One who bathes willingly with cold water doesn’t feel the cold.

While I might not be as intense about it as this Shinto practitioner, bathing in cold water is an invigorating exercise which I perform almost every time I shower.

While there are many health benefits to exposing yourself to cold water, from helping circulation to easing fibromyalgia symptoms, I think of it in terms of an act of voluntary discomfort.

Start your day with an act of courage.

Stepping into cold water is something we normally associate with hardened warriors in cheesy martial arts films who strive for mental and physical perfection.  In a way it’s a correct assumption.

Misogi is a Shinto practice of purification.  The most common being water misogi where practitioners stand in a waterfall.  It is a practice to purify the spirit and the body.

Many spiritual and physical practices including yoga and aikido endorse cold water immersion.  And can you really argue with the Polar Bear Club?

I can’t.

There are many health benefits associated with cold showers.

• Increases blood flow to your organs and circulation throughout your body.
• Helps eliminate toxins from the body due to increased circulation and contraction of the muscles.
• Increases your white blood cell count.
• Boosts your immune system by strengthening mucous membranes.
• Gives you healthier hair by closing the cuticle in a similar manner to your skin.
• Gives you better looking skin by constricting the blood vessels and reducing swelling.
• Makes your body acclimate faster to cold temperatures keeping you warmer.

Let’s not forget we’re not likely to linger in a cold shower so we save water in our daily routine.

On top of that stepping into cold water is an invigorating burst to your routine.  It’s energizing; a real rush everytime.

I step out of the shower ready to face the world.

By living through minor discomforts regularly you’ll grow more confident that you can cope with major discomforts as well. Such a major future event will no longer be a source of anxiety.

Christiaan @ Mind The Beginner

Here’s my challenge to you.

Start your day with an act of courage.

For the next 31 days take a cold shower.

If you’re not ready to jump headfirst into a frozen lake (I know I wasn’t) here’s a way to ease yourself in.

Take your regular shower.

Before you step out, change the temperature to something just below where you are comfortable.  It doesn’t have to be ice cold but just enough to be uncomfortable.

Stand there until you feel relatively warm again.  This is your body reacting to the cold water and heating itself up.

You’re done.  Finish your shower and emerge into the world.

Each day go a little colder.

This is an exercise in voluntary discomfort.

At first it will feel like self-inflicted torture but by the end of the month you’ll be loving the rush you get from the cold water.