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My Journey to Full Cold Showers and Bathing in the Sea in Winter

Discussion in 'Self Improvement' started by Sc8r51o1n, Dec 10, 2020.

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  1. Sc8r51o1n

    Sc8r51o1n Fapstronaut

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    Introduction
    Let me share how I transitioned from a person rather sensitive to cold, and being called for it, to the leader of a “let’s bathe in the sea in winter” party.

    This article is for everyone that says “I hate cold”, or “I can’t imagine doing a cold shower”. I used to say those things too. I will share my gradual escalation of a cold exposure process, some tips, and some cheats I use so that the experience is bearable and even pleasant.

    Benefits of cold showers
    The benefits of cold showers are many-fold: there are health benefits and there are psychological benefits. I will cover only those that I know of, there are other teachers and articles, most famously by the Wim Hof method, that share even more benefits. And as I mentioned Wim Hof, I need to share that I am not familiar with his method. I know that it exists, and it works, but I don’t know the details. So if there are overlapping ideas, that is by chance.

    So my main two benefits of cold showers are fear management and cold acceptance.


    On fear management - when I first started I was genuinely afraid that the cold would be painful. It took me some seconds of gathering the courage to apply the small water bucket with cold water on my arm. It stung and it passed. Then it was easier on the other limbs. Truth be told, the next day it was scary again to apply the first bucket. So it is a process of adaptation.

    The valuable lesson I learned with the cold water is that the fear and the imagined pain were far greater than the real thing. And this can be and must be applied to all fears in our everyday life.


    On cold acceptance - don’t get me wrong, I am still wearing two or three layers of clothing in the autumn, winter, and spring. But what changed was my mindset, now I say “that shall pass”. Yes, it is cold here, I did what I had to do and I am well clothed. When I get to my destination I will get warm again. No big deal. With cold showers it is the same - it is cold now, I will survive and then there is the warm room, or the warm shower and the warm clothes, so no big deal.


    If you need extra motivation to start with cold showers, people say that other benefits are blood vessels elasticity, faster metabolism and increased testosterone. I don’t suffer from cold hands and feet, so I can’t report on the first one, and I can’t observe my metabolism and hormonal functions so I can't confirm those either.


    The most important rule of cold exposure
    Let me address one last potential objection or fear of people that are not willing to do a cold shower: “I will be cold in the end”. No, you will not be cooled down, and you will not catch a cold.

    The most important rule of cold exposure is: don’t let the cold get inside. Let it work on the surface, just like tempering a sword, and don’t let it get into your core. If you do, you will catch a cold or pneumonia.


    The greatest effect after my first cold showers was that I saw my body get hotter as a reaction to the cold and my arms were literally steaming after the cold water. I felt like a superhero and actually got hooked, addicted to the experience. My girlfriend back in the day experienced that increase of body temperature too.

    That heat reaction actually reminds me to share another benefit. When I was leaving the hot steamy bathroom I was shivering with cold from the fresh air outside. When I started cold showers I was leaving the bathroom totally carefree, there was no temperature difference to make me feel like I am opening the fridge, when leaving the bathroom.

    Step one - Bucket of cold water after shower end
    I started as a teenager. I found my tendency to catch colds and my hate of the cold as disadvantages and I decided to do something about it. There is this Russian idea of “tempering”, applying cold so that you are immune to cold. As a child in a winter camp, I saw people wearing only tank-tops walking in the snow. So I knew one can achieve cold tolerance and immunity.

    One day I decided to end my showers with cold water. Back then at home we were heating water in a bucket so I added another bucket with cold water to the menu. As I said earlier - it was scary to apply the cold water for the first time. I have heard that cold could make your heart skip a beat or something like that from the shock so I applied a gradual approach: First I will water just one arm from the shoulder down, and then the other arm. After that the legs one by one. The idea was that by the time I get to my torso and my back, my blood circulation will notify my heart of the incoming stress. So after two rounds of arms and legs I will apply the remaining water from the bucket on my chest and then on my back. It was breath-taking I won’t deny. And now with more experience I will tell you to consciously force yourself to breathe when the cold water touches your skin.


    And to repeat - after the shock of the cold water, the discomfort of the fresh air out of the bathroom is non-existent. And that in and out of itself was a win for the teenage me.

    Step two - Running cold water after shower end
    Over time there was an upgrade at home - running hot water. Yay! So I kept the habit of cold water on my limbs and torso after shower. With running water one can choose to apply the cold longer. I never have had that idea, but for the reader it can be a hint to count the time of running water on each limb, torso and back, and to increase that time week after week (credit to Wim Hof method).

    I need to mention that my back is my most cold sensitive area and it is still breathtaking to apply cold water on it.

