We spoke to Jule about Cold Play NS about what it’s about and why it’s good for you!
(Q) Who are you and what is your group?
Jule Shanks, the group is called “Cold Play NS” -the fbk group was started by myself in Nov 2021 in the hopes of building a community, now we are at 354 members as of today. I am not on Instagram, so one of our members,
Jenn Currie takes care of posting on that platform for us, with 606 members as of today.
(Q) How long have you been doing this and what got you into it?
I started doing this in March 2020 when the pandemic first hit, I was listening to Wim Hof (cold therapy advocate and inventor of the Wim Hof Method) speak on Joe Rogan’s podcast and when he said his mission was to help people with mental health issues,
I was curious because I had been suffering from severe depression and anxiety, so I signed up for his 10 week Basics course. I started with a 30 second cold shower, and by week 7, I was doing 10minute cold showers. It was intense, but I felt the positive effects immediately. On week 10, I filled my bathtub up with ice and sat in it for 3 minutes.
I was so proud of myself, elated, empowered and ecstatic! I felt like joy had creeped back into my life through cold therapy and I was hooked.
(Q) What are the pros to cold dipping?
There are many benefits, this community for starters. There’s something about doing something challenging together that creates a real bonding experience. There’s always lots of laughter and encouragement among the participants when we go out in a group. I also enjoy getting out into nature regularly in the winter months, when I would have normally retreated into hybernation watching Netflix and melting into my couch, now I can’t wait til my next dip! I just feel great as a result, it has stabilised my mood, increased the joy in my life, helped me let go of addictions to cigarettes and marijuana, and has helped with reducing arthritic inflammation, helps me to stay present and focused during the day. By going into the cold, we are literally reprogramming our minds to deal with stressful situations, so when I’m faced with pressures in my life, I am much calmer. Cold immersion changes our brain chemistry by releasing several “feel good” hormones into the brain, including oxytocin (aka: the cuddling chemical), norepinephrine (lacking in folks with ADHD), nitric oxide (increasing blood flow in the brain, as well as levels of seratonin and dopamine)- dopamine levels go up 2.5 times and last 3-4 hours after a dip! That’s more than sex and chocolate, and the SAME as cocaine- so needless to say, this is my new addiction! Not to mention a healthy dose of adrenaline, so my propensity to attract drama in my life has decreased as a result, cuz I’m getting it elsewhere LOL. I’ve replaced unhealthy addictions for something FREE and HEALTHY, not a bad trade! At the 1 minute mark, your nervous system (or limbic system) calms down, and at the sweet spot of 3-5 minutes thermogenesis begins. Thermosgenesis is when your body’s burning calories bigtime to stay warm, and your metabolism goes up 350%. So, all those extra calories I consume in winter get melted away weekly without going to the gym!
(Q) If someone was interested in doing this, what advice would you give them?
This practice is NOT recommended for folks with heart conditions. Start either in your shower or during the shoulder season where the water temperature is more manageable, so you can gradually build up a tolerance. Take long slow deep breaths, longer on the exhale, to calm down the nervous system. Find a group or a buddy to go with if you go outdoors. Listen to your body, sometimes the ego can get the better of us and we may want to push ourselves to stay in longer and longer- hypothermia is no joke, so be careful. Know your surroundings, have a plan for entering and exiting safely. Be mindful of “after drop”, it is a condition where the cold blood of your limbs mixes with the warmer blood that has remained in your core to keep your organs from getting too cold. If this happens too quickly (by going into a hottub or a hot shower right away), your core temperature can drop and it is very uncomfortable causing shivering and a feeling that you can’t warm up. The best way to avoid this is by creating “inner heat” by moving your body vigorously for as much time as you stayed in the water (I dance or do Wim Hof’s recommended “horse stance”).
(Q) How does taking part in cold dips with a group such as yours benefit a person?
We can help each other in so many ways, through being a moral support, encouragement, sharing knowledge and experience, laughing and bonding in the cold water. Fear can be one of the biggest barriers to this practice (how many times have I heard, “I hate the cold”?). Seeing others do it and doing it with others can be an inspiration or a motivator to push beyond that fear (if she can do it, maybe I can too). We often limit ourselves and what we are capable of due to fear, but the body and mind are capable of so much more than we give them credit for. This practice has empowered me so much more than I ever expected, which carries over into my daily life.
(Q) Any other info you would like to share?
I would encourage anyone who may be curious, to come out with us for a dip- even just to watch and ask questions. THIS IS FREE MENTAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT, in Nova Scotia we have so many lakes and beaches, cold water therapy is so accessible! Why not give it a try?!
(Q) Last but not least, if someone wants to be a part of this, how can they get in contact with Cold Play NS? (Facebook group, website, email etc)
Find us on Instagram @coldplayns or on facebook “Cold Play NS“-, I also have a YouTube channel called “Minty Mermaid”.
Thank you!
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