Why Cold Showers are Such a Hot Trend

You’ve probably seen the “cold shower craze” sweeping the Insta-sphere lately, but before you dismiss it as another weird trend, take a look at some of the benefits it offers.

Here are 5 reasons you should consider leaving the faucet in the blue next time you shower:

1. Stress Reduction

Tom Bileyu recently Tweeted, we should all take cold showers because “They suck. And doing things that suck everyday will help build your resilience.” While we all experience plenty of stressors (or, to use Bileyu’s terms, things that “suck”) in our lives, our adaptability increases when we encounter stress on our own terms and practice responding both physically and mentally. Cold showers help the nervous system build resilience, which prepares the brain for future stressors.

2. Immune System Booster

Cold water (or exposure in general) sends a signal to the circulatory system which then sends blood to surround all major organs. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, this results in a more efficient pumping of blood which boosts overall health and immunity. Cold exposure also increases the activity of the lymphatic system which reduces risk of illness/infection.

3. Healthier Hair & Skin

Cold water also encourages our pores to tighten, making skin less vulnerable to dirt and more capable of holding in natural oils for longer periods of time. Cold water also leaves hair shinier and the follicles more firmly seated (less hair loss is always good!)

4. Increased Awareness

If you are feeling sluggish, a cold shower can be a quick step to alertness. It triggers within us an adrenal response which provides a quick wake up call throughout the body’s systems.

5. Better Sleep

While the shock of cold initially wakes the body further, there is a delayed reaction that affects the body “like a tranquilizer” once all the systems have slowed again (~1 hour) according to The Four Hour Body. This means that cold showers are best taken at night, around an hour prior to bed.

Let's give it a try

Begin by taking your normal shower and then at the very end - for even just 30 seconds - turn the water to cold. Focus the water on your lymphatic zones (throat, arm pits, gut, groin) and pay attention to your breath (see next passage). Slowly build up your cold water exposure time as it feels accessible.

Use your breath. Powerful inhales and exhales through a constricted throat (Ujjayi breath) can help calm your body. This also gives you something to focus on aside from the cold. Your body can handle this; no one dies from a cold shower. You just might need to convince your mind to get on board. Another option for cold water exposure: take a dip in the next alpine lake you hike to.

My personal routine: I start my showers warm to soap up, shave, and wash my hair and then I transition to cold. My body has grown to crave cold showers even more than it used to crave hot showers with one slight difference: I feel better after showing cold.

Brooke Davidson