Life has a unique sense of humor. It seems as if the more uncomfortable something is, the better off we’ll be for doing it. And one area where this is quite relevant is the act of taking cold showers.
Easily one of the most unpleasant experiences you can put yourself through, cold showers are both feared and commended.
Studies have been conducted on the health benefits of this salutary practice. And all of them have come to a similar — if not, the same conclusion: cold showers are very beneficial for your health and wellbeing.
However, you may be wondering exactly how you’ll benefit from taking a daily cold shower. Fair enough. Keep reading to learn 5 science-backed reasons you should take the ice plunge every day.
1. Strengthens Your Immune System
In a study conducted in the Netherlands, it was confirmed that a daily cold shower bolsters your immune system. The experiment included over 3000 people between the ages of 18 to 65, and the end result was promising.
According to the research, daily cold showers resulted in fewer sick days and absences from work. In fact, the study revealed that taking a daily cold shower for as little as 90 days led to a heightened immune system. This is evident in the 29% reduction of sick days.
As a result of this resistance to illness, the participants were more inclined to experience a better quality of life.
Furthermore, additional outcomes included enhancement in work productivity, reduction of anxiety, and an overall improvement in focus and concentration levels of the participants.
Consequently, this resulted in people becoming more effective in their lives.
2. Improves Mental Health
Believe it or not, a cold shower routine can be an effective way to beat depression and improve your mental health. For this reason, cold showers are an effective healthy habit hack that is worth your consideration. When the cold stream of ice water splashes against your unsuspecting skin, it’s a shock to your system.
As a result, your mind’s focus is redirected toward the present moment rather than the thoughts, situations, and people that are stressing you out in life.
Consequently, this provides an almost therapeutic effect on your sense of wellbeing. Your thinking becomes clear, your focus sharpens, and you just feel about yourself.
Poor mental health is typically the result of neglect, trauma, childhood abuse, etc. And it’s when we dwell on these transgressions; replaying them over and over in our minds, that our mental health begins to deteriorate.
Why? Because you’re focusing and dwelling on the traumatic events, and of course, what you focus on expands. A cold shower unapologetically snaps you out of the frame of mind and brings you to the present.
3. Eliminates Fatigue
Do you often find yourself tired, drained, and fatigued? If so, then you know how frustrating this can be, especially when you have work that needs to get done and responsibilities that must be attended to.
A possible solution is an ice-cold shower…
According to a study published in 2007, frequent but brief cold showers can help stave off chronic fatigue. And as a result, can produce stronger levels of energy in the body.
And it’s easy to see why. The freezing water from a cold shower has the uncanny ability to “shock” your system back to life. So if you find yourself feeling taxed, exhausted, and worn out — take a cold shower. Few things will make you feel more alive and reinvigorated.
If you’ve never tried a cold shower and are hesitant, there are two methods you can use to get started.
- You start running the water at lukewarm. Jump in and gradually turn it colder every couple of minutes until you reach the coldest setting for the last minute or two of the shower.
- This is the warrior’s way. You turn it to its cold setting and you jump in. That’s it.
After you take enough cold showers, you’ll eventually just jump in and won’t think anything of it. That’s the point you want to get to. You want it to become such a natural part of your routine that you don’t even think twice about it.
And will come naturally with time.
Make Cold Showers a Part of Your Routine Today
Cold showers provide numerous health benefits. This list is only scratching the surface. Six months of practicing this habit daily, and you’ll never be the same. Consequently, you will begin to look at other areas you can improve to reap even more health benefits as cold showers are a keystone habit.
Make jumping into an icy receptacle every morning a part of your daily ritual, and as a result, it will be the beginning of a healthy lifestyle that will yield countless advantages down the line.
