First day of the 30-day cold shower challenge was today! This challenge was posed by Joel Runyon of Impossible HQ. The purpose of the challenge is to show you how insignificant fear really is. Starting your day off with a cold shower has many health benefits including:
- It strengthens your immune system
- Improves your blood circulation (as my hands and feet are constantly falling asleep throughout the day, this would probably be a good thing)
- Regulates Temperature
- Promotes weight loss by increasing your metabolism
- Deepens breathing
- Increases energy and wellbeing
- And is great for your skin and hair
** The above list was taken from the websites: Wake-up World and Impossible HQ
There is one thing that I know for sure: ice cold water showering down on you wakes you up… yes, better than coffee.
Right now I feel like I just drank a double shot of espresso. I feel hyped up and crazy energized. The energy feels as though it starts at my feet and makes its way all the way to the tips of my fingers. I feel super-powered and super alive.
Here’s what took place: as per Joel’s instructions, I turned the water in my shower all the way down to freezing, and I started my timer. Five minutes. I jumped right in and let out a gasp as all the air was wrung out from my lungs (at least that’s what it felt like). It was freaking cold! Throughout the entire 5 minutes, I took care to always have at least one body part touching the cold water. The hardest part was washing my hair. I mean, I wouldn’t jump in a pool that was this cold. Immersing myself completely in the cold water was extremely difficult. Tactics for staying under included: spinning in a circle, high knees, breathing through the pain, closing my eyes and pretending I was somewhere else, jumping (carefully) up and down.
I’ve never been so happy to hear my alarm go off. I promptly turned off the shower and wrapped myself in a towel, and smiled exuberantly. I DID IT!
It has been almost an hour since my shower, and I am still feeling the side-effects. Whew! Only 29 to go.
Has anyone built up the nerve to join me on this?
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Did you enjoy this post? The link below is an associate link. If you’d like to read Joel Runyon’s (the creator of the 30-day Cold Shower Challenge) short book on living a story worth telling, by using the link below you’re not paying anymore, but you’ll be supporting this blog. Thank you.
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Thank you! I checked out your site and you look like you have a lot of cool things going on over there. Keep up the good work!
This is a great idea. After reading Tim Ferriss’ ‘Four Hour Body; Chapter – Ice Age: Mastering Temperature to Manipulate Weight’ I experimented with cold showers and ice baths.
I can attest to most of what you said; wakes you up like a fog horn, eases sore muscles, and takes some adjustment. Now I hop in the bath full of cold water after a hard workout without hesitation.
Good luck on the next 29 days.
I haven’t read that book yet, although it has been on my “to-read” list for awhile. Thanks for the luck. I’m going on day 5 now, and I’m actually starting to have a little bit of fun with it. An ice bath – now that sounds terrible. Wow. I’m impressed!
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It’s funny that you posted this and I am reading it tonight, because I was just thinking this morning that I really should try showering in cold water, since I always seem to feel over heated when I get out and it makes me sweat afterwards while I am trying to get my makeup and hair going.
So…yeah, I think I’ll join you on this one.
Yikes….oh God, Okay…yes…I’ll try it and get back to you on how it’s going 😉
**note to self do not forget to take cold shower…where is my kindle so I can set an alarm 😉
That’s awesome. I’m so excited that you’ve jumped on board!! The first shower will be the hardest, but I promise you it gets easier after that! Please update me on how you’re doing! You’ve got this!!!
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I’ve read it’s very important to have cold showers, but never really committed myself to it haha. So I think I’ll join you as well (I’m going to try haha).
Thank you for sharing!
I definitely recommend it. 30 days sounds intimidating, but it’s really only 5 minutes of discomfort every day. It’s not a time commitment (because you’d be taking a shower anyway) but more of decision.
Let me know if you do it! I’ve completed 26 cold showers now. I’m pretty excited for my first hot shower in a month, but I’ve actually really enjoyed the process.
You can do it!!
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