Feeling tired in the morning? Need a better way to start your day than drinking a cup of joe? Recently I came across an online "challenge" that said to take cold showers for 31 days and see if you notice any improvements. Today is January 31, and also my last day of the cold shower challenge, although, I can tell you that I won't be stopping any time soon. Cold showers give you both physical and mental benefits which I will be explaining in the following paragraphs. First, I will talk about how they promote a healthier body. Ever wonder why athletes take ice baths after sporting events? It’s because cold contact causes swelling in muscles and tissues to go down which promotes a faster recovery. Cold showers work just the same, although they are a lot less painful. Now you can do leg day every day!..... Just kidding, I don’t think anyone would ever want to do that. Do you want to clear up that acne that’s been bothering you for the past month? Hot water generally dries up your skin because it expands your pores, creating a higher chance for dirt to get in your skin. Taking a cold shower actually closes up your pores as a bodily response to the cold water, so less dirt will accumulate in your skin. They can also make your hair much healthier (therefore making you much more attractive). The cuticles in your scalp will close on contact to cold water so it won’t be as dry or dirty anymore. This will allow for some natural, beautiful hair growth. Looking for a way to get the fat off of your belly? Taking cold showers can increase your fat burning abilities throughout the day. The body has 2 types of fat cells: brown cells and white cells. Brown cells are the good fats that burn the white fat cells. White fat cells make up the “fat” parts of your body and are created by calories that aren’t burned during the day. The body has an extreme response to try to warm you up when in contact with cold water, and part of this response is to activate the brown fat cells. The brown cells burn the white fat cells (calories) to try to keep you warm. This process can increase the rate of brown fat cells by 15%, which, in turn, can add up to losing 9 pounds a year! I know, way better than exercising, right? Let’s move on to the psychological effects of cold showers. Cold showers can increase your awareness and energy levels. I know you hate it when you step in the shower to find that someone else in the house has been using up all of the hot water. You probably stare at the water for a while before you are brave enough to feel the freezing droplets on your skin. When you finally step in, you should realize that your breathing turns into excessive slow breaths. This pattern of breathing causes your heart rate to rise, which then gets your blood flowing at a higher rate. With a higher heart rate and blood flow, your energy levels increase, which then means you are more ready to tackle your daily endeavors. Because of this, your alertness levels will rise too. I would recommend taking them before school/work if you want to get off to a good start. My last note about the showers is from personal experience. I have noticed that cold showers promote the states of well-being that I have mentioned, but I think that they affect you in a deeper sense as well. There is something about the moment when you are staring at the water, afraid to step in, and when you make the step. It is almost like a leap of faith. To me, it seems like they make me more confident in my ability to do things that I am unsure of. When you step out of your comfort zone, it opens the world up to many possibilities you’ve never experienced before. Getting in that shower every morning gives me confidence that I can do anything I desire if I am willing to take the leap out of my comfort zone. I challenge you guys to try cold showers out. I understand that they aren't for everybody, and I love relaxing in hot water, but cold showers are basically a physical and mental kick-start to the day. Trust me, if you can get through the freezing cold temperatures you'll be feeling great afterwards. So, are you going to try taking cold showers? Leave a comment below! ..........Even dogs know what's up!
7 Comments
Drew Thomas
2/6/2017 08:32:51 pm
I am fascinated by learning about the benefits of a cold shower. It is one thing to hit the gym or eat right in order to lose weight, but who would’ve thought you can gain health benefits simply by showering. It was interesting to learn about the white cells and brown cells and how you can use them to your benefit before stepping into the shower every morning. I was also blown away by the psychological effects and how a cold shower can increase your awareness and energy levels. I personally drink a glass of soda every morning before I head to school. This helps me become more alert in the mornings. I will definitely have to try replacing my glass of soda with taking a cold shower as a healthy alternative to waking up in the mornings. This article has inspired me to accept your challenge and hopefully I can start seeing changes within the next few weeks.
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Evan Chronis
2/7/2017 03:47:54 pm
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Evan Chronis
2/7/2017 03:48:18 pm
Great post! Specifically the bit about burning fat by taking cold showers; who would’ve thought? Since reading your blog when it was originally posted, I too have tried to make the switch from hot to cold showers… with varied levels of success. I haven’t totally given up on my beloved hot showers; I still cannot make myself step into a cold shower. Typically I begin the shower hot, and wash my skin. However, halfway through the shower, I put the water to a comfortably cool temperature and wash my hair and face. This seems to give me a shock of adrenaline that helps me make it through early 0 hour mornings, while seeming to keep my hair a bit more moisturized. Thanks for the advice!
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Peter Francis Walker
2/7/2017 09:06:29 pm
This article is definitely thought-provoking. I have heard only positives of cold showers from people on Youtube and friends (aside from the uncomfortable feeling during them). While all the other effects seem intriguing, I really enjoyed your point at the end about taking on challenges. We build self-esteem when we accomplish our goals and the more difficult the goals are the more self-esteem we gain from accomplishing them. Taking a cold shower every morning is not an easy challenge and by accomplishing it you can definitely gain confidence as you mentioned. I will occasionally take cold showers over the summer and I do feel more alert and confident but I can't build up the will power to take them on cold winter mornings yet. Maybe your blog will encourage me to!
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Frederick Von Stubben
2/8/2017 06:55:48 am
Your blog is simply magnificent. Bravo, bravo! I randomly came across this blog post and enjoyed it very much. A little background information on me is that I am a French cloth maker who also loves taking cold showers in the morning! Keep writing great posts Nathan! ;)
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Dawson Hoffman
2/8/2017 07:04:16 am
Wow, great post! You've definitely made me think into this subject a lot more than I would've ever thought I would. Who would have thought that cold showers decreased chances of acne or even burned fat! That's crazy how much of a difference cold showers have made in your life. I might consider doing the challenge after hearing what you had to say about the subject. It seems like a very interesting thing to try out. Some questions I had for you were, what benefit did you think was best to you? Did you ever get tired of cold showers? Did you ever miss the warm, comfortable feeling of hot showers? Overall I loved this post, I'm interested in reading more of your posts in the future!
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Zachary Weinzimmer
2/8/2017 08:18:43 pm
Cold showers seem awfully painful, especially early in the morning. I think that with more energy in my day, I will be able to focus more in class and work harder at the gym. Do you truly believe that a cold shower gives you more energy throughout the day? I am curious about this because coffee has an actual substance (caffeine) to give you enery, so how do cold showers do it? Also, do you think that taking a cold shower is a good substitute for an ice bath? In an ice bath, you should remain in the water for 6 to 8 minutes. How long should you stay in the cold shower? I am very impressed to see that you were able to continue this challenge. It has inspired me to try this challenge for a week and then decide whether or not to continue. Thanks for inspiring me and educating me on this interesting topic!
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AuthorHey ladies and gents! My name is Nate Hinnen and I am a senior at a high school in central Illinois. My life is a busy one; I play 3 sports, do lots of homework, and I use whatever time I have left to enjoy other things/hobbies. My blog will consist of discussions about things that bring me happiness: weightlifting, television, movies, video games, books, nature, sports, and more! With college and making career decisions in my near future, it feels good to slow down and enjoy the little things every once in a while. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |