(Cold) Plunging into the New Year
How cold plunges are connected to brain and body health.
Immersing my body in a cold pool was the last thing I wanted to do today. But I did it for the 4th year in a row.
I had a crappy morning. I made a dumb mistake with some technology and spent half the day on the tech-support site trying to fix it. As my frustration increased, so did my desire to blow off our annual cold plunge New Year’s Day tradition. So I put everything down and took the plunge. Mine wasn’t fancy like the photo. It was just an unheated pool with a warm jacuzzi nearby. Maybe that’s cheating, but I consider it hot and cold exposure therapy and something is better than nothing, right? Someday I will be more official and do it like the ladies in the picture!
Of course, I felt better after doing it. I haven't fixed my tech problem yet. But, I'm less frustrated, and I can think more clearly, less emotionally, and I will tackle it tomorrow.
Which is exactly why doing a cold plunge is relevant to neurodivergence and executive functioning. Cold exposure is very popular for managing stress and regulating emotions.
There is a direct correlation between stress and executive functioning challenges. The area of our brain called the prefrontal cortex controls executive function and logic. When we are stressed, this part of our brain automatically goes offline, and the amygdala, a different part of our brain, activates. The amygdala perceives threats and triggers a fight/flight/freeze response. When our brains sense danger, our thinking brain (the prefrontal cortex) turns off. Our executive function often disappears. Our emotional brain (amygdala) takes over, and we become reactive instead of logical and rational.
For neurodivergent brains, the threat response is stronger and faster and it can take longer for the thinking brain to take charge again.
Cold exposure therapy also builds stress tolerance and increases resilience. It’s about “voluntary discomfort” - choosing to push ourselves to do something uncomfortable on purpose. We can prove to ourselves that we can override our need for immediate gratification (being warm) and allow ourselves to experience temporary discomfort. It’s training our brains to handle challenges.
Being able to experience temporary discomfort is a huge part of building resilience. Teaching our kids to do this is important in their growth and development.
Sometimes before I get out of the shower, I turn off the hot water and shock myself with the cold water. I’m not doing it as often as I used to. Writing this post has made me want to start it again. Hmm.. New Year’s resolution, anyone?
Check out this great explanation by Dr. Andrew Huberman. He talks about the science behind how cold exposure helps us build resilience and keep our thinking brain in charge.
The Executive Functioning Playbook for Parents course has a lesson on stress and the brain. Click here if you want to learn more.