Taking cold showers is one of the most underrated self improvement techniques. You might have heard people speak of the benefits or you’ve possibly read an article online.

I’ve personally made the switch to cold showers, and the experience has been life changing.

If you have any questions about the benefits or my personal experience, please comment or email me. I’d be glad to answer any questions!

Here is a list of 7 amazing benefits of cold showers!

1. Cold Showers will Completely Rewire your Brain

Taking cold showers has been so life changing for me, I knew I had to write about it. Just like you’ve I’ve experienced fear, laziness, procrastination, etc… Cold showers may seem like such a small improvement to make in your life, but the benefits are massive.

Ever since I took this step in my journey of self-growth, every aspect of life has changed. I feel like my brain has been rewired to face problems instead of avoiding them.

Trains you to Accept Discomfort

It’s not like I spent my time in a perpetual state of fear, but I use to avoid doing things that made me feel uncomfortable. At one time, I’d completely avoid certain social situations. I’d avoid in class discussions in school, striking up conversations with strangers, joining a club, etc.. But something changed.

I put myself in an uncomfortable situation each and every morning a.k.a cold showers.

Now, I’m completely fine being uncomfortable. Every morning, I turn on the cold water, and hop in. After about 30 seconds, I’m completely fine.

This situation isn’t unique. Almost every situation that you fear is like this. You may feel uncomfortable at first, but after a period of time, you are completely fine.

Instead of fearing an uncomfortable situation, I just do it. Cold showers taught me this. Being uncomfortable is okay. In fact, a wise friend of mine once said “comfort is the enemy of growth”.

Anything that is worth doing is going to be hard. Growing itself is hard which is why people use the term “growing pains”.

2. They Boosts your Metabolism

Cold showers will force your body to go into “non shivering thermogenesis” which will increase the amount of calories that you burn. Your body reacts this way to generate body heat and keep your internal temperature at a healthy level.

As the water gets colder, you may begin to shiver. Shivering is your body’s natural mechanism for increasing body temperature. According to this article It can also trigger the production of brown fat. Brown fat is good fat. It is actively burning calories, thus protecting you from potential obesity.

3. Your Immunity will Increase

In an article published by Dr. Weil, he writes about the benefits of cold showers in regard to the immune system. This is due to the metabolic rate increase that you experience during the cold shower. The increase activates the immune system and increases your white blood cell count.

The white blood cells are actively attacking unwanted substances in your body. They protect you from disease, sickness, and any other type of infection.

4. They will Make you Happy

Taking cold showers can help people who aren’t feeling quite happy. Before considering medication, let’s take a more wholistic approach.

According to this medical journal, cold showers can be used as a potential treatment for depression. The science behind it is quite simple. This journal hypothesizes that because human have become more sedentary (staying indoors, working behind a desk, exercising less, etc…) we are not exposing ourselves to physiological stresses that we have become accustomed to. These physiological stresses include “brief changes” in body temperature that many primates before us have experienced.

The journal suggests that taking cold showers could send more electrical impulses to the brain. Cold showers can also “activate the sympathetic nervous system” and as a result “increase synaptic release of noradrenaline in the brain”.

These chemicals can reduce depression and help you feel like yourself again.

Personally, I began to feel less depressed around the time I began taking cold showers. There are many factors that play into depression, and I feel this is a big one.

5. You will Become Less Stressed

Cold showers sound like the most stressful thing in the world when you first wake up in the morning. That’s because it is.

According to Eirik from Darwinian Medicine, taking a cold shower can cause what is referred to as “acute stress”. This means that it’s only stressful for a short period of time. Which is better than being exposed to “chronic stress” which occurs for long periods as a result of “demanding jobs, school, and complicated family lives”.

Acute stress is normal and primates have been experiencing it for millions of years. Chronic stress is not.

A medical journal that detailed some of the effects of hydrotherapy observed a decrease in cortisol in patients being submerged in cold water. Cortisol is referred to as the “stress hormone”.

By exposing your body to the “acute stress” of a cold shower, you ultimately decrease the amount of cortisol, the stress hormone, in your body over time.

6. Your Testosterone will Increase

For men, increasing your testosterone is an excellent reason to make the switch to cold showers. At one time, people thought that cold showers was a way of decreasing their libido. It might have that effect temporarily, but it actually increases it in the long run.

An article from Anabolic Men states that the testicles function best at a temperature range that is between 87-96 °F. This is why they say to not over use the sauna. Heat is the enemy of sperm. Taking cold showers will reduce your body temperature to a range that will stimulate production of higher quality sperm. According to another medical journal, we produce higher quality sperm at colder times of the year.

7. They Wake you Up

One of the most obvious benefits of taking cold showers is the sudden burst of energy you get the minute you get in. If you are above the age of 16, you’ve probably experienced morning grogginess. I personally don’t like drinking coffee.

My cold shower is sufficient enough to wake me up in the morning. I’ve also used cold showers to wake myself up periodically throughout the day.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many life changing benefits to taking cold showers! The easiest way to see them first hand is for you to start taking cold showers today. The more difficult you find it to take a cold shower, the more beneficial it will be for you. After a few cold showers, you’ll be glad that you made the switch!

Please comment below, and tell us about your experience with your first cold shower!