Cold Showers - A Dose of Clarity and Stress Proofing

The lies about cold showering, why its awesome, and some science to back it up

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I know suggesting cold showers is akin to blasphemy, especially during the cold season, but the benefits are real and worthwhile.

I want to start this post off by saying that any disclaimers that you've read about getting used to the cold temperature, in my experience, are highly exaggerated. I've been taking cold showers every single day now for 8 months and every morning I feel like I'm going to battle when I step into the bathroom.

You can ask Isabella, there are some days where I need to pump myself up before I get in the shower and remind myself that I really enjoy how I feel after I get out. And the truth is I really do think the effort to take cold showers is worth it.

I started taking cold showers because I was tinkering with my morning routine and I came across this as a potential tactic to improve how I felt when I started my day.

Why Get Into A Cold Shower

The reason I take cold showers every morning is because it makes me feel amazing after I'm done. Not a ton of science behind that statement (we'll get into some of that later), but any other benefit I get, outside of how I feel is just a bonus.

I say this because I want to convey that I'm not a glutton for punishment. In fact, I tend to abandon the habits that are not doing it for me, and usually, that has to do with how those habits make me feel.

What is interesting about cold showers is when I taking them it does not feel amazing. Telling you that cold showers feel great or you get used to the cold at some point, as my friend Andres would say, would be a bold-faced lie. If you choose to take cold showers I want you to have a very clear sense of what you'd be getting yourself into. Also, shout out to my friends Daniel, and I think Henry did this also, who were the only ones brave enough to give it a shot out of all the people I told.

While the shower itself does not feel amazing the benefits I feel are real and worth it for me. Here are some of them:

1. I Feel Ready To Launch Into My Day - There is just no way to be tired after a cold shower. It's borderline impossible. The sleepy grogginess you sometimes feel in the morning gets doused and replaced with alertness, clarity, and focus. I feel like I walk into the bathroom as one human and I walk out as a completely different one.

   Before Cold Shower

   

   During Cold Shower

   

   After Cold Shower

   

2. Increased Presence & Awareness - I find the cold shower to be an amazing supplement to my mindfulness practice. There is no way to pay attention to anything else other than how you feel when you're in a cold shower. Thinking about other stuff becomes impossible and it’s a great way to clear your mind and focus on the moment. You pay attention to every part of your body, how it feels, and the fact that it’s VERY cold. I like this because oftentimes these spaces (the shower, walking around) get taken over by thoughts and I enjoy that my morning shower is another opportunity for me to be fully present and aware of the here and now.

3. Kills Your Stress & Raises Your Stress Tolerance - There is no way to be stressed or anxious once you are in a cold shower. Sure, the anticipation of getting in might be borderline stressful, but once you're inside you are only thinking about the cold. Similar to the above benefit, getting into a cold shower flushes out negative emotion. A friend of mine David made me aware of this when he was describing how he uses cold water to destress. He said "anytime I'm stressed I go into the water here by our house and it’s pretty impossible to think of anything else or to even be stressed for that matter. When you jump into ice-cold water everything else disappears and I feel much better after." I agree with this sentiment and have since found that it’s a super useful tool for changing my state whenever I don't feel at my best.

4. Highly Meditative and Shows You How Capable of Tolerating Discomfort You Are - When you first get into the shower you're getting rocked, plain and simple. It is uncomfortable, especially going from a cozy warm bed into this den of ice-cold punishment. HOWEVER, pretty quickly your body starts to acclimate, and over time (depending on the weather outside and level of cold you set the shower at, important caveats) you can, at times, crave cold showers (at least a lot more than I used to). It's just amazing how quickly the body adjusts and your mind starts to calm down as a result. Your breathing slows down, the goosebumps fade away, and your body settles.

5. Better Mood - This is anecdotal but you also start your days off in a better mood. Something about the ridiculousness of getting into freezing cold water (when hot is available, especially in the wintertime) makes me laugh a little at the silliness of the hoops I'll jump through to do things that make me feel good. Also, there is some research out there that cold water helps release chemicals in your brain that help you feel good, and, anecdotally, I do feel better.

All of that said, I highly recommend doing it. I think cold showers are not for most people because it does not feel good to get into freezing water. That's alright though and I'm not saying that to call people out. Cold showers represent one of a long list of things you can do to feel better in the mornings.

