The Amazing Benefits Of Cold Showers: How Moms Can Stop Getting Sick In Just 30 Seconds A Day!
This post is part of a series on Biohacking for mothers. Check out my introductory post to learn more scientifically proven health hacks to get the best results from your time and efforts !
Are you tired of catching every cold your kids bring home? As a mom who was constantly sick from toddler germs, I discovered an unconventional solution that cut my sick days by a third—and it only takes 30 seconds at the end of your shower!
Two and a half years ago, while watching a Chris Hemsworth documentary about longevity, I learned a surprising fact about the benefits of cold showers: people who end their showers with just 30 seconds of cold water get sick 30% less often. Skeptical but desperate, I decided to try it. I could bear 30 seconds of freezing cold if it meant less sickness! Not only did it work, but this simple habit became a catalyst in my life!
In this guide, I’ll share:
- The benefits of cold showers
- Exactly how cold your shower needs to be
- How long to endure it (hint: it’s shorter than you think!)
- Tips on how to keep this habit going!
Whether you’re fighting off preschool germs or looking for an evidence-based way to boost your immune system, you’ll learn how to make this powerful practice work for you.
Benefits of Cold Showers:
Boosts immune system:
A blast of cold is such a shock to the body that it immediately stimulates the production of white blood cells which help fight off infection.
Increases Energy!
Cold water activates the sympathetic nervous system (in control of the body’s fight or flight response), which releases adrenaline and gives you a big boost of energy!
Improves mood:
Cold exposure triggers the release of dopamine, which helps reduce stress and improve your mood.
That’s why cold showers have been linked to reducing depression and anxiety!
Reduces Inflammation:
Cold water is naturally anti-inflammatory. It soothes muscle soreness and reduces swelling. Cold showers are especially good for post-workout recovery, or for people with chronic pain.
Enhances Deep Circulation:
The sudden cold causes your blood vessels to constrict, especially in your appendages. This sends a rush of blood to the vital organs in your core and improves circulation to those areas of the body!
Supports Weight Loss
Cold exposure activates brown fat, which burns calories to generate heat and keep you warm.
Strengthens Mental Resilience:
One of the unexpected benefits of cold showers is that it trains your mind to tolerate temporary discomfort, which builds mental toughness.
This small act of enduring cold water for 30 seconds gives you a “win” and helps you have greater willpower in other areas of life!
This has been one the most surprising benefits of cold showers to me, but I truly do think taking 30 second cold showers has been an underlying cause for a lot of transformations in my life!
How to start taking Cold Showers:
Now that you know it’s worth it, how can you start this incredible habit and reap all the benefits of cold showers for yourself?
It’s really simple.
Start with your normal shower, and then at the very end turn the water all the way to cold!
You can choose to turn the water cold suddenly, or more gradually.
Choose a spot on your body that the cold water will hit. Great options are your chest or your upper back.
Fair warning—the burst of cold water will take your breath away! This is the hardest part! Take deep slow breaths.
A great idea is to try box breathing. To do this, inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds—and repeat!
The first 15 seconds are the hardest, once your body begins to acclimate, it gets easier.
How long should my cold shower be?
The best return on investment for cold exposure is 10 minutes per week, after that, the returns really diminish. That would be 1-2 minutes per day! Depending on how often you shower, you can adjust from there.
That being said, studies have proven that 30 seconds is enough to reap significant benefits from cold exposure! So that’s all I do myself. I’m more interested in lowering the threshold of success and staying faithful at my habit than getting the maximum benefit.
How cold should my cold shower be?
Your cold shower should be at least 57 degrees Fahrenheit!
It’s easier to measure the temperature of your water at a sink than the shower, since the stream is consolidated. You can use a thermometer (I’ve used an instant read meat thermometer, or our aquarium thermometer) to measure the temperature of your tap water to see how cold it is.
Where we live on the East Coast our water definitely gets cold enough during the winter. During the summer, the water is not as cold as is recommended. But I still find the burst of “cool” water energizing and refreshing—and besides, we don’t fight as many sicknesses in the summer as in the winter!
Overcome Common Hurdles:
The biggest hurdle with taking cold showers is that they are hard to take every single time. The benefits come from shock and discomfort, so although it gets easier mentally, it doesn’t get easier physically!
One way my husband and I have stayed consistent at this habit over 2.5 years now is by “not breaking the streak”! We have committed to doing it at the end of every single shower. We also are accountable to one another, so that helps!
It is always a hard decision, and I don’t always want to. But I always remind myself of the amazing benefits, how much less sick I get now, and how energized I will feel! I also remind myself that I can bear anything for 30 seconds!
I think that by repeating those encouragements to myself, I have become more disciplined in other areas of my life too.
I hope this post has encouraged you to give cold showers a try! I have been doing a burst of cold at the end of my shower for 2.5 years now and it has been a great addition to my daily life!
Disclaimers:
The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. I am not a licensed medical professional, and the content shared here should not be used as a substitute for professional medical guidance, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider, midwife, or physician regarding your specific circumstances and any medical decisions. Reliance on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk.
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