Can’t Take Cold Showers? Try This Instead
Recover like the 1%— even if you belong to the 99%
Cold showers are amazing — in theory.
They’re great for recovery, athletic performance, and reduce inflammation. But there’s one sticking point… you have to take a cold shower.
I love the exhilarating feeling after a cold shower (emphasis on ‘after’).
But some days, I just can’t muster the mental energy to turn that faucet to the right.
The truth is, the key to success in life is consistency. But most people find cold showers too intense to take every day.
Luckily, there’s a handy alternative.
Stanford University has been studying temperature control for over 20 years.
And researchers have recently discovered a way to harness the power of cold shock therapy – without the shock.
Here’s how you can use palm cooling to recover like a super-human— even if you’re a mere mortal.
What is palm cooling?
You’ve likely heard the wisdom that we lose the majority of heat from our heads. Well, scientists have debunked this as a myth.
In reality, we lose most of it from our hands, feet, and face.
Our body’s temperature is controlled through a network of veins called arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs).
These veins act as radiators for our bodies— with large clusters residing in the palms of our hands.
While studying heat dissipation at Stanford, biologists H. Craig Heller and Dennis Grahn stumbled onto an amazing discovery:
By rapidly cooling the hands of athletes, they could drastically improve exercise performance and recovery.
Dennis Grahn shared that the effects were “equal to or substantially better than steroids.”
Palm cooling for recovery
When you hear a phrase like, “Better than steroids” you think of an off-brand workout powder or late-night infomercial.
But Grahn’s bold statement is based on science.
Through decades of research, Heller and Grahn discovered that an important muscle enzyme, known as muscle pyruvate kinase (MPK), is particularly temperature-sensitive.
Its primary function is to generate energy for our muscles.
At normal temperatures, this enzyme is active. But, as temperatures rise, it begins to shut down.
It’s essentially a shutoff switch, preventing muscles from overheating and dying. When temperatures drop back down to a healthy level, this enzyme returns to its active state.
Rapid cooling of the body helps our muscles return to a rejuvenated state quicker, thus speeding up recovery.
Rapid cooling for athletic performance
Since their discovery, Heller and Grahn created a thermal exchange device, known as “The Glove.”
A giant cooling glove that uses cold water and vacuums to quickly pull heat out of the palms of the hands.
The Glove has been used to increase strength, conditioning, endurance, and speed amongst athletes.
The U.S. Military has even adapted the technology to help prevent soldiers from overheating during missions.
Palm cooling is particularly effective in sports that involve short bursts of intense exercise followed by rest, like weight-lifting, football, and hockey.
Here’s how you can use palm cooling at home
Let’s be honest, most of us don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on high-tech cooling gloves.
And you don’t have to.
Simply holding onto ice packs or running your hands under cold water for a few minutes has a similar effect, lowering your body’s core temperature.
You can use palm cooling:
- To cool down after a workout
- In between sets to speed up recovery
- To bring your core temperature down on a hot day
- Before running/cycling/hiking to increase endurance
Pro tip: It’s also helpful for reducing excessive sweating after hot showers.
So, if you’re not feeling up for an ice bath or cold shower, try palm cooling instead.
May cooler hands prevail.
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