The takeaway I get is that it increases perseverance. So basically, "doing something physically unpleasant every day increases ability to push through/withstand other physically unpleasant events" is my big takeaway. Seems pretty straightforward. Not necessarily novel, especially when you add in the exercise portion.

I think there's some value to pushing yourself harder than the minimum to be comfortable and survive. But I don't think that's a eureka.

There are some parallels to Stoic philosophy there. Ancient stoics would exercise regularly but state the health effect as a secondary benefit, the primary benefit being the virtuous exercise of discipline.

Anyone who had to do military draft will confirm it. Even after 9-12 months of mandatory service you don't come back buffed like a body builder - but the daily exercise and regime puts you in a different state of mind.

Navy SEAL training involves extended cold water exercise specifically designed to build perseverance. The ones that succeed are experts at not quitting anything

> The takeaway I get is that it increases perseverance. So basically, "doing something physically unpleasant every day increases ability to push through/withstand other physically unpleasant events" is my big takeaway.

Yeah, that's the hypothesis I need to see falsified before I start taking cold showers. I reckon my 'perserverance' muscles get enough of a workout from fasting.

So basically, "doing something physically unpleasant every day increases ability to push through/withstand other physically unpleasant events" is my big takeaway.

Meh, that would require an independent confirmation too. It is harder for me to believe that doing one somewhat uncomfortable thing a day will make you more likely to push through multiple other more uncomfortable things.

Does it increase perseverance or merely select for it? This study does not distinguish the two and to me the latter is more likely.

That's what the randomization protocol is for?

I wonder if mouthwash is similar, if to a lesser degree? Every morning I use mouthwash until I've "felt" all the pain of it, which is when I am done. And I always hate it, and it never gets easier, but I always feel better afterwards because I accepted the pain.

I'd imagine the symptoms were also reduced. Cold showers reduce inflammation, so I'd imagine people who practice them would feel less miserable once the 'fight it off' portion of the infection is over.

My doctor also recommended cold showers (or at least ending with a minute of cold) as a means of stress management. Apparently it stimulates some nerves and reduces the stress damage somewhat. Possibly related to lower inflammation too. Anecdotally I do feel better when I do it and miss it when I don’t.

The problem you're describing sounds more like a societal/work-culture problem that's completely orthogonal to the study.

Cold showering improved individual health: the fact that those experiencing said improved health made unwise decisions that may increase the spread of disease doesn't change the fact.

Perhaps what we have here is a concrete example of the principle put forward by Mark Twain - “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

Lots of science to back this up, look up Wim Hof

He's an impressive beast.