What taking cold showers everyday has taught me

I discovered cold showers around 2 years ago. I can’t remember if I listened about it on a podcast, or if I read about it somewhere, somehow. When I talk about it, most people look at me and probably think I’m crazy, or what’s the point on doing it, or that’s too much…

I have experienced enormous benefits of building this simple habit in my life, and you can experience them as well. It’s such a small hack that all it takes is turning the hot water valve to cold and jumping straight to it.

I divided the benefits into 4 distinct points and at the end I will provide you an easy way to build the habit of taking cold showers.

Conquer your mind

“The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master.”

Robin Sharma

When going for a swim in a cold lake, or taking a cold shower in the middle of winter after waking up at 7 am, your mind will find any possible excuse to avoid jumping in there. You will think any possible reason why you should not do it, why you don’t need it. However, the power comes when you take control of your mind and you do it anyways. Now that you are able to jump in a cold shower, you will be able to take that risky decision, call this other person, take action and build momentum.

Conquer your fear and manage stress

If you find yourself in the middle of a cold lake during winter. The water temperature will reach 5–6 °C. That’s fucking cold! Your body will start shaking uncontrollably, you won´t be able to breathe or talk. Conquer your fear, by breathing deeply and keeping calm amidst all this external stress, you will learn the value of staying calm during stressful situations. Next time you find yourself in a stressful situation remind yourself when you jumped in a cold lake.

Stay out of the comfort zone

Comfort is the enemy of progress. If you wake up every morning and start your day with a cold shower, you will feel unstoppable, nothing can bring you down. You are able to go through the day with the upper hand rather than being the subject of your life situation.

Physiological benefits

The worst thing you can do to your hair and skin is hot water. Hot water denatures the proteins that form your outer skin and hair cells. Why the hell would you do that to yourself? I am not saying there’s no benefit to hot showers, there is. But in the long run hot water will ruin your skin and hair.

Cold showers have shown amazing benefits in reducing system inflammation in your system. Think it like this, when you hit your arm, leg, or head what’s the first thing you use. Ice. Because you are reducing the temperature of your body, thus your body will heat itself up to avoid a reduction of the temperature. Your body is an amazing machine. It regulates its own temperature to keep equilibrium or homeostasis. By heating itself up, blood needs to be moved to the area where the temperature is dropping to start heating. More nutrients arrive to the affected area and promotes better recovery and alleviates inflammation.

Cardiovascular diseases are one the first causes of death in the world. Obesity and cardiovascular health are highly correlated. If you are over 30, you should probably check your heart once in a while, avoid eating high amounts of sugar and saturated fats. I will tell you a secret, but please don’t tell about it to your doctor so the next time you see him, he will be surprised at your cardiovascular health, and will ask you what on hell you have been up to. You will smile and thank yourself for starting cold showers. Simple as that.

How do I start?

The best way to start something is to take small and consistent steps, and accountability.

I recommend to keep taking the showers that you regularly take, and the end of your shower add 10 seconds of extremely cold shower. Wait for it to get cold and count 10 seconds. You can do it!

First week: Add 10 seconds of cold shower at the end of your regular shower, Don’t forget to breath! Your goal is to control your breath to a slower pace to tell your brain you are not in danger, you are in control of the situation.

Second week: Add 30 seconds of cold water at the end of your regular shower.

Third week: Add 1 min of cold water at the end of your regular shower.

You should be ready, after three weeks, to start taking complete cold showers from beginning to end.

Tips

I can’t mention this enough. Breathe. Deep breaths, it’s the most important thing. You are telling your brain you are not in Fight or Flight response, you are in control of the situation. Feel the cold on your body, on your hands, on your chest, your feet. Feel it, relax into it. Try to think what cold is supposed to feel like. Let go of any tension in your body. The more you are relaxed, the least you will experience cold.

Go ahead and try it. Let me know what you think ;)