I learned that cold showers can help against dementia. Check out this blog post by the Age Well Project.
Either way, it appears that cold water swimming may be as good for the body as it is for the mind. Last year, researchers from Cambridge University found that regular cold-water swimmers had a cold-shock protein in their blood capable of delaying the onset of dementia. In mice, cold water immersion has been found not only to delay dementia but to reverse some of the damage caused by the disease.
and
Well, a study of over 3000 Dutch people found those who routinely ended their shower with a 30-second blast of cold water had 29% fewer symptoms of illness, colds or flu, than normal. In this study, the 30-second blasters had the same results as the 60-second and 90-second blasters. So if you fancy trying hot-to-cold showers, there’s clearly no benefit to enduring any more than 30 seconds of chill.
I learned that I quite enjoy 30 seconds of cold water. However, I would not want to increase that to 90 seconds. And to hell with dementia!
I learned that I enjoy jumping rope as a quick way to get my heart rate up each day. I never enjoyed the gym and will do anything to avoid them- the music!!! the TVs!!! I jump for eleven minutes (30 seconds of jumping followed by 30 seconds of not jumping – about 700 jumps) or until I hit my target heart rate – the rule of thumb is 220 minus one’s age. Between the daily exercise of jumping rope and walking four miles every morning I feel that I am in pretty good shape.
I learned that wearing glasses with a mask in winter isn’t fun. Glasses fog up. Sprays don’t seems to work. I learned that I have relatively soft ear cartilage and wearing masks that loop around the ear is not fun. My ears give up and fold forward. So much for my mother claiming that I have hard ears – meaning that I don’t listen. Ha! I was wondering whether my plight is unusual but I saw Robby the other day and his ears were leaning forward because of his mask as well. Maybe it’s a white-ear-thing, the soft ear cartilage?
My co-pilot, who is not white, has suitably hard ears and wears ear-loop masks beautifully. She also tells me that I have it wrong, I am her co-pilot. This Outlier Mask works for me, because it fastens around the head and because it has a strong and wide metal nose piece that allows less air to escape against my glasses.
OK! I’m going to try the 30-second cold blast after my shower. Probably builds character, too.
When I visited Guatemala – Tikal National Park – there was no hot water in my room, and there was a mere trickle of cold water for showering. I managed for three whole days, and I liked it. Also, I only got electricity for one hour each evening. The other thing about Guatemala – the people seemed so sweet and the food was extraordinarily delicious.
I know – I cannot wear my glasses with my mask, so much fog! Fortunately, I can see OK without the specs.
I did the cold water blast this morning. Only lasted 12 seconds today, but I did like it! Felt energized.
Good to know about the 30 second cold water blasts. I always do that in the summer to cool down at the end of a shower but I will give it a try this winter. It seems to me I read it was also supposed to be good for your hair to give it a shot of cold water. I have stayed in a lot of places in Asia and Mexico with no hot water and have managed just fine. It just feels cold when you first get in but of course this was in places with warm climates. The cold felt refreshing.
I hate wearing glasses with a mask. Like you I have tried rubbing with soap, using a spray and nothing works. I am finally back in my contacts after retinal surgery so it will be better now. The elastic irritates my ears but mine do not fold. I have seen people attach a button to a cap and attach the elastic to that. Haven’t tried it so I am not sure how well it works. The masks with metal nose pieces work better for me.
If you HAVE a co-pilot, you ARE a co-pilot.
Either I’m not funny or you’re overthinking it.
Maybe both on this one!
You are very funny, though.