00:00hey friends welcome back so if you've hey friends welcome back so if you've thought about starting cold showers in thought about starting cold showers in thought about starting cold showers in this video we're going to unpack three this video we're going to unpack three this video we're going to unpack three or four tips that may help you make it a or four tips that may help you make it a or four tips that may help you make it a routine and a habit routine and a habit routine and a habit just want to welcome you it's mike just want to welcome you it's mike just want to welcome you it's mike mussell thanks as always for tuning in mussell thanks as always for tuning in mussell thanks as always for tuning in look i'm not the world's reigning expert look i'm not the world's reigning expert look i'm not the world's reigning expert when it comes to cold thermogenesis but when it comes to cold thermogenesis but when it comes to cold thermogenesis but it's something that i've personally been it's something that i've personally been it's something that i've personally been doing since doing since doing since 2014 and have made it a ritual sort of a 2014 and have made it a ritual sort of a 2014 and have made it a ritual sort of a habit habit habit and i think it has not only health and i think it has not only health and i think it has not only health benefits but it's a good way to start benefits but it's a good way to start benefits but it's a good way to start your day if nothing else your day if nothing else your day if nothing else forget all the brown adipose tissue forget all the brown adipose tissue forget all the brown adipose tissue thermogenesis forget about all the thermogenesis forget about all the thermogenesis forget about all the beneficial aspects of beneficial aspects of beneficial aspects of immunology and and for the shifts and immunology and and for the shifts and immunology and and for the shifts and immune cells and enhanced circulation immune cells and enhanced circulation immune cells and enhanced circulation if nothing else a cold shower or jumping if nothing else a cold shower or jumping if nothing else a cold shower or jumping in a cold plunge in a cold plunge in a cold plunge makes you feel stronger and more makes you feel stronger and more makes you feel stronger and more resilient because most people really resilient because most people really resilient because most people really just don't want to do it so just by just don't want to do it so just by just don't want to do it so just by doing it doing it doing it there's a lot of mental health benefits there's a lot of mental health benefits there's a lot of mental health benefits but i recently shared sort of a but i recently shared sort of a but i recently shared sort of a satirical meme satirical meme satirical meme you know at joe biden's inauguration you know at joe biden's inauguration you know at joe biden's inauguration bernie sanders was really kind of bernie sanders was really kind of bernie sanders was really kind of looking down and out looking down and out looking down and out and i shared this meme i'll throw it up and i shared this meme i'll throw it up and i shared this meme i'll throw it up here and so there was a lot of questions here and so there was a lot of questions here and so there was a lot of questions that came in on instagram that came in on instagram that came in on instagram and i thought why not just make a video and i thought why not just make a video and i thought why not just make a video to help inspire you
01:00to help inspire you to help inspire you to get started with this so uh the first to get started with this so uh the first to get started with this so uh the first question here and i question here and i question here and i anonymize the names here but it says so anonymize the names here but it says so anonymize the names here but it says so to start off with a normal shower to start off with a normal shower to start off with a normal shower if one likes and gradually drop cold if one likes and gradually drop cold if one likes and gradually drop cold over time correct over time correct over time correct so i don't really like that because so i don't really like that because so i don't really like that because number one you're going from hot to cold number one you're going from hot to cold number one you're going from hot to cold not that that's bad but it's so not that that's bad but it's so not that that's bad but it's so easy to wimp out so admittedly when i easy to wimp out so admittedly when i easy to wimp out so admittedly when i first heard of cold showers this was in first heard of cold showers this was in first heard of cold showers this was in 2011 2011 2011 a naturopathic doctor dr patrick donovan a naturopathic doctor dr patrick donovan a naturopathic doctor dr patrick donovan in seattle i had lunch with him and he in seattle i had lunch with him and he in seattle i had lunch with him and he said hey during the springtime i like my said hey during the springtime i like my said hey during the springtime i like my patients to start doing cold showers patients to start doing cold showers patients to start doing cold showers it helps with circulation i was like it helps with circulation i was like it helps with circulation i was like okay i'll try this okay i'll try this okay i'll try this and i just like literally didn't have and i just like literally didn't have and i just like literally didn't have the guts i couldn't do it so i would the guts i couldn't do it so i would the