By Christine Forbes
As the New Year unfolds, fitness centers around Portsmouth are packed with determined individuals eager to kickstart their resolutions. From weight loss goals to dry January commitments and goals of establishing healthier daily routines, the enthusiasm for health and wellness is always at a high this time of the year.
Over the course of 2024, I intend to visit many of the popular wellness and fitness spots around Portsmouth and write a series of articles describing their facilities, approach, focus, and target audience to let you know what makes each special. My hope is that the series will help you find the ideal fitness or wellness center for you, which you might not have found otherwise.
I want to kick off the series with something really special, so my first article will focus on places featuring cold-water/cold-exposure therapy. Cold therapy is the rage now, so much so that several cold exposure options have sprung up in Portsmouth. To kick off my health and wellness series I intend to try them and share my experience with you.
Let’s talk about the science behind cold-water therapy. Amongst other health benefits, proponents claim it can stimulate the release of dopamine. I have found this to be true by starting off many mornings with a cold shower. Cold water gets your sympathetic nervous system, the “fight or flight” into gear, cranking up the dopamine– the “happy” neurotransmitter. It’s like giving your brain a turbo boost of happy when you get out of the water, and it last for hours.
The result is, enhanced mood regulation, more of the “happy” neurotransmitter, and sharper focus, concentration, and alertness. Low dopamine levels have been linked to depression. Maybe, conventional psychologists and psychiatrists should consider adding cold water therapy to their toolkit instead of suggesting those SSRI prescriptions.
I hear that total cold-water immersion is even more of a turbo boost of happy than a simple cold shower can be, but I have not tried it yet. Brrrrrrr, I intend to find out and report back. Beyond that, I will investigate some of fitness and wellness options that Portsmouth provides us and share my pursuit of a longer, healthier life. So, stay tuned for the next episode of the journey!
Remember, “Health is an active pursuit, not a passive result.”
