Building Stress Resilience
Going to the beach this summer is something I have needed more than ever this year. I have always loved going, but this coronavirus year, I dream of being in the water. I look forward to going into the ocean the most, no matter what the temperature is. I enjoy having so much space and expansiveness in the water, but there are more benefits than I thought. We pack up the umbrella, boogie board, towels, sunblock, food, and drive almost an hour - it doesn’t even phase me as a chore. Brian and I trek to Malibu where there are limited crowds. Go early and leave early.
For Brian’s birthday this year, we went into the ocean at 8:30 AM on an overcast morning. It was exhilarating and I felt fantastic all day. It is not as cold as you might think. The hot sun on our skin during the day makes the water even colder. We are lucky to have so many beaches we can access living in Southern California.
Why is the cool, salty water such a strong pull? I found my definitive answer stumbling across this article vlog by BBC explaining why. For one, it’s a stress reliever by building stress resilience. Two, submerging yourself in nature can create calm. Submerging in water has links to spiritual rituals as well.
When I say cool water, what is your first reaction? Usually it presents itself as discomfort. But what if getting used to discomfort helps us cope with other discomfort in our lives. We learn how to handle that discomfort, or stress so we can increase our threshold to stress in general. The human body needs “good” stress from the environment to invigorate our nervous system and strengthen the body. People in the BBC report have rid themselves of their autoimmune diseases by adding environmental stress to their bodies. If it is just a quick immersion, the skin and superficial muscles cool. Thirty minutes can create deeper tissue cooling, helping with inflammation, as the cold acts like a stress-induced analgesia, or painkiller. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with high blood pressure or heart issues without asking your doctor first. In general, the idea of being able to withstand discomfort will help build stress resilience.
One of my posts earlier this year was about the vagus nerve, which regulates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) and balances sympathetic (fight or flight). One way to stimulate the vagus nerve - cold exposure.
I wouldn't limit it to the sea, any cold water exposure, whether it is jumping in a lake or taking a cold shower can also reap these benefits. Since not all of us have an ocean in our backyard, try adding a cold rinse after your shower for 30 seconds. Our water is not winter cold yet, so it might be a good time to start. At first you might gasp for air, which is natural, but see if you can create deep breathing to send a message to your nervous system to find calm during a stressful situation. Try it for 30 days, adding more time as you feel you might benefit from. This will help build stress resilience. An added bonus: the energy it takes your body to warm up again stimulates your metabolism. Try it before a workout and not after. There is research that points to the fact that cold exposure after might hamper recovery. I am not commenting on extreme cold therapy, such as ice baths, cryotherapy, or becoming part of the Polar Bear Club. That is far away from a dip in a body of water in nature. Every body is different so it will feel different for everyone. Try it and let me know your results. Do you have a cold water exposure therapy already? Is it just not for you? How do you feel after you jump into a body of cold water? Can you experiment and try 30 seconds of a cold shower, increasing time as you see fit? Put it on your to-do list soon!