guts i couldn't do it so i would kind of wimp out and kind of wimp out and kind of wimp out and i knew i should start doing it but i i knew i should start doing it but i i knew i should start doing it but i would turn on you know take a normal would turn on you know take a normal would turn on you know take a normal shower then i would finish off with cold shower then i would finish off with cold shower then i would finish off with cold now it's easy to just wimp out because now it's easy to just wimp out because now it's easy to just wimp out because you go from hot to cold and there's you go from hot to cold and there's you go from hot to cold and there's nothing it's not like going in the water nothing it's not like going in the water nothing it's not like going in the water where you can easily just turn it off where you can easily just turn it off where you can easily just turn it off and get out right so i recommend just and get out right so i recommend just and get out right so i recommend just like going in like going in like going in like full cold right out of the gate like full cold right out of the gate like full cold right out of the gate because you know there's no way to because you know there's no way to because you know there's no way to really wimp out it's like you
02:00really wimp out it's like you really wimp out it's like you you you're there you jump in and it gets you you're there you jump in and it gets you you're there you jump in and it gets better over time because better over time because better over time because the first time you do this just like the the first time you do this just like the the first time you do this just like the first time you go running the first time first time you go running the first time first time you go running the first time you do push-ups you do push-ups you do push-ups if you only do 10 seconds that's better if you only do 10 seconds that's better if you only do 10 seconds that's better than nothing the next day you'll do 15 than nothing the next day you'll do 15 than nothing the next day you'll do 15 seconds then 30 seconds and then pretty seconds then 30 seconds and then pretty seconds then 30 seconds and then pretty soon you'll be like oh my gosh i'm soon you'll be like oh my gosh i'm soon you'll be like oh my gosh i'm sitting here for 30 45 seconds with sitting here for 30 45 seconds with sitting here for 30 45 seconds with really cold winter ground water really cold winter ground water really cold winter ground water and i'm doing it so i recommend going and i'm doing it so i recommend going and i'm doing it so i recommend going cold first cold first cold first so again i know it's a lot easier to so again i know it's a lot easier to so again i know it's a lot easier to like you know turn on the cold water at like you know turn on the cold water at like you know turn on the cold water at the end the end the end but the groundwater and the water in but the groundwater and the water in but the groundwater and the water in your pipes will be coldest if you just your pipes will be coldest if you just your pipes will be coldest if you just start with cold first so that's what i start with cold first so that's what i start with cold first so that's what i recommend recommend recommend so that's a really good way to just kind so that's a really good way to just kind so that's a really good way to just kind of kick yourself into doing it of kick yourself into doing it of kick yourself into doing it the other thing that's free and i think the other thing that's free and i think the other thing that's free and i think accessible to a lot of us accessible to a lot of us accessible to a lot of us and it's a fun thing to do with friends and it's a fun thing to do with friends and it's a fun thing to do with friends if you have friends that are if you have friends that are if you have friends that are gutsy enough to do it with you gutsy enough to do it with you gutsy enough to do it with you especially during the winter months especially during the winter months especially during the winter months is to go jump in a lake now i obviously is to go jump in a lake now i obviously is to go jump in a lake now i obviously don't put yourself in harm's way and don't put yourself in harm's way and don't put yourself in harm's way and get stuck under like an iceberg or get stuck under like an iceberg or get stuck under like an iceberg or anything crazy like that but if you can anything crazy like that but if you can anything crazy like that but if you can you know just get a group of friends you know just get a group of friends you know just get a group of friends it's something you can do outdoors so it's something you can do outdoors so it's something you can do outdoors so most people are comfortable with that if
