I Tried Cold Showers For A Year And This Is What It Did For Me

 

From improved immunity and health to better hair and skin, not to mention improved mental health, cold water therapy has been a buzzword for a good few years now. With a marked increase in people trying wild swimming, and more and more people getting in the sea here in Guernsey (namely thanks to our excellent local facilities here at The Bathing Pools), we are all embracing the cold and all of the benefits that come with it.

But getting started can be as simple as turning your shower cold at home in the morning. Which is exactly what our co-founder Stefanie did. And she got so much from it, that she set herself the challenge of doing it for a whole year.

Want to know how she got on? Keep reading. 

 

 

How And Why I Got Started.

It was New Year’s Day. It had been raining for weeks. I had a four week-old newborn and I was flicking through the apps looking for something to watch on the sofa with my mother in law. We settled on Wim Hof’s show, Freeze The Fear, on BBC iPlayer. Working in the online wellness field, I had obviously heard of the benefits of cold water therapy from various podcasts, vlogs, creators and articles. I had really enjoyed cold water when I was pregnant. I spent part of my babymoon in Stockholm where there was a natural cold water pool in the hotel spa and I went every day. It filled me with energy (although I think the hormones were helping because I watched on bemused as other people squealed as they tried to get in!).

After a few episodes of Wim Hof, we paused to deal with the baby and do a few other things - one of which for me was to finally get showered & dressed before the rest of the family came over for dinner. On a whim, at the end of the shower, I flicked it to cold. I breathed deeply and let the cold water hit my body. Admittedly, I didn’t last very long before I quickly turned it off and jumped out of the shower to grab a towel off the warm towel rail. But I felt refreshed and accomplished. So I did it again the next day. And then the next day. And then a few days in, I realised I had started on 1st January so I went for 31 days, and then 60 and then 90. Before I knew it, I hit a year. 

 

How Do I Do Cold Water Therapy At Home?

I keep it ridiculously simple. I had no rules other than to turn the water cold every day in my shower. In his book, Wim Hof states that you start with 3 minutes and then increase over time. I didn't do that. My aim was for consistency, so I simply turned the shower cold and took a few deep breaths to deal with it hitting me. Some days, I stood there for a couple of minutes, others I probably lasted about 10 seconds. Done is always better than perfect.

 

Here are the 4 ways I benefited from daily cold showers:

 

1.  It Helped Me To Create A Routine.

I was a new mum, which means, let’s be honest, showering daily was an achievement. So this self-imposed challenge really helped me to have some semblance of a personal daily routine (even if I often found myself turning the shower cold at 11pm at night!).

 

2.  It Improved My Self-Confidence.

The sense of accomplishment and pride that came with doing this every day - be it first thing in the morning or last thing at night - was intense. The other benefits definitely pushed me to keep doing it, but the fact that I wasn’t breaking the streak made me want to keep going. I even got back into the shower a couple of times when I had already got out (and dried myself!) because I realised I had been deep in thought about something and had forgotten to go cold at the end. 

 

3.  It Was Good For My Mental Health.

A few weeks after having my daughter, I found myself with a panicky feeling in the pit of my stomach at around 3pm each day. I put it down to anxiety caused by post-partum hormones and found that just ensuring that I was out for a walk, running errands or meeting a friend at that time meant that I could avoid it. However, after a week or two of cold showers, I was at home a couple of days in a row due to bad weather and realised that the feeling had gone away. I honestly believed it was due to the mood enhancing benefits of the cold water (and the deep calm breaths you take whilst the water hits you) that I had read about.

If you look it up, you’ll see that various studies have shown that the cold water releases endorphins and serotonin, known to boost mood and help to alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Just ask any sea swimmers and they’ll surely tell you the same kind of story. It certainly worked for me.

 

4.  I Had Increased Energy And Immunity.

The cold water gave me an immediate boost of energy no matter the time of day that I took the shower. But I soon noticed that that energy would carry on throughout the day. I rarely felt super tired (surprisingly for someone with a new baby!) and I also felt like I had the mental capacity to pop to meetings for The List, take calls, answer emails and write articles during naps. (Don’t worry - I also spent a fair amount of time on the sofa watching tv too!). I’m pretty sure it’s helping my skin and hair too.

I also rarely got run down and ill. And, other than when my daughter first started nursery and knocked the whole house out a couple of times with the various lurgies that she brought home, I haven’t really been ill. And even if I do feel a sniffle coming on, I can usually shake it off by slowing down for the day - upping my liquids, working from home and getting an early night. I’m no doctor so I’m not doling out health advice here, but I do think that my own little version of daily cold water therapy helps me to stay healthy.

 

And What About Now The Year Is Up?

Well, I carried on. It’s just a habit now to turn the shower cold at the end. I do skip a few days - and if I’m showering on a cold evening, I often embrace the warmth without my cold fix at the end and just jump out of the shower and into my pjs. I’ve also been trying to fit in more sea swims  - I wasn't always someone that would get in the sea at the beach but now I do it every time. I can see how people get addicted. I’d love to do it more. But for now, my shower routine works for me. Plus, I’ve finally got into the habit of turning it back to warm after I get out so my partner doesn’t get a shock the next morning!

 

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely, I'd give it a go. It has become a cornerstone of my wellness routine and I’m not giving it up any time soon.