For those that want to give it a shot, here are some tips on how to get started:

How To Start Cold Showers

1. Start Slightly Colder Than You're Used To - I think we all operate with similar shower handles so hopefully, this is useful. Start with the handle somewhere in the middle between hot and cold. Usually, that means the water will be colder than you're used to (I think most people default to hot).

2. Put Your Limbs Under The Water, One At A Time - Start by putting one leg under the water, then the other, then your wrists, then your arms, then your chest, then your head. This step-by-step approach lets your body acclimate to the temperature. If you're really feeling it feel free to jump in though.

3. Focus On Slowing Your Breath Down - This is key to relaxing and getting acclimated in the shower. Focus on your breath, focus on slowing it down, and focus on relaxing. The more you do it, the easier it will be to stay in the shower.

4. Overtime Make The Water Colder - As you get into the habit (notice I did not say used to because I think you'll never totally get used to it) start making the water colder. I generally feel that the colder the water, the more acute the effects I described above.

5. Adjust As Needed - Some people like to start with the water warm (I think this is crazy because it’s a huge tease), some people like to end with the water warm, some people go head first, some people play music, etc. The point here is to add what you think will be useful to you.

It’s been one of the greatest things I've done for myself and I hope some of you give it a shot. Now if you're not convinced yet, let’s get into some of the scientific benefits of cold showers.

The Science Behind Cold Showering

1. Lose fat, and get leaner - There are several studies out there demonstrating that exposure to cold activates Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT). All you need to really know about BAT is it’s a type of fat your body has and it is "turned on" when you get cold - i.e. it produces heat to help your body stay warm. The gist of what happens is exposure to cold helps you burn fat (check out this study for more detail). For what it's worth - I think that this is true! I believe I've seen noticeable differences in my body, but that could be due to a number of factors so take this statement with a grain of salt.

2. Beneficial to mental health (alleviates anxiety and depression) - Taking cold showers can serve as a jolt to the brain by activating your skin receptors. Basically, water hits your skin and your skin registers that it’s very cold and sends a message to your brain saying "hey, it’s really cold". This increase in electrical activity in your brain bumps up your alertness, clarity, and energy levels. Additionally, it can trigger the release of endorphins, which can lead to a feeling of well-being and optimism. No one is saying this will cure mental illness, but the effects of a cold shower can be therapeutic. Like I mentioned in the section above, I personally feel that cold showers improve my mood and help me jump-start my day a ton. Check out this study for more info.

3. Strengthens your immune system - Cold showers can trigger an increase in your metabolic rate - which basically means the rate at which you burn calories. When your metabolic rate increases, there is a corresponding increase in white blood cells (at least scientists think there is a cause and effect relationship here). Your white blood cells power your immune system and this increase in white blood cells theoretically bolsters your immune system (check out this study).

4. Promotes muscle recovery - This happens because cold showers help bring down inflammation. This is how it works - exposure to cold constricts your blood vessels, reducing blood flow to a particular area of your body, which in turn reduces inflammation. This is a technique used by lots of athletes (i.e. why Lebron and other athletes jump into ice baths post games). Personally, this has been useful for me. If I'm particularly sore I'll alternate between hot/cold, but exposure to cold has been a useful way to alleviate soreness (check out this study).

5. Improves blood circulation and strengthens your cardiovascular system - Good blood circulation is key to supplying oxygen and vital nutrients to different parts of your body. Taking regular cold showers improves blood circulation because your body needs to work to maintain its body temperature. As your body gets colder your blood vessels constrict and your heart works harder to pump blood around the body. Basically, exposure to cold on a consistent basis trains your body to circulate blood more effectively and strengthens your cardiovascular system over time.

Should You Do It?

I don't think it’s for everyone because like I said it does not feel great, but it could be a fun little experiment to run if you're interested. If you do decide to try cold showers I recommend giving yourself at least a week or two doing it consistently to see if the benefits are meaningful.

Also, if you’re looking for an accountability buddy for your showers feel free to hit me up and I’ll text you in the morning to give you a nudge :)

If you do get on the cold shower train I'd love to hear about it and we'll get you a shoutout on the next article. As always, thanks for reading, and hope you have a great week!

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To Living Well,

Alvaro