Most people love taking showers, while the idea of a cold shower first thing in the morning might make you cranky. I agree it doesn’t sound very inviting, and to be honest I have to prepare myself mentally before I am ready for a cold burst of water. But it really sounds worse at first then it is, actually there are some amazing health benefits in taking cold showers. The benefits greatly outweigh any slight discomfort.

Cold showers are awesome to boost your mood, wake you up and give you a rush of energy. According to a research published in the Medical Hypotheses Journal, cold showers help to relieve the symptoms of depression. [1] This is possible because when a person takes a cold shower, it sends an electrical impulse from the nerve endings to the brain, which could possibly help in inducing an antidepressive effect. Although these kinds of showers alone cannot be claimed as a treatment of depression, research suggests that trying them gradually may show positive results.

Cold showers have also been shown to increase heart rate and improve metabolism and fat burning. For that brief moment in the shower, your body becomes shocked into working harder to maintain a stable temperature, which actually burns more calories. It’s also a great way to reduce stress as it can lower cortisol levels and increase neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine to give you that feel-good rush, according to this study. [2] 

ARE YOU CONVINCED YET?

No? I get it, maybe this will convince you. A cold shower can boost the recovery speed of your muscles after an intense workout almost twice as fast! [3] It can also help improve all the circulation in the body drastically. As we know the lymphatic system and other organs like the liver and kidneys are responsible for removing toxins from the body. A cold shower, leads to the contraction and relaxation of the lymphatic vessels that are directly exposed to cold water, which promotes the elimination of waste from the body and help promote overall health.

STARTING
While the benefits of cold showers may sound appealing, there are certain things you should consider before opting for cold showers. It is always best to start slow by lowering the temperature of the water at the end of your shower to get comfortable. A great beginning strategy for using cold shower therapy is to begin with a comfortable warm shower and then switch the temperature lower towards the end of the shower. If you do this consistently, over time your body will adapt and will adapt more to temperature changes. You may only begin with 10 seconds of cold water on the first day and then slightly cooler each day and gradually work up to 1-3 minutes depending your tolerance.

IMPORTANT:
Do not take cold showers if you are pregnant, have a heart condition (arrhythmia, pace maker, etc) or have extreme adrenal fatigue as it could be dangerous. In adrenal fatigue the body is unable to adapt to the stress of the temperature change. If you are not sure, consult with your doctor before trying out cold showers.