Results From the Cold Water Experiment

Soon after COVID-19 arrived in USA, infectious disease experts were motivating us to wash our hands. I’d hear (paraphrased) “It doesn’t make a difference if you use warm water or cold, just wash them.” ¹

Then oil prices rose, and it cost more to run the furnace for heat and hot water.

And the pièce de résistance was from a mental health webinar that said cold showers produce a rise in dopamine (among other feel-good neurotransmitters). ^{2, 3}

This trifecta of accolades for cold water motivated me to cut back on hot water use. Besides, I’ve always looked for ways to reduce my Carbon Footprint. ⁴

So I used only cold water to wash my glasses, hands and face and to brush my teeth. I still used warm water for showering and shaving, though.

One immediate benefit was that I spent less time at the sink – I didn’t have to wait for the warm water to reach the faucet.

Then, when the oil was delivered, I was amazed to see that we needed about 40% less to fill the tank.

As for my mood, I feel pretty good considering it’s the bleakest time of the year in New England.

However, one side effect was pointed out to me during a recent screening for skin cancer. I mentioned that my fingertips were “taking a beating” in the cold weather. The dermatologist diagnosed me with Raynaud’s Syndrome. She suggested that I see a cardiologist or vascular specialist who might prescribe a vasodialator. “In the mean time, keep your hands warm. You can get thin silk gloves to fit under your regular gloves.” I decided not to mention that:

• I do not wear gloves;

• I keep the house at 66 F (19 C);

• I wash my hands with cold water.

All of the above results in vasoconstriction.

I’ve had cold hands for as long as I can remember; my mother taught me to wash my hands with cold water. I believe she was trying prevent me from getting scalded if I accidentally turned on the hot water too much.

As a young adult I read about how Vitamin E is good for blood circulation; ⁵ I figured it would improve blood flow to my hands, so I started taking it when I was a young adult. It did help. As a less young adult, I switched my breakfast from cereal and milk to almond butter and blueberries on rice cakes. Almonds are naturally high in Vitamin E, so my hands continued to feel well. But I heard that almond trees require a great deal of water, and truckloads of bees were needed in order pollinate them. And then I jumped on the “supper is the new breakfast” bandwagon.

I just started taking Vitamin E again last week; already I feel some improvement in my hands. I wonder if it will keep my blood pressure down, too.

¹ https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/faqs.html

² https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9953392/

³ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4Q1s9Tyb9ZZmyqZhQk489FS/why-we-should-all-be-taking-cold-showers

⁴ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/what-is-a-carbon-footprint-how-to-measure-yours

⁵ https://www.faim.org/the-great-antioxidant-vitamin-e