Why Cold Showers?
Lately I have been feeling lethargic and listless when I first wake up in the morning. Like most of us, I want to start my mornings off strong with a quick workout and other positive routines, but I lacked some motivation because of how I felt. In addition, it is currently August, and the Southern California climate is ranging from warm to hot, which adds to my morning lethargy. I have recently read about some high performers who swear by their cold shower routine, so I was intrigued by this possibility. I had taken a few cold showers in my life, but I had never sustained a habit. I thought, why not give it a shot for a week?Benefits of Cold Showers
Based on my research, some of the potential benefits of cold showers listed by scientific studies and cold-shower devotees include:- Stress Reduction
- Improved Emotional Resilience
- Increased Personal Will Power
- Increased Alertness
- Reduced Depression Symptoms
- Wakes You Up
- Improved Skin and Hair Health
There are other impressive potential benefits that I encountered in my research, but for the sake of brevity, I'll stop with the list above. The benefits listed above was more than enough to convince me to give it a try.
My Experience with a 7-Day Cold Shower Challenge
I woke up Monday morning with my customary morning daze, and I made my way to the shower. I grabbed the shower handle, and turned the water to cold. I hesitated for a moment, took a deep breathe, and entered the shower. I tentatively allowed the cold water to hit my legs and lower body. I tensed up, and I quickly moved around to allow the cold water to strike the different parts of my body. I grimaced and breathed rapidly as my body experienced this new shock. After several more seconds, I turned the water off, and thought that it wasn't that bad. My first cold shower probably lasted just under 1 minute.As I dried myself, I noticed that I liked the way I felt physically and emotionally. I felt awake, alert, and invigorated. I carried some of these feelings throughout the day, and I had a higher level of will power and energy throughout much of the day. I felt happy and I felt in greater control of my day. If I can do something difficult in the morning, and I can continue to conquer whatever comes my way.
I continued the same routine for the next several days, and the cold shower became much less daunting. I embraced the experience and actually started looking forward to it. I increased my shower time from about 1 minute to closer to a 2 minute shower. I even added some audible hooting and hollering while in the cold shower as part of new wake-up ritual.
I learned that my cold shower help me conquer my mornings, and the ROI for 2 minutes of my time were tremendously positive. I even started to take a cold shower, then do a 30 minute run or workout, and then take a second cold shower before getting ready to work. I'm sure I'll adapt my habit, but I'm definitely hooked.
Final Thoughts and Considerations
Will I continue taking cold showers? Definitely. I've already continued the routine past my original 7 day challenge. I'm somewhat of a cold shower junkie right now. I actually just took a cold shower a few minutes ago in the afternoon before writing this post. I came home from work, and I felt exhausted and sleepy. I wanted to write this post, but I couldn't muster up the energy and focus. I took a quick 1 minute cold shower, and my alertness and energy went from almost nothing to decently strong in a minute.I will acknowledge that this habit may change as the temperature starts to dip. The "cold" water temperature during Southern California summers is not really that cold. It is a little shocking to the skin in the morning, but the sensation is far from extreme. I'm trying to imagine a cold shower in the winter, when the water is much colder and the outside air is much colder. I'll at least try it for 7 days in the dead of winter as part of a #better7 challenge, but I can't make any promises after that.
Have you ever tried taking cold showers? What was your experience?
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