cold plunging

[Elli86]

Hi guys.

Totally random question but want to see if anyone’s tried cold plunging/ice baths with af. I used to do it all the time when training before my ticker kicked off but have been worried about doing it since. Hoping I might be able to start doing it again but wanted to check if anyone else has had any experience with it good or bad and if it kicked off their af. Made it worse or better?

Hopefully there’s a couple of weirdos like me out there 🤣

Thanks

[CDreamer]

Yes I have done it, prior to AF, used to be plunged into cold water dinghy sailing and sea swimming all the time! Haven’t done it for the last 5 years or so but always finish my shower with cold water - great for the immune system and for vagal tone. I wouldn’t recommend ice plunges with AF though you never know quite which way cold water immersion might go so stick to cold showers. I had an ice bucket shower about a month ago and was OK with that.

[Elli86 in reply to CDreamer]

Yeah it’s great for health all round. I miss it but like I say I’ve not wanted to upset my ticker at all since it kicked off a few years back. Do you have your showers on coldest setting possible?

[CDreamer in reply to Elli86]

I start warm and then hot 10 secs then gradually turn down to coldest setting for 20 secs - repeat - always ending on coldest setting by which time I am tingling.

[Blearyeyed]

I wouldn't suggest ice baths with AF , very cold water even in outdoor swimming pools is a pretty common trigger to many AF sufferers.In fact , part of the way cryotherapy works us by giving a stress trigger to your autonomic nervous system which provokes a rapid cardiac response to increase circulation and amend the body temperature drop.

I used to enjoy Wild Swimming but I can't manage it now because if the way it affects my tachycardia , it has even triggered AF in Summer.

A slow cooling of the body before getting in the water entirely is usual a better precaution for people with AF and tachycardias.

[Elli86 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Yeah that’s what I’ve been thinking since I’ve had af. Shock isn’t usually good for me especially if I’m shocked from sleep. Really unsure whether to try again or not.

[Sixtyslidogirl]

I have PAF and do some cold water swimming but go in very slowly, no shocks, make sure I’m warm beforehand and then heat up in the sauna. Being cold is a trigger for me so don’t stay in too long.

[OzJames]

When I was younger 40’s-50’s and got AF I self reverted either by exercising or jumping into my cold pool at home. Now that I’m 65 I’m not game to try!

[Espeegee]

If you still have a bath you could experiment by starting with a small amount of water and getting in slowly, gradually increasing the depth until you it's as deep as you're happy to get into. If that works ok you could add ice too. Most domestic baths aren't really deep enough for the water to come much above the waist so you would be safe.

[Hidden]

I cannot remember when it was but an icy cold drink did cause AF on one occasion.

[Lilypocket]

Swim in the sea in Normandy - walk straight in. It takes my breath away for about 5 seconds but has never triggered AF.

[Beeflower]

I’ve gone into the sea just last week and it was cold, and I was a bit worried , but was ok after

[tealdozer]

I remember jumping into a non-heated swimming pool in Tenerife on a really hot day and it gave me immediate palpitations - that was the start of my AF journey ! Sadly I never go into the pool on holiday now.

[BeeBee79]

My husband is a huge fan and I’m considering it also now the weather is getting colder. I used to get my natural high from running but I can’t do that anymore so I’m wondering a bit of cold water therapy will help.

I genuinely can never see a trigger for my AF so I’m willing to take a chance

[JackyMac]

Hi elli86, I have been sea swimming all year for the last three years. I have permanent AF and had hoped the shock of cold water would shock it back into NSR, but no such luck.I would suggest, however, that you don't do it alone, always have somebody with you.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Elli

I used to swim quite long distances in the sea, but not done so for many years now.

I took note of CD's cold shower tip and started doing that last year, but I got pneumonia, so won't try that again.

I had a cardioversion a few days before going on a holiday to Croatia a few years ago . My daughter tried to coax me into an outdoor pool but my local indoor heated pool had sent me into AF many times in the past so I was too afraid to try.

Now that I'm in low rate constant AF I have thought about trying swimming again.

Jean

[CDreamer in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hi Jean - are you connecting cold shower with getting pneumonia? If so I’m trying to work through the mechanism and as pneumonia is either viral or bacterial I can only imagine it lowered your immunity when it should have done the opposite or there was something in the water.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to CDreamer]

No certainly not saying it was the cold showers that gave me pneumonia, but I did hope that they would make me healthier and prevent it, plus the many supposedly health inducing vitamins I take.

Jean

[CDreamer in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks for the clarification. I found it does help with regulating my ANS which can go completely haywire, especially for regulating temperature.

[2learn]

Hi, there's been a number of articles on BBC and Guardian websites about dangers of cold water plunging and swimming for some people. I'd be wary and do quite alot of investigation.

[CDreamer in reply to 2learn]

I think jumping into cold water and cold water shock can be dangerous for some, especially if you can’t control your breathing (Divers response). I’m not a great supporter of Win Hoff’s ice baths! But I do think it has benefits if you train for them.

[Popepaul]

Hi Ellie 86A family member worked as a paediatric Nurse for most of her life. She recently told me that during her time it was standard practice to immerse a baby into ice cold water if the child was out of NSR. She said that it worked

I am not suggesting that anybody else follows this practice.

Regards

[CDreamer in reply to Popepaul]

That’s interesting. I guess that is very similar to the divers’ shock technique of putting your face into ice cold water - that has worked to get me out of AF a few tines when I’ve been able to get some ice! You have to be prepared and overcome the wanting to take in sharp intake of breath though. Vase vagal techniques can work sometimes.

[MaryCa]

Ice baths are said to lower inflammation according to a chiropractor I saw. Loads of research on google scholar linking Afib to inflammation. It's not my cup of tea as my ankles pain like mad if I try to get into cold water. But I was swimming in the sea in Ireland a few weeks ago, my fingers were blue when I came out. So relaxing. No strange heart murmurings. But I did have an ablation ten months ago. Nsr since. And I take co enzyme Q10 to reduce inflammation. I've found it brilliant for ectopics

[Margareta3]

I read somewhere that it does help to convert. I done it twice, once it did help immediately after a cold shower, and the other time it did not.