You’re running late, and it’s raining outside, you forgot to study, and your exams are tomorrow, or you’re simply having one of those days where everything seems to go wrong, so what do you do?
You calm down and take a cold shower! A cold shower will not only cool your body down and prepare it to think clearly, but also will give you the time to calm down and help you get back on track with your day because let’s face it, the world won’t end if something goes wrong.
Cold Shower Benefits
In addition to being an effective way to keep yourself cool, taking a cold shower will also help you sleep better at night. The temperature of your bedroom directly impacts your ability to fall asleep.
So when it’s warmer than you’d like, your body is more likely going to have trouble shutting down for rest. However, by placing yourself in extreme temperatures just before bed — which are quickly remedied once you climb into bed.
You trick your body into thinking it’s falling for another long period of time. This triggers sleepiness as well as self-regulating functions that help keep you cool at night.
We all know that exercise is good for us, but we don’t always have time for it. And when we do make time, many of us just can’t get ourselves moving.
But one simple habit has shown promise for boosting energy levels (and helping weight loss): taking a cold shower. For about two minutes each morning, I turn on my water as hot as it will go and step inside.
A good, cold shower is equal parts invigorating and relaxing — it wakes you up mentally while simultaneously calming you down physically. The benefits of taking cold showers are vast:
They reduce stress hormones, boost your immune system, improve circulation, lower blood pressure and even improve depression. Cold water also improves your body’s ability to burn fat.
When you exercise or do strenuous activity (like weight-lifting), you naturally increase your body temperature.
Cold Water Therapy
Research suggests that cold water therapy is an effective way to keep stress at bay. The theory is that exposure to extreme temperatures will help boost your immune system, which will, in turn, produce stress-reducing hormones.
To incorporate cold water therapy into your life, simply step under a cool or lukewarm faucet for about one minute each day. Or for an even greater impact, look into incorporating ice baths into your routine:
All you need is some sort of barrier (think towel or rubber mat) to keep from slipping on icy surfaces. Just don’t slip under there alone — even if you can lift yourself back up quickly, it’s still a good idea to avoid causing an unnecessary panic attack!
There are several theories as to why cold water is so effective at calming your nervous system. One has to do with your brain’s fight or flight response: When you go out into freezing weather, your body needs time to warm up, which requires that it divert blood flow from your extremities toward your core.
Many of us use hot water for everything, from cleaning dishes to bathing. But experts say that cold water is actually better for your skin because it helps tighten pores and prevent breakouts.
And if you’re looking for an energy boost, some studies show that 15–20 seconds of exposure is enough to activate brown fat, a type of good fat (generally stored between your shoulder blades) that helps your body burn calories faster.
Getting Over the Fear
Of jumping into freezing water is something that many people dread. But jumping into freezing water is actually one of the best ways to challenge yourself. Freezing water has been shown to be incredibly stress-relieving.
It lowers your heart rate, dilates your arteries, and reduces cortisol (the stress hormone). So even though it sounds painful at first, if you can push through those first few seconds, you’ll find that it’s extremely relaxing!
And if you manage to force yourself out of bed every morning for three weeks straight and jump into ice-cold water each time, you’ll likely never feel stressed again because deep down, your body will realize there’s no need for it anymore! Sounds like a tall order?
Many people are terrified of taking a cold shower, especially if they’re not used to it. You may also be afraid that you’ll slip and fall (which, by the way, is incredibly unlikely) or that you won’t enjoy it as much as you thought.
The fact is, most of us are nervous when we take our first plunge into an ice-cold shower. But, as with anything new, it’s important not to get stuck in your comfort zone.
The key is to keep working yourself up until you can handle that first initial shock of cold water. Of course, it will be tough, but with time and practice, you’ll learn how to manage your anxiety during those moments when you don’t know what else to do about it.
Preparing For Your First Cold Shower
It can be tough to force yourself into that ice-cold shower, especially if you’re feeling stressed or anxious. But doing so has real mental benefits. You’ll keep your body and mind from slipping into a state of panic.
And you’ll actually release feel-good chemicals like endorphins that not only help alleviate stress, but may also help reduce pain. If taking quick showers when you’re particularly anxious just isn’t possible.
Try putting together your own collection of go-bag tools that can make stressful situations more manageable (like calming essential oils or herbal teas). Check out Amazon for some inspiration.
We’ve all heard that taking cold showers is good for us, but not many of us actually make time for them. Now that we have, it’s hard to believe we didn’t start doing it sooner.
Not only does taking cold showers make you feel great, they’re also good for your health; adding a few minutes of ice-cold water on top of your regular warm shower helps improve circulation and blood flow. In short: It makes you feel better and look better.
The first time you try taking a cold shower, don’t do it when you’re already hot. When you’re feeling warm, your body will resist colder temperatures.
Tips On Taking A Cold Shower
Here are some reasons why you should seriously consider taking cold showers… Some of these tips may sound like something out of a fitness magazine, but I guarantee they will have an impact on your daily life. So, get ready to take that plunge into ice-cold water.
Boosts Your Immune System, Cold showers boost your immune system and help with recovery after intense exercise or training. But it’s not just that: Taking one right before bed can help with sleep deprivation, so you wake up feeling refreshed instead of tired.
Taking an ice-cold shower is an incredibly effective way to wake yourself up, but it can also boost your energy levels and immune system for hours afterward. Here are some tips on taking a chilly blast every morning.
Over time, you can train your body to become accustomed to hot showers. In fact, hot showers can become so routine that your body will not know what hit it when you step into freezing cold water.
To make it as easy as possible on yourself during your first few attempts at taking a cold shower, warm up with 3–4 minutes of hot water while still in the comfort of your home or bathroom.
How to Take Cold Showers Like a Pro,
Cold showers are an excellent way to reduce anxiety and de-stress. When your body encounters a sudden drop in temperature, it produces an instantaneous increase of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin — all chemicals that have been linked with boosting mood.
Because hot water temperatures trigger your sweat glands, they also help you detoxify while they elevate your mood. Start slow — try taking just five minutes under ice-cold water — and work up to 10 or even 15 if you can handle it.
Ah, cold showers. Just thinking about standing under a freezing-cold stream of water can send shivers down your spine — and that’s when you’re well on your way to becoming an experienced cold-shower taker.
If you want to reap all of those health benefits without resorting to turning on that stream, start by sitting in front of an open freezer for 30 seconds.
1. Turn up the hot water. 2. Turn on the cold water faucet.
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