03:00most people are comfortable with that if most people are comfortable with that if they're scared about the coronavirus they're scared about the coronavirus they're scared about the coronavirus it's something that will challenge both it's something that will challenge both it's something that will challenge both you and your friend and you can hold you and your friend and you can hold you and your friend and you can hold yourself accountable yourself accountable yourself accountable and what's interesting is the friends and what's interesting is the friends and what's interesting is the friends that i've done cold plunges with in cold that i've done cold plunges with in cold that i've done cold plunges with in cold rivers legs streams rivers legs streams rivers legs streams whatever we have this different bond whatever we have this different bond whatever we have this different bond because we like forced each other to go because we like forced each other to go because we like forced each other to go in in in and you know that you're depending upon and you know that you're depending upon and you know that you're depending upon the other person because you don't want the other person because you don't want the other person because you don't want to be in there alone and they don't want to be in there alone and they don't want to be in there alone and they don't want to be in there alone so you both jump in to be in there alone so you both jump in to be in there alone so you both jump in together it's a really fun thing to do together it's a really fun thing to do together it's a really fun thing to do so i recommend starting with that so i recommend starting with that so i recommend starting with that just because you'll really feel what just because you'll really feel what just because you'll really feel what cold feels like and stay in as long as cold feels like and stay in as long as cold feels like and stay in as long as you can without obviously you know you can without obviously you know you can without obviously you know getting hypothermia or something crazy getting hypothermia or something crazy getting hypothermia or something crazy like that like that like that so let's talk about how long you should so let's talk about how long you should so let's talk about how long you should stay in the water and or how long you stay in the water and or how long you stay in the water and or how long you should stay under should stay under should stay under the cold water in your shower well as the cold water in your shower well as the cold water in your shower well as long as you can comfortably long as you can comfortably long as you can comfortably i'll tell you what some of the studies i'll tell you what some of the studies i'll tell you what some of the studies and i will link some videos that we did and i will link some videos that we did and i will link some videos that we did back in 2016 what we looked at back in 2016 what we looked at back in 2016 what we looked at some of the research there's a group out some of the research there's a group out some of the research there's a group out in quebec i can't remember the exact in quebec i can't remember the exact in quebec i can't remember the exact research uh scientist name research uh scientist name research uh scientist name but basically what they've they've done but basically what they've they've done but basically what they've they've done is they put people in these sort of is they put people in these sort of is they put people in these sort of shivering suits
04:00shivering suits shivering suits and what they look for is um the and what they look for is um the and what they look for is um the thermogenic effect and the uncoupling thermogenic effect and the uncoupling thermogenic effect and the uncoupling proteins proteins proteins in the mitochondria in muscle tissue so in the mitochondria in muscle tissue so in the mitochondria in muscle tissue so this gets into the science that we this gets into the science that we this gets into the science that we talked about so i don't want to get it talked about so i don't want to get it talked about so i don't want to get it too much into it here too much into it here too much into it here but essentially what the cold tricks but essentially what the cold tricks but essentially what the cold tricks your muscle mitochondria to do your muscle mitochondria to do your muscle mitochondria to do is instead of converting uh energy from is instead of converting uh energy from is instead of converting uh energy from say your your your body fat that you're say your your your body fat that you're say your your your body fat that you're liberating in your bloodstream or from liberating in your bloodstream or from liberating in your bloodstream or from your diet your diet your diet instead of converting that in the form instead of converting that in the form instead of converting that in the form of usable atp of usable atp of usable atp it uncouples and it just creates heat it uncouples and it just creates heat it uncouples and it just creates heat and so basically it causes your and so basically it causes your and so basically it causes your mitochondria to then adapt and you get mitochondria to then adapt and you get mitochondria to then adapt and you get more mitochondria with the ability to more mitochondria with the ability to more mitochondria with the ability to sort of sort of sort of go through this process of uncoupling so go through this process of uncoupling so go through this process of uncoupling so if you really want to get nitty-gritty if you really want to get nitty-gritty if you really want to get nitty-gritty and you want to maximize the brown and you want to maximize the brown and you want to maximize the brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and this adipose tissue thermogenesis and this adipose tissue thermogenesis and this conversion of this in your muscles and conversion of this in your muscles and conversion of this in your muscles and also in your in your fat also in your in your fat also in your in your fat then yeah you want to take the cold then yeah you want to take the cold then yeah you want to take the cold shower for as long as possible to the shower for as long as possible to the shower for as long as possible to the point where point where point where after the shower you're sort of after the shower you're sort of after the shower you're sort of shivering but the downside of that is shivering but the downside of that is shivering but the downside of that is it's a little uncomfortable especially it's a little uncomfortable especially it's a little uncomfortable especially if you're like going to work and you're
