Cold Therapy
and the Future of Hotels

Cold Therapy, otherwise known as cold thermogenesis, is the process of exposing the body, or portions of it, to freezing cold temperatures for a brief period of time. This sounds miserable to most sane human beings.

However, modern science has found that we may experience numerous benefits from thermogenesis and cold exposure. Thermogenesis and cold exposure are now known to help with weight loss, reduce inflammation, lower body fat, increase metabolic activity, improve sleep, strengthen immune systems, and potentially even increase lifespan.

Here’s a quick history lesson on cold exposure. Don’t worry, I’m not a history teacher, and there won’t be a test at the end.

Throughout history, some of our ancestors, who lived far from the equator, were likely exposed to extreme cold temperatures for extended periods of time. Bathing in icy pools, walking in freezing cold to hunt food and carry it home, and resting their head on the cold ground without a nice warm fireplace to keep them warm. It makes me shiver just thinking about it.

When we get cold, we shiver. Shivering is our body burning fat to generate heat in order to keep us warm – an ancient physiological pathway of sorts. As we shiver, we deplete sugar stored in our muscles, known as muscle glycogen. This simulates strenuous exercise and has been found to cause the release of growth hormone – an effect that can have a tremendous impact on the body. This effect is likely one important contributing factor to how our ancestors survived such difficult times.

Through repeated cold exposure, they became “cold-adapted”. This process of becoming “cold-adapted” is like giving your body a new benchmark or perspective to measure from. For instance, if you think sitting in a room temperature of 60° is cold, then you step outside into 0° weather for 10 minutes, and then step back inside, that 60° temperature will suddenly feel very warm. Likewise, each time you step out into the icy temperatures, it will be less painful over time. You’ll begin to almost feel comfortable in colder weather.

These cold-adapted ancestors trained their bodies to live more comfortably in cold weather, survive in icy climates, and eventually expand their territories. Ultimately, it helped them become more physically and mentally strong — able to withstand the worst of conditions.

For over a year, we have been surviving, adapting, learning, and growing; holding on for more, waiting for the turnaround, squinting our eyes to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe the hospitality industry is experiencing its own cold therapy treatment. We certainly didn’t ask for it, but it can still be good for us.

We may not enjoy weight loss or increased life expectancy from our “cold therapy”, however, as a whole, here are some benefits our industry has experienced. There are many others, I’m sure.

Today is difficult, tomorrow will have its own challenges. But think of it like cold therapy — it’s temporary and we’ll emerge better than before. The last year has been miserable and uncomfortable for many, but in the end, we can be stronger than ever. As we are preparing to exit our “ice bath” filled with a pandemic, shutdowns, lay-offs, economic distress, and uncertainty, let’s be confident that our bodies will be adapted to withstand difficult conditions. We will emerge with a new, refreshed vitality.

When the sun rises and the warm light shines upon our industry once again, I hope that the lessons we have learned, and the strength we’ve built stays around.