I had been taking warm showers then the last minute or so I would turn the hot water off. Today I took my first full cold shower (by choice), I screamed a couple times to get threw the hard part but after its all done I feel really refreshed! Read this for more info 7 Health Benefits of a Cold Shower | The Art of Manliness Improves circulation. Good blood circulation is vital for overall cardiovascular health. Healthy blood circulation also speeds up recovery time from strenuous exercises and work. Alternating between hot and cold water while you shower is an easy way to improve your circulation. Cold water causes your blood to move to your organs to keep them warm. Warm water reverses the effect by causing the blood to move towards the surface of the skin. Cold shower proponents argue that stimulating the circulatory system in this way keeps them healthier and younger looking than their hot water-loving counterparts. Relieves depression. Lots of great men from history suffered bouts of depression. Henry David Thoreau is one such man. But perhaps Thoreau's baths in chilly Walden Pond helped keep his black dog at bay. Research at the Department of Radiation Oncology at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine indicates that short cold showers may stimulate the brain's “blue spotâ€- the brain's primary source of noradrenaline - a chemical that could help mitigate depression. I guess a bout of the blues isn't so bad after all. Keeps skin and hair healthy. Hot water dries out skin and hair. If you want to avoid an irritating itch and ashy elbows, turn down the temperature of your showers. Also, cold water can make your manly mane look shinier and your skin look healthier by closing up your cuticles and pores. Strengthens immunity. According to a study done in 1993 by the Thrombosis Research Institute in England, individuals who took daily cold showers saw an increase in the number of virus fighting white blood cells compared to individuals who took hot showers. Researchers believe that the increased metabolic rate, which results from the body's attempt to warm itself up, activates the immune system and releases more white blood cells in response. Increases testosterone. During the 19th century, many doctors and ministers recommended that young men take baths in cold water to reduce the sin of “self-pollution,†i.e. whacking off. Cold water was thought to extinguish a man's flaming carnal desires. There was even a ghastly device invented on this principle. How wrong they were! The same study by the Thrombosis Research Institute cited above showed that cold water showers actually increase testosterone production in men. Increased testosterone levels not only boost a man's libido, but also his overall strength and energy level. If you're looking to increase your testosterone, instead of juicing up like Mark McGwire, hop into a cold shower. Increases fertility. Trying to become a dad? Cold showers are good for your little swimmers. Your testes aren't meant to get too hot; that's why they hang outside your body. Sperm counts decrease when the temperature of a man's testes increases. Experiments done in the 1950s showed that hot baths were an effective contraceptive. Men who took a 30 minute hot bath every other day for 3 weeks were infertile for the next six months. More recently, the University of California at San Francisco did a study with men who were exposed to 30 minutes of “wet heat†(hot baths and such) a week. When the men cut this exposure out, their sperm count went up by 491%, and their sperm's motility improved as well. While switching from a hot to cold shower may not have as dramatic an effect, if you're trying to create some progeny, it surely won't hurt. Increases energy and well-being. Every time I end a shower with cold water, I leave feeling invigorated and energized. Your heart starts pumping, and the rush of blood through your body helps shake off the lethargy of the previous night's sleep. For me, the spike in energy lasts several hours. It's almost like drinking a can of Diet Mountain Dew, minus the aspartame. And while it hasn't been studied, many people swear that cold showers are a surefire stress reducer. I'm a believer.
Solid shit. I love beating off, therefore I should take cold showers. I suppose the increased testosterone levels couldn't hurt either for weight lifting.
I might try this to. I feel like simply forcing yourself through the shitty cold shower and getting a good result after would be good for me. I tend to feel down or depressed when I gratify myself without cause. Its actually psychologically proven that those can delay gratification live happier lives. It might be a stretch, but i think this shower business is very similar albeit in a very brief time frame. Its accepting the cold water, knowing you may not enjoy it, but for the reward (or gratification) later.
I just coped and past from the website link I proved. After my 2nd cold shower they became more bearable so hang in there.
Do I have to do the whole shower cold to receive these benefits? I currently do the last 3 or so minutes, getting colder and colder with each 30 sec. I end with no hot water at all, feels like alaskan river water. I completely believe the better circulation, I have my heat set at 55 degrees at night and 60 degrees F during the day, I like it cold, I hop out of that freezing cold shower and walk around my house for a good 10 min without my shirt on still somewhat wet, feeling warm as shit like I just got done working out.
I'm going to take a cold shower now ; Alright, just did it, I set it on warm and kept pushing it down in increments. I got it pretty cold, I was shivering for most of the shower. Is it possible that this can shock your body? Wouldn't taking cold showers cut off circulation because of the blood vessels shrinking? I think I'll keep doing them because you do feel invigorated upon exiting.
Not to be a dick but there have been like 10 of these threads this month. Anyways, yea they're awesome. They make starting your day so much easier and you feel good as fuck when you get out. Not to mention you're going to save water costs because you're not gonna be in as long.
I take a cold shower now, I'll start it at warm and move it down to cold, cold enough that if you were to drink it, it'd be refreshing. I focus on not shivering
I take freezing cold showers everyday in the summer, but it isn't so fun in the winter Combo showers are best for circulation, I like starting out cold, then hot, then finish cold.
Taking a cold shower is one of 2 experiences for me hahahaha Its either the bee's knees Or its a torture chamber of death and i can barely breath hahahahaha but that goes away, though when they start that way its never as good as the ones you jump in that frigid water and just go "aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
Btw if anyone is serious about taking cold showers for depression/blues it's critical to leave your head directly underneath the cold water. Cold water actually needs to contact your head for anything to change your mood. I find it really exhilarating and it's certainly a good way to wake up in the mornings.
Oh man, when i worked at IBM (most depressing place ever) i had to get up at 4 am.... Id hop in a fuckin cold shower and just sit with my head under it and it was like a beam of awesome jetting right into my skull
[quote name='"NaKz"']This may be a sign that you're a serial killer.[/quote] I figured when I started obsessively killing people that was the first sign, but cold showers confirmed it 100%. Lol
Funny thing about these showers is that the first morning I tried it, my friend says "You look different. You look younger." I feel good all day and sometimes I go without a jacket.