05:00if you're like going to work and you're if you're like going to work and you're like shivering in your cold all day like shivering in your cold all day like shivering in your cold all day so i don't generally recommend doing so i don't generally recommend doing so i don't generally recommend doing that unless of course you're like really that unless of course you're like really that unless of course you're like really trying to split hairs trying to split hairs trying to split hairs so the duration i wouldn't get hung up so the duration i wouldn't get hung up so the duration i wouldn't get hung up on it should i do 30 on it should i do 30 on it should i do 30 seconds or 45 seconds or two minutes seconds or 45 seconds or two minutes seconds or 45 seconds or two minutes just do as long as you can just do as long as you can just do as long as you can consistently i mean that's sort of the consistently i mean that's sort of the consistently i mean that's sort of the thing it's like how long thing it's like how long thing it's like how long should you meditate well if you try to should you meditate well if you try to should you meditate well if you try to meditate for 40 minutes every day like a meditate for 40 minutes every day like a meditate for 40 minutes every day like a monk monk monk and you never hit that goal guess what's and you never hit that goal guess what's and you never hit that goal guess what's going to happen you're going to stop going to happen you're going to stop going to happen you're going to stop meditating because you're going to think meditating because you're going to think meditating because you're going to think well i keep failing so i must suck at well i keep failing so i must suck at well i keep failing so i must suck at this so if you can only allocate this so if you can only allocate this so if you can only allocate five minutes of meditation every day five minutes of meditation every day five minutes of meditation every day then just do that and do it consistently then just do that and do it consistently then just do that and do it consistently if you can only allocate or stomach or if you can only allocate or stomach or if you can only allocate or stomach or tolerate tolerate tolerate 30 seconds of a cold shower then that's 30 seconds of a cold shower then that's 30 seconds of a cold shower then that's i think that's good enough but if you i think that's good enough but if you i think that's good enough but if you want to split hairs want to split hairs want to split hairs and you really want to you know change and you really want to you know change and you really want to you know change the mitochondria and your fat tissue and the mitochondria and your fat tissue and the mitochondria and your fat tissue and your muscle tissue and all that your muscle tissue and all that your muscle tissue and all that then you want to get to the point where then you want to get to the point where then you want to get to the point where afterwards you're shivering because afterwards you're shivering because afterwards you're shivering because that's what they looked at that's what they looked at that's what they looked at and and found that when your muscles and and found that when your muscles and and found that when your muscles start shivering start shivering start shivering that's the sort of signature of all that's the sort of signature of all that's the sort of signature of all these increases in these increases in these increases in genetic expression and protein genetic expression and protein genetic expression and protein biosynthesis and all that okay biosynthesis and all that okay biosynthesis and all that okay but you don't need to totally do that
06:00but you don't need to totally do that but you don't need to totally do that okay so the next question comes here okay so the next question comes here okay so the next question comes here actually it's almost identical so it's actually it's almost identical so it's actually it's almost identical so it's from a nice lady she says can you follow from a nice lady she says can you follow from a nice lady she says can you follow a cold shower with warm hot a cold shower with warm hot a cold shower with warm hot and still get the benefits so i think and still get the benefits so i think and still get the benefits so i think that's a really good that's a really good that's a really good good thing to do so do your cold shower good thing to do so do your cold shower good thing to do so do your cold shower first like we're just talking about and first like we're just talking about and first like we're just talking about and then you can take your warm shower then you can take your warm shower then you can take your warm shower now i don't want to get too into the now i don't want to get too into the now i don't want to get too into the weeds on this but i sort of separate it weeds on this but i sort of separate it weeds on this but i sort of separate it out so i'll take out so i'll take out so i'll take first thing in the morning i do my heart first thing in the morning i do my heart first thing in the morning i do my heart