The cold shock response was reduced by 40% after 5 days, and up to 31% 7 months later, even without any intervening cold water exposures. A series of other papers has shown that cold showers (74), psychological training (7,8), and a combination of multiple cold water immersions plus mental skills training (56) showed a positive habituation response. Barwood et al (6) found that the normally attenuated HR response observed with habituation was abolished when acute anxiety was present.…”