Cold plunges and the 5 a.m. Club: Tim Caulfield debunks energy-boosting trends

Tim Caulfield, health science professor at the University of Alberta joined CTV Morning Live Edmonton to look into the science, or lack of, behind popular energy-boosted trends.

 

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

 

Kent Morrison: It's the time of year where our energy may begin to drag, and in the new year, many look for methods to jump start their day, boost their energy and efficiency. The internet offers plenty of ideas, but do they actually work? Let's start off with cold plunges. It's gaining popularity. It's touted as a way to recover from injuries, and generally rev up your engine. What does science say about this?

Tim Caulfield: First of all, it's so popular, right? It's incredible. Celebrities are doing it. It started with a guy named Wim Hof. He's from the Netherlands. You're not going to be surprised with my response Kent, there's very little evidence to support this. There's some studies that show iffy results, but little solid evidence to support the definitive claims that this is going to make you healthier. In fact, there are some studies that suggest it actually hurts your recovery from exercise and slows things like muscle growth, which is exactly what you don't want with something like this. It might even be dangerous because there have been deaths associated with this. So overall, a gimmick that doesn't have great evidence to support it.

Kent: That's interesting because ice and cold baths have been around since I was an amateur athlete, as a way to recover. This must have been percolating for a while.

Tim: You'd be surprised at the lack of evidence for icing and injury. I used to be very involved in track. I felt like I had a bag of frozen peas on my hamstrings for a decade. There's very little evidence to support cold plunges and it might hurt your recovery, not lead to benefits.

Kent: Now, let's talk about the 5 a.m. club. It's the popular idea of going to bed early, getting up before the sun, and getting a jump on your day. Do you believe in this sort of thing?

Tim: No. Look at you all on CTV Morning Live. Your lives would all be fixed, am I right? Again, no evidence to support this. In fact, I hate this message. We all have different rhythms. Different biological rhythms are called chronotypes. We have different sleep patterns. The important thing is to get a good, healthy night's sleep. Find a good, healthy sleep routine. Maybe you wake up a little bit later than other people. Maybe you wake earlier, if you like that. Some studies even suggest if you force yourself to get up, you're going to be grumpier, you can be less productive, and there might even be safety issues. I say no to this. Embrace a sleeping pattern that works for you and that can make you feel energized throughout the day.

Kent: What about this idea of getting natural light in your eyes as soon as you wake up?

Tim: This goes to your chronotypes, and it's the idea that it's going to help you feel more energized. That's kind of iffy for me, but what I do like is the idea of getting outside. There is evidence to support this. It's sometimes called natural or nature therapy. The data is a lot of correlational, or observational research, but a lot of research is happening right now in this space. I like this idea. It might be an opportunity to de-stress, or to escape the noise, but I say, embrace it. Go outside, even if it's -20 C. There are benefits.

Kent: Tim is the author of several books. His next one, The Certainty Illusion: What You Don't Know and Why it Matters, is out next month.