rate variability i do my glucose and rate variability i do my glucose and rate variability i do my glucose and ketone testing ketone testing ketone testing and a little breath work that's every and a little breath work that's every and a little breath work that's every morning non-negotiable that's what i do morning non-negotiable that's what i do morning non-negotiable that's what i do okay okay okay then i jump in the cold shower now i then i jump in the cold shower now i then i jump in the cold shower now i play a little trick with my play a little trick with my play a little trick with my in my head and i don't allow myself i in my head and i don't allow myself i in my head and i don't allow myself i love coffee i don't allow myself to have love coffee i don't allow myself to have love coffee i don't allow myself to have coffee until i do those four things coffee until i do those four things coffee until i do those four things it takes 15-20 minutes like you know it it takes 15-20 minutes like you know it it takes 15-20 minutes like you know it it's a it's an investment in my my it's a it's an investment in my my it's a it's an investment in my my starting my day and my health but that's starting my day and my health but that's starting my day and my health but that's just a little trick that i play with just a little trick that i play with just a little trick that i play with myself and the cold shower myself and the cold shower myself and the cold shower is so quick 35 40 seconds you know so is so quick 35 40 seconds you know so is so quick 35 40 seconds you know so that's it that's it that's it then then i'll take a shower later after then then i'll take a shower later after then then i'll take a shower later after i work out or exercise or something like i work out or exercise or something like i work out or exercise or something like that so i that so i that so i that's how i personally do it not saying
07:00that's how i personally do it not saying that's how i personally do it not saying that you have to do it like that that's that you have to do it like that that's that you have to do it like that that's just personally what i do just personally what i do just personally what i do so you can play tricks in your head so so you can play tricks in your head so so you can play tricks in your head so if you have a hard time meditating if you have a hard time meditating if you have a hard time meditating and you love coffee or tea you can say and you love coffee or tea you can say and you love coffee or tea you can say look i am not going to have coffee or look i am not going to have coffee or look i am not going to have coffee or tea until i meditate first tea until i meditate first tea until i meditate first so you can play you know negotiate with so you can play you know negotiate with so you can play you know negotiate with yourself because yourself because yourself because your future self you know will respect your future self you know will respect your future self you know will respect you for it and thank you for doing that you for it and thank you for doing that you for it and thank you for doing that okay okay but if if you only have like you know but if if you only have like you know but if if you only have like you know you have multiple kids you're super busy you have multiple kids you're super busy you have multiple kids you're super busy your morning routine is like really time your morning routine is like really time your morning routine is like really time crunched crunched crunched i think it's totally fine to go in there i think it's totally fine to go in there i think it's totally fine to go in there for 30 seconds take your cold shower and for 30 seconds take your cold shower and for 30 seconds take your cold shower and then finish it off with warm now then finish it off with warm now then finish it off with warm now you're not going if you do that all at you're not going if you do that all at you're not going if you do that all at once you're probably not going to get to once you're probably not going to get to once you're probably not going to get to that shivering effect that shivering effect that shivering effect that the scientists and quebec and other that the scientists and quebec and other that the scientists and quebec and other people throughout the world have looked people throughout the world have looked people throughout the world have looked at so just understand at so just understand at so just understand that you're mostly going it's better that you're mostly going it's better that you're mostly going it's better than nothing but you're probably mostly than nothing but you're probably mostly than nothing but you're probably mostly going to get some of the mental health going to get some of the mental health going to get some of the mental health benefits of doing the cold shower benefits of doing the cold shower benefits of doing the cold shower not the brown adipose tissue activation not the brown adipose tissue activation not the brown adipose tissue activation and not the mitochondrial density and not the mitochondrial density and not the mitochondrial density changes does that make sense changes does that make sense changes does that make sense so you're still going to get the so you're still going to get the so you're still going to get the benefits but if you want to maximize it
