Feeling cold? Take a Cold Shower
Getting into the cold will warm you up.
No, that is not an oxymoron. Going to the cold, getting into the cold, is the way to stop feeling cold.
One of my favorite things is when I suggest to a Spears Stronger to take a cold shower and they laugh with an emphatic, “NO.”
I rarely give up after that first - or 12th - ‘no’ to my proposed challenge.
Typically, a few months later, with encouragement from me and their trainer, they finally say, “OK, fine, I’ll TRY it.”
“Open your mind and don’t resist. The only way to get the benefit is to learn to relax in the cold. If you’re shivering or screaming or tensing up you’re not getting the benefits. But if you breathe, relax and even learn to enjoy it, the benefits stack up.”
I love this moment because I know once you go cold, and especially if you do the work to change your mindset about “feeling cold” and let yourself experience all the benefits, you will likely continue the cold showers.
Our latest 10-day Cold Shower Challenge starts Wednesday, Oct. 4. I highly recommend joining in, whether you think cold showers are magical or you are terrified, this will be fun. And making it fun is key. Forget the craziness, forget the benefits, forget the cold outside and just get into it. Have fun by challenging yourself to get out of your comfort zone. Do that, stay relaxed and all the benefits will come.
Don’t believe me? I was once like those Spears Strongers who say no to cold showers. Despite my unrelenting enthusiasm for cold showers now, it was a fight to even get me to try it a few years ago.
Read all about my experience here. And don’t just take my word for it, see why other Spears Strongers like cold showers too! To participate in the Cold Shower Challenge, you can follow this tracker with the goal of ending the 10-day streak with a 2 minute cool rinse or cold shower.
I started with the gentle approach and then I kept that gentle approach for far too long until Jonathan - um- strongly encouraged me to bolster my courage and get into the shower when it’s already cold. If you haven’t tried that yet, it’s unbelievable and an experience you will want to have again and again.
When it comes to cold showers, remember this: you can go gently, one toe at a time- or if you prefer the rip-it-off-like-a-bandaid approach, that works too. If you’re new to it, the Cold Shower Challenge has you start with a 15 second cool rinse after your regular shower and you build to 2 minutes of cold by the end of the streak. If you’ve been doing cold rinses for a while or cold showers, challenge yourself over these next 10 days to go colder, or longer.
Photo by Chandler Cruttenden on Unsplash
In writing this post I went back to my initial blog post on cold showers from 2019 and was surprised to learn that I got into cold showers not in the blazing heat of summer but in the depth of winter! February. Ok, ok, I know it’s the Pacific Northwest and winters are pretty mellow here, but still.
I often hear this to cold shower challenges: “Ask me in the summer” or “I’ll try when it’s warm out. But often there is still a hesitancy even when it’s warm out. For obvious reasons the cold shower is much easier in the summer- water’s warmer, you’re warmer, weather’s hot and so on.
But, there are many benefits to cold showers in the cool and even cold months. And I argue if you’ve never tried it before, now’s the time! You might be thinking, “but I already FEEL so cold. It’s already dipped into the 30s here and days are dark and rainy - a quick and abrupt transition from our sweltering and dry summer.”
I rebut: This is the exact reason why you should do the cold showers. Because going to the cold makes you feel warm (over time). When I take a warm shower and get out, I feel cold. The opposite is true when I take a cold shower.
A few years ago, before I fully embraced the cold, I distinctly remember heading out for a run with Jonathan on a cool day, arms wrapped around my shoulders, shivering and not ready to delayer.
Jonathan said something to the effect of “Stop being cold.”
I felt annoyed. How am I supposed to not feel cold, it’s cold outside!
My natural instinct is to resist, to lean into the most comfortable and easy route. Most of us are like this, it’s human nature, to resist what we “should” do and opt for the pleasures that come with modern living (like puffy vests or heated seats).
But I’ve learned in my training and personal growth that nothing good comes from comfort- at least nothing memorable or lasting. And I’m getting better at embracing the discomfort, and in turn I’m reaping so many benefits: more strength, endurance and happiness and less anxiety, self-consciousness and fear.
During that cold run I had to delayer and was too hot, of course. Soon after it hit me:
Cold is a mindset!!
This is not just something you hear from the Iceman, Wimhof- who has climbed Mt. Everest in shorts and whose breathing method we practice daily. It’s also not just Jonathan or people like him who seek a challenge and appear impervious to feeling all the feelings- like me and maybe you.
It’s the truth. Case in point: this Norwegian town located north of the Arctic Circle has lower rates of wintertime depression than towns in warmer climates and the sun doesn’t even rise here from November to January. They are onto something.
I know this is true because I've experienced it and continue to experience it. It’s weird to explain but I rarely “feel” cold. I still wear cozy sweatshirts and wool socks and love a nice hot bath and still take warm showers (although much less than before and each time I do I hate the way my skin feels- dry, red and itchy). But the days where my fingers and toes turn white from the cold or I cross my arms and shiver are a thing of the past. And I actually enjoy the cold. I look forward to future mountain stream dips and polar plunges.
If you’re new to this, I’d tell you to open your mind and don’t resist. The only way to get the benefit is to learn to relax in the cold. If you’re shivering or screaming or tensing up you’re not getting the benefits. But if you breathe, relax and even learn to enjoy it, the benefits stack up.
Tips for your Cold Showers:
Start with a rinse at the end of your shower if you’re new and gradually work to make it colder and longer.
Get warm first: Take your cold shower after a hike, run, workout or do some cats and dogs and squats to get you fired up.
In the Spears House we have a rule: You can put the space heater in the bathroom only if you’re taking a cold shower. We get it all nice and toasty in the bathroom before getting in.
Listen to a Cold Shower playlist of songs that motivate you.
Sing in the shower
Breathe - do some wimhof, box breathing, 5-in-5 out…
Set a timer and challenge yourself to stay in for 2 minutes, or see how long you can go!
Embrace it as a fun challenge. Get into and share your experience with us!
Benefits of Cold Showers
Increases energy
Good for your skin
Activates brown fat which burns calories
Reduces Anxiety
Makes you feel like a badass
What benefits do you get from cold showers? Share with us!
DISCLAIMER: Cold exposure has the potential for adverse health effects. Please consult a doctor before participating if you are under the care of a physician for any medical condition.