If you are feeling malaise, tired, or significantly unwell due to a cold, flu, or bacterial infection, avoid deliberate cold exposure, strenuous exercise, or heat challenges. Your body needs to conserve resources for healing, and stress from these activities can hinder recovery.
When feeling sick, prioritize rest and avoid pushing yourself, as your body’s natural ‘sickness circuits’ are designed to encourage healing. This allows your body to devote all resources to combating the infection.
Consistently breathe through your nose, unless engaged in strenuous exercise or talking, because it acts as a primary barrier against infections entering through the mouth. Nasal breathing is generally better than mouth breathing for overall health.
If new to deliberate cold exposure, start with shorter durations (e.g., 1-3 minutes) and gradually increase, never jumping straight to long exposures like 10 minutes. Always warm up thoroughly afterwards by getting clothed, taking a hot shower/sauna, or basking in the sun to prevent prolonged cold exposure.
If experiencing a mild sniffle or feeling a little run down, opt for warmer hot baths, hot showers, or a non-stressfully hot sauna instead of cold exposure. For mild unwellness, taking a hot shower and going to sleep is often the best advice.
Engage in deliberate cold exposure repeatedly, such as three times per week over six weeks, to potentially increase immune system markers like T lymphocytes and IL-6. This effect is mediated by the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which can be pro-immune.
Practice cyclic hyperventilation (e.g., Wim Hof breathing, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth repeatedly 25 times or so) to release norepinephrine and epinephrine. This can activate immune cells and potentially reduce the symptomatic response to infections.
Be mindful that chronically elevated levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine, especially late in the day and sustained over many days, can reduce the number and efficiency of immune cells. This suggests balancing stress-inducing protocols with adequate recovery.
Be aware that spending time in cold, dry environments, particularly with mouth breathing, can thin and weaken the mucosal lining of your nose and mouth. This makes you more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections, so protect these areas.