How to feel like the King of the World
Top 5 Benefits of Cold Showers (and some tips to start)
There was a period in my life when I started doing challenges, one after another, constantly. Most of them just passed by, while some stayed. This one I never gave up on.
Why?
Because if you want to feel good and get out of your comfort zone cold showers could be the strongest practice you will ever find out there.
I have been doing them daily for almost 3 months now: it is time I share with you the enormous benefits I got from it. You might be skeptical, I was, but you will never know until you will try, right?
In the meantime, here are 5 benefits I got from cold showers. Hope you will reach the same results!
1. Cold showers make you feel like the king of the world
The first benefit I noticed once I started taking cold showers was the amazing feeling I experienced once I finished. It is a mixture of joy and strength that I hardly could get from anywhere else: just amazing.
The reason behind that feeling is a natural reaction of our body. As human beings we developed a strong resistance to cold temperature, hence overcoming that block will give you the impression you could defeat any obstacle on your way.
Your decision to go under cold water is a conscious decision into stepping out of the comfort zone. By taking that step into the water, aware that it will hurt your comfort, you are taking a step into the unknown. Your body will never be prepared for what is coming. You will feel like you are taking part in a completely new fight, every time, winning it over and over again besides its harshnesses.
This is exactly what will make you feel like the king of the world.
Moreover, your decision will empower your resilience.
How? Simple. Cold water will cause your body to produces eustress, which is the kind of stress that forces our mental health to get stronger. So, when you will get out of that shower, not only you will feel like the king of the world, but also your resilience will permanently improve.
2. Cold showers refill your energies and make you productive
There are two types of energies you could get in your life: the one static and refreshing that comes from sleeping, and the one dynamic and explosive that you get from high impact activities, like jumping with a parachute.
A cold shower is like jumping with a parachute in miniature, it is like bungee jumping with your eyes closed. You get a fast boost of that dynamic energy but staying in your bathroom, and you get it for free!
One thing I experienced once I got out of the shower was exactly this enormous amount of rush power filling my body. Being under cold water for some minutes was recharging my brain and my muscles.
Of course, it was less strong than jumping from a 20k feet height but still considerable. There is no other way you could get that adrenaline that simple.
Moreover, that rush will make you feel the necessity of acting, the need of doing something, which might be very productive if you learn to use it properly.
3. Cold showers get you into a meditative state
The first time I got under cold water I noticed how it built a block between me and the external world. My mind was completely erased, and all the thoughts that were draining me disappeared. I could not think about anything else but survival and, with a little effort, I could stop that too.
Thus, the most important side benefit that you will get from cold showers is a deeper awareness of every inch of your body. At first, you will be able to distinguish between the parts of the skin exposed to the cold water and the relaxed ones. Then you will slowly become more conscious of your internal body by noticing how it fills up with air at every breath you take.
This is exactly what you want to achieve with meditation: the mental clarity given by the absence of thoughts, and the mental embodiment given by a deeper comprehension of your body.
4. Cold showers make you reconnect to yourself
When I first went under cold water I was so hyped by the benefits I did not think that much about how harsh could it be. The following repetitions were harder, but once you take that decision of going under you don’t come back. What happens next it’s the real challenge.
Staying under the shower is a constant internal fight that makes you ultimately discover yourself on a deeper level. With time you will start to recognize which patterns your brain uses to get you out of danger, and which to keep you resistant.
Being aware of the patterns that get you out of trouble is very important. First of all because you will recognize danger easier, and secondly you can stop your brain from overreacting in situations that are only apparently dangerous.
5. Cold showers improve your cold tolerance
I remember when I moved out and I started living alone. I was economizing on the bills so the temperature in my house was very very low. I had to put always my sweater on and it was not that comfy.
Then I started the cold shower challenge. After the first 30 days, I recognized how I was able to stay without any clothes on, at the same usual temperature, for around one hour, without feeling cold. Not only that, but also my general cold resistance improved, and I was able to remain in the house wearing just a simple T-shirt.
Given all these benefits probably most of you would like to try this technique, so I came up with some bits of advice for you.
1. Do breathing exercises.
The most important thing you have to learn in order to properly take cold showers is how to breathe. Breathing is very important to maintain control over your body: without a correct technique it will be very hard to resist.
If you are familiar with breathing exercise use them, if not I suggest using the Wim Hof Method. Here you can find a video where the creator himself explains it.
2. Start and finish with warm water.
When I started I did not follow much advice on the topic and I jumped right into the shower. It was almost painful what I felt, and not that good for my body. Don’t do it as I did.
You have to remember that every change in life is preferable to happen step-by-step. For this reason, you should start and finish your session with warm water. Your body will benefit from it, and you will simplify your task.
3. Don’t rush into cold, take steps on each session.
Another error I did was going from hot water into cold water all of a sudden, but this is not the right approach.
When you first start doing cold showers don’t pretend to get to 10° water in the first session. Start with warm water, and gradually push it into cold water. Remember to be gentle with your body. If you feel like you can’t take it anymore just push a little bit over the edge, stay in that situation for a bit, and then stop. The next session will be better.
4. End with something that gives you a boost of pleasure.
This is not mandatory, but it can help if you feel like you can’t do it. Before each session think about a reward you will please yourself with once you finished. One piece of chocolate could be an idea, or anything that can give you a boost of pleasure. The important thing is that you will take the gift only if you succeed. You have to be strong in that regard.
Motivation is key in this kind of practice: don’t lose it.
5. Give yourself a time limit to reach, and then continue.
You must step into the practice gradually, but keep in mind that your goal is to get out of the comfort zone. Each time you practice always try to reach your limit and then overcome it.
For example, let’s say you want to stay under cold water for a minute. Did you reach that time limit? Awesome. Now make it two.
You don’t have to double the minutes as I did, you just have to stay there longer until you reach a good timing. Five or ten minutes of practice every day would be perfect.
6. Don’t eat before practice.
When I was a kid and I went to the sea my mother always forbade me to take baths after lunch. I did it once, and it wasn’t pleasurable, so I never did it again.
As for the sea, eating before going under a cold shower can make you feel sick. You should wait an hour or two before practicing, or even better you could take a cold shower first thing in the morning as I do. It will make you start the day the right way.
Cold showers are an amazing tool you could use to better your life, from mental to physical health. You have my experience, and some advice to start it the right way. If this is not enough by searching the internet you could also find many scientific studies on the topic.
What are you waiting for?
Don’t we all want to be the King of our World?