    Another detail that I want to share is on watering my arms: I keep my arms vertically, away from my body and I apply the shower head to my shoulder and then move it up and down. This way the water runs all along my arm and no drop of water is wasted. With legs it is the same story, but naturally your legs are straight up, so I simply wouldn’t mention them.

    Step two and a half - Contrast shower
    A contrast shower is when you alternate cold and hot water on your body. I know I learned about it after I started my journey with cold water.

    A Contrast shower can be a reward for your efforts: after a warm shower apply cold water, and then as a reward for overcoming your fear of cold, apply warm water to go back to your comfort. I don’t remember how exactly I used contrast showers but I know they are part of my toolbox now. There was a youtube video stating that doing about six cycles of contrast showers will improve your brain activity.

    Step three - Longer cold exposure: warm soap, cold rinse
    About twenty years after I started applying cold water I learned about Cold Showers. The people were praising them as the solution to every problem: “Start the morning with a victory over yourself with a cold shower and you will beat everything in your day”. Not exactly my cup of tea. I was not willing to jump under cold water in the morning or at any time.

    But I was curious to step up my game.

    So my new routine was - start with a hot shower and stop the water. Soap all over my body and switch to cold water. Now I have to wash away the soap, so that is genuine showering with cold water. I was still using the approach of arms and legs first, then the torso, and finally my back.

    Or in other words, I started to increase the time of my cold exposure.

    Step four - Full Cold Shower, with preparations
    As I was reading the stories in the forum I realized people are talking about full cold showers and that was my next challenge. One morning in February I decided to try that. Up to this day, I actually run some hot water in the bathroom first, so that the air is at a decent temperature and the floor is not ice cold. And then I switch to cold water and get my body wet all over. That day I felt prepared enough to face the cold “head-first”. I started the shower and started from my neck and chest, turned and covered my arms and legs. I was consciously breathing. I washed my face with soap, rinsed and stopped the water. I soaped my body and then started the water again to rinse. When I was ready I stopped the water and that was it. My first full cold shower was complete! It felt good and from then on for the next full year I didn't use warm water. The water in the pipes was about 8-12 degrees Celsius, it was winter. But I had my safety precautions and I was doing great.

    Step five - Bathing in the sea in the winter
    Almost a full year of only cold showers has passed. January was coming and I remembered the one dream of mine - to jump in the sea and to swim for the cross. There is a tradition in our religion: the priest throws a wooden cross in a body of water and men swim and compete to save it. The winner is said to be healthy throughout the year. And all that happens before noon on January 6th, there is snow and the air is around zero degrees Celsius. And I was wishing to be able to jump in the cold sea in January.

    So after a full year of “head-first” cold showers I felt ready. And I had a plan. I shared my intention on Instagram and there was a friend that was willing to share the adventure and jump in with me. There were friends that were willing to join along as camera crew. So it was a party.


    Once again I had my plan and my safety net:

    I wanted to avoid crowds and to stay naked in the cold for the minimal time possible, so we didn’t do it on the 6th but one day before or after, so that I was not at work. We went to the beach in my car, the car was running all the time, so it is warm inside after we go out of the sea water.


    I was warm dressed on the way there. I parked as close to the water line as possible and stripped down to boxers to go into the water. There was no jump as we entered the sea from the shore. I entered the sea at a fast pace as I do in summer and at waist level I kneeled to submerge my body to the neck. The feeling was totally the same as a cold shower - some stinging and then body reaction with heat.

    We stayed for half a minute and I told the other guy that we must go out. He was reluctant but seconds later thanked me, as his legs were starting to cramp or something.

    The new experience was that my legs were not used to the two minute cold exposure and my skin was redder. But there was no damage.

    The next year that friend was eager to repeat and we even had a girl with us, so we were three in the sea. Later in the day random people shared pictures of us on Facebook and the next morning we were even mentioned on national television, hahaha.

    My worst cold shower - in July
    At some point I was overconfident and I vividly remember that one hot day in July I wanted to do a cold shower. I don’t remember if I was extra heated or I did the shower not mentally prepared for cold water, but what I remember is the actual shock I experienced. It was the sensation that I was always afraid of and never have had experienced up until that very day. And never again after that.

    Water and Cold are Elements. Respect them and approach them with caution.
     
    FezMan76 likes this.
  2. Anti-Hero

    Anti-Hero Fapstronaut

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    Fantastic article :)
     
    Sc8r51o1n likes this.
  3. hollyman

    hollyman Fapstronaut

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    I usually shower 2 times per day , as i live in tropical country this is the minimal mandatory to stay clean

    In the morning i usualy go cold shower

    But at the night (ussualy its rainy night) i usualy go warm shower , do you think i must change my night habbit with cold shower also?

    I love when rain comes btw
     
  4. Sc8r51o1n

    Sc8r51o1n Fapstronaut

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    There was a suggestion for good sleep recording warmth, so, no dont change.
     

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