5 Easy Tips to Help You Start Taking Cold Showers
Or how to become comfortable with the uncomfortable.
Cold showers are a great way to kick start your day and fill it with joy and energy. But overcoming the fear of the cold water and learning to enjoy the experience takes some time and planning.
Here are 5 tips to ease your journey into cold showers.
1. Start Easy
The goal for your first weeks is to build a habit, so your first cold showers should be very easy. For example, you can start with 5 seconds of a cold shower, then increase your time by 5 seconds each week. The most critical thing is to proceed very slowly and give your body enough time to adapt.
2. Track Your Progress
There’s nothing more motivating than comparing where you are now with where you were before, and realizing how much you have accomplished. This requires recording somewhere the time and temperature for each of your showers. While you can do this with pen and paper, it’s much easier to use a dedicated app.
For increased motivation and support, you can share your numbers with other like-minded people on a Reddit channel or Facebook group.
3. Get into the right State of Mind
Your state of mind will have a tremendous impact on your cold shower experience. The more afraid you are, the more uncomfortable and cold you will feel. On the other hand, a positive attitude will make things much easier.
Which is why you need to prepare emotionally before stepping into the cold shower. Activating your inner “warrior mode” is essential to:
- Make the fear disappear.
- Feel less cold.
- Make the experience more enjoyable.
The most effective way to achieve this state is through motivational self-talk and loud, exciting music.
4. Use Music
Music has a big impact on our mood, and you can use this to your advantage to improve your cold shower experience. Start playing loud, exciting songs just before getting into the shower. Songs that work well for me include “I will survive “, “The final countdown” and “Eye of the tiger”. Don’t hesitate to sing along.
The use of music has two key effects:
- It boosts your motivation and excitement.
- It distracts you from the cold.
5. Be Consistent
The more consistently you practice cold showers, the easier they become. The fear of chilly water will decrease with each upcoming cold shower, while your confidence will increase. While you could take cold showers a couple times a week, a daily routine will have the strongest benefits. It’s always easier to continue on a winning streak than to come back after a pause.
That’s it. I hope these few tips will make it easier to get into the cold routine. If you’re looking for a way to keep track of the time and temperature of your cold showers, check out my free Android app.
French version available here.
If you’re into running, you can also check out my free app to help plan your weekly runs.
