Cold Exposure:

Last year I had a cold shower every single day for 100 days - and it changed my life.

Here are some unexpected but powerful benefits of daily cold exposure:

I always thought cold showers were some guru myth.

But doing them regularly has the potential to transform your health, energy and mood.

But cold showers aren’t just about seeking discomfort or being disciplined.

There are many tangible, researched-backed benefits that will surprise you.

Benefits:

Physical -

Mental -

Cold showers activate the body's stress response system, triggering the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

Through repeated exposure, your body becomes better equipped to handle stress, leading to increased resilience and a reduced overall stress response.

Why I do it:

Ultimately you feel fucking good:

Sitting in cold water isn’t fun.

It’s uncomfortable.

But once you get out, you feel on top of the world.

Why?

Ice baths have been shown to increase your dopamine by 250% for several hours after.

This means cold showers can boost your motivation, energy and mood.

Check out the study from Smarek et al:

Self Mastery:

Nobody wants to feel the cold.

That includes me.

But each time I do, I'm mastering my mind and getting 1 step closer to mastering myself.

Undoubtedly, before or during cold exposure, you will find your mind pushing back against the challenge.

“I really don’t want to do this.”

You will seek for excuses.

I’ve been there many times.

Staring at the water.

Questioning why I’m doing this.

But at that exact point.

That’s when you have to face it and step under.

After all, if it were easy, then there is no stimulus for your body to change.

The more you don't want to do it, the more you need to do it.

How to:

Start slow.

Ideally you want to get straight into the coldest water you can - but this isn’t easy.

So

• Ease yourself in by showering after exercise.

• Or starting hot and going cold.

Stay under for at least a minute, but aim for as long as you can.

Do it every day for at least 30 days.

Something to consider:

Cold water exposure can limit some of the gains in hypertrophy, strength or endurance if done in the 4 hours or so after training.

So it’s better to wait 6 to 8 or more hours until after training.

Cheers for reading.

Let me know if you try some cold water exposure!