08:00benefits but if you want to maximize it benefits but if you want to maximize it you might want to separate it out you might want to separate it out you might want to separate it out because after you take the cold shower because after you take the cold shower because after you take the cold shower you're going to be cold for about 15-20 you're going to be cold for about 15-20 you're going to be cold for about 15-20 minutes and that's where you get this minutes and that's where you get this minutes and that's where you get this increase in noradrenaline and increase in noradrenaline and increase in noradrenaline and epinephrine and these different hormones epinephrine and these different hormones epinephrine and these different hormones that help to lead to these adaptations that help to lead to these adaptations that help to lead to these adaptations that are favorable so hopefully that that are favorable so hopefully that that are favorable so hopefully that helps there's just a few tips in there helps there's just a few tips in there helps there's just a few tips in there that maybe you can start practicing that maybe you can start practicing that maybe you can start practicing and what i'll do in the link below this and what i'll do in the link below this and what i'll do in the link below this video is go back to some of the other video is go back to some of the other video is go back to some of the other deep dives where we actually took deep dives where we actually took deep dives where we actually took screenshots of the research and gave you screenshots of the research and gave you screenshots of the research and gave you a better understanding and a better understanding and a better understanding and you know another thing you can do is is you know another thing you can do is is you know another thing you can do is is you know go to a feed supply store you know go to a feed supply store you know go to a feed supply store get a hundred ten gallon or 120 gallon get a hundred ten gallon or 120 gallon get a hundred ten gallon or 120 gallon um um um i think it's called belkin country feed i think it's called belkin country feed i think it's called belkin country feed tank stock tank i have one of those tank stock tank i have one of those tank stock tank i have one of those on my deck to be honest the down the on my deck to be honest the down the on my deck to be honest the down the reason why i don't use that often reason why i don't use that often reason why i don't use that often anymore is i just got in this routine anymore is i just got in this routine anymore is i just got in this routine and my chickens would and my chickens would and my chickens would they sleep in this tree and sometimes they sleep in this tree and sometimes they sleep in this tree and sometimes they have poop in there and it's just they have poop in there and it's just they have poop in there and it's just the maintenance on it was like the maintenance on it was like the maintenance on it was like it became just another thing i had to do it became just another thing i had to do it became just another thing i had to do in the morning and i found my compliance in the morning and i found my compliance in the morning and i found my compliance was better of just going in the cold was better of just going in the cold was better of just going in the cold shower so that i probably get better shower so that i probably get better shower so that i probably get better health benefits but going in the stock
09:00health benefits but going in the stock health benefits but going in the stock tank tank tank but again it was just like all these but again it was just like all these but again it was just like all these things that i had to do so i i don't do things that i had to do so i i don't do things that i had to do so i i don't do that that that but uh once a week i go and jump in in but uh once a week i go and jump in in but uh once a week i go and jump in in lake washington here with a friend so my lake washington here with a friend so my lake washington here with a friend so my neighbor neighbor neighbor my friend ben lynch we go jump in the my friend ben lynch we go jump in the my friend ben lynch we go jump in the water and so water and so water and so you know you still get it in that full you know you still get it in that full you know you still get it in that full body and i try to stay in as long as body and i try to stay in as long as body and i try to stay in as long as possible and slow down my breathing and possible and slow down my breathing and possible and slow down my breathing and do all that do all that do all that so you still get that deep freeze once a so you still get that deep freeze once a so you still get that deep freeze once a week which i think is helpful week which i think is helpful week which i think is helpful so thanks as always for tuning in if you so thanks as always for tuning in if you so thanks as always for tuning in if you enjoyed this video please hit that like enjoyed this video please hit that like enjoyed this video please hit that like button i would love to know what you're button i would love to know what you're button i would love to know what you're doing doing doing to activate your brown adipose tissue to activate your brown adipose tissue to activate your brown adipose tissue and to cause yourself to get comfortable and to cause yourself to get comfortable and to cause yourself to get comfortable with discomfort in the comment section with discomfort in the comment section with discomfort in the comment section below below below we'll catch you in a future video down we'll catch you in a future video down we'll catch you in a future video down the road