Are you someone who enjoys taking the plunge into icy waters for the sake of wellness? Do you find yourself shivering and gasping for breath as you try to ease your way into the cold, refreshing embrace of an ice bath? Well, fear not, my friends, for I have discovered the ultimate solution to all your icy woes: dunk your head first!
Yes, you heard that right. Dunk your head first, and you'll find that everything else falls into place. It's like magic! I know, I know, it sounds crazy, but hear me out.
You see, when you first dip your toe into an ice bath, your body immediately goes into shock. Your heart rate spikes, your breathing becomes shallow, and you start to feel like you're about to freeze to death. It's not a pleasant experience. But if you start by dunking your entire body AND head, something magical happens. Your brain is suddenly too busy freaking out about the cold water rushing into your sinuses to worry about the rest of your body. It's like a distraction technique, but for your nervous system.
Another ice bather mentioned it somewhere, but I didn't believe it until today's dunk (day 57). And don't get me wrong, I didn't get in and immediately put my head it, I got in, sat there for a few minutes, THEN put my head in, and then hung out a few more minutes. From tomorrow moving forward, I'll always go completely under right off the bat. It works that well...
So there you have it, folks. The secret to a successful ice bath is all in the head. Literally. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. And remember, if all else fails, there's always hot cocoa waiting for you on the other side.
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