This is how you become frost-proof: Why you should voluntarily freeze in autumn

The easiest way is to expose yourself to the cold for short periods of time each day in the fall, says Hohenauer. “The effect is greatest when at least one-third of the body surface is exposed.” For example, you can spend 20 minutes outside in a T-shirt. Hohenauer says that the ideal air temperature for acclimating to the cold varies from person to person. “It’s important to get out of our comfort zone: freezing and shivering are important, but the cold shouldn’t hurt either.”

According to the expert, our feeling of coldness and our physical reactions gradually adapt to the colder ambient temperature. In addition, our brain interprets the cold stimulus in a less intense way from time to time. “The first effects of cold acclimation are noticeable after only a few days,” says Hohenauer. It’s important to get used to it in regular, small steps. “Sleeping with the window open and without a blanket for a few hours at night affects our sleep a lot and is not very beneficial.”

“A cold shower is often very uncomfortable,” says Hohenauer. In the shower, water hits the skin unevenly, so cold receptors are repeatedly activated and deactivated. “It means more stress for the body.” Although taking cold showers can also help you get used to the cold, Hohenauer recommends taking a short, cool bath in a tub, river, or lake instead two to three times a week. “In water, almost our entire body is constantly exposed to cold. “This is perfect for getting used to.” Important here too: Start in the fall as long as the water is not too cold. “Otherwise you run the risk of hypothermia.”

“Every cold habit has its limits,” says Hohenauer. If our body reaches a core temperature of 35 degrees or lower, we run the risk of hypothermia. As long as our muscles are shivering from the cold, we’re generally in a safe zone. “Shivering is a natural reflex of our muscles that we use to keep the body warm while moving.” If the body temperature is too low (below 35 degrees), the body’s only concern is keeping vital organs functioning. “If our body is no longer shivering and we become very tired and distracted, this is a sign of hypothermia.” But it rarely goes that far, because we feel warning signals in the form of cold pain on our skin before we actually go into hypothermia.

Hohenauer says how you deal with the cold mentally plays a big role. The cortex, the area of ​​the brain that interprets and processes cold, is located directly above the limbic system. “This is where our emotions are processed.” Hohenauer says there is a constant exchange between the two areas of the brain. This means that negative emotions related to cold also have an effect on the cortex. And so they directly affect how our brain interprets cold signals. Hohenauer: “Conversely, positive thoughts also help us endure the cold better.”

“There is evidence that people who get used to the cold feel less sick,” says Hohenauer. Research increasingly shows that with adequate cold acclimation, inflammatory reactions from the disease become less severe. “People who are resistant to cold are less likely to feel a flu-like infection and therefore feel fitter more quickly,” says the expert. In addition, regular exposure to cold increases the release of happiness hormones such as endorphins, serotonin and dopamine. “This helps people feel better.”

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