Before you judge me (or agree with me), I’ll start off by saying that I in fact hate the cold. Anything and everything about the cold makes me uncomfortable. I love summer, I love the sun and Winter makes me miserable.
Cold showers were brought to my attention when I started looking into Wim Hof and the benefits of his breathing techniques. I needed help with something specific and after trying everything, a friend recommended me the Wim Hof Method and this being during the covid lockdown, where I had all the time in the world to experiment, I tried the breathing techniques, tried the cold shower thing and kind of haven’t stopped since…
Benefits of cold showers
So I didn’t just plumage into this fad without doing some research and turns out there’re actually many benefits of having just cold showers. The same way there are benefits of having hot steamy ones but unfortunately me and my inherited dry, sensitive and eczema prone skin, I can’t handle anything more than lukewarm water. Cold showers give you a higher state of alertness, good blood circulation, reduced stress levels, boosted immune system and possibly weight loss. But aside from all that, the main reason why I love cold showers is –
The increased willpower
I love the elated feeling it gives me, like I have overcome an obstacle. And all that just from the act of cleaning myself. Especially the cold showers during colder seasons. I feel rewarded when I can step out and dry off nice and slowly, not freezing because whatever the temperature outside is, the shower is always colder. And I get that small moment of pride and satisfaction every day. It makes everything else seem easy. Whatever else I have to battle during the day, the hardest part is already over. Taking a dip in the ocean on a not so sunny day, now a piece of cake.
How I take cold showers
When I take my cold shower, I don’t dread it or try to do it quickly so I can get out as soon as possible. I take my time, I allow myself to feel the cold, breathe and relax in the discomfort until it is no longer uncomfortable. I do this with stretching as well. I think it’s important to learn to endure and enjoy physical pain/discomfort from time to time. This is the part that makes everything else seem easy. Like any obstacle I face, I always come back to the breath. It’s amazing how as humans, we are constantly breathing all day long, unable to stop and yet we still forget to breathe when we need to. Just breathe. It does wonders. I feel like i can do and get through absolutely anything in my life, so long as I breathe through it. So try it, feel it, hate it, endure it, enjoy it, like it and it’ll get easier and easier every time.