One June day when I was eight years old, I had just finished engaging myself in a screaming war with my mother over why I shouldn't have to limit my electronic usage during the school week. Far too many expletives were thrown around towards both sides, and it led to an unpleasant surprise as I stormed upstairs to take a steamy shower to 'cool off' my frustrations. I should have known mom would hear me disgustedly murmur to myself about the ways in which she was oftentimes too restrictive as a parent.
I halfway closed my bathroom door, stripped down and optimistically entered my shower, hoping somehow the day would get better from that point forward. About thirty seconds into my routine, I heard the restroom sink faucet begin to run, and I sure as heck knew it was on no timer. The next hint that sparked my attention that I was not alone was the monstrous-looking shadow that now casted over my shower linings.
In complete panic and fear of what was to happen next, I clenched my entire body as my mother ruthlessly drenched my steamy body in ice cold tap water. A jolt of shock soared through my body as I attempted to rid myself of the petrifying, brisk water that splashed against me so distrustfully. I knew from this point forward that I could never be left so vulnerable again, and that's when I begrudgingly decided to make a change that would better my life for years to come. Some parents take away electronics, some parents put their children in timeouts, but my mother was savvy enough to know how to really make her mark on my freshest behaviors.
As a stubborn youngster, I angrily implemented an action plan to slowly make my way towards taking consistently cold showers. This way, I would never have to experience the sheer disturbance of being alarmingly jolted by my mother's devious post-argument acts ever again!
Each and every day, I would increasingly make my showers colder and colder. I first started this regimen by beginning my showers with the regular warm temperatures and slowly turning the nozzle clockwise until I could no longer stand the frigid temperatures. Eventually, no hot 'warm-up' was needed and I was able to enter my showers at 50, 40 or even 30 degrees Fahrenheit as if this were a completely normal thing for a third-grader to do.
When my mom found out I did this out of spite to combat what she thought was a painless punishment, she immediately apologized for having done this in the first place. She then began to try and convince me that the cold showers would lead to hypothermia or frozen pipes during the winter time, both of which I have been fortunate not to deal with since embarking on my chilly journey. What began as retaliation soon led to a pleasant surprise, though. There are so many benefits that I have noticed since taking cold showers, and I would like to discuss some of these below.
Starting my day with a challenge makes the rest of my day seem like a breeze (no pun intended). When I wake up at 5 A.M., 6 A.M. or 7 A.M. and immediately force myself to jump into a frozen, unwelcoming climate, it completely wakes me up regardless of how many hours I slept the night before. Cold showers revitalize my body and mind. They cause me to wake my brain up and consciously think about my morning rather than zombieing through my typical routine.
Secondly, my breathing has vastly improved since taking cold showers. When you enter a cold shower, it is your body's natural reaction to huff and puff as if you were trying to blow your shower curtains down. This is one of the solutions for the body to maintain homeostasis in the heat of the moment, or should I say, cold of the moment. I notice myself able to take more relaxed, deep breaths when performing any type of aerobic or cardiovascular activity, which is a huge plus for wanting to build stamina for a race or timed event!
Thirdly, cold showers have been a blessing for my skin. I don't know about you guys, but when I reminisce upon my teenage years, one of the first images that circulates in my mind is acne. Acne is difficult to deal with no matter what type of topical medicine your dermatologist has decided to experimentally assign you with on a given week. Believe it or not, cold showers do in fact alleviate one's acne. Not only does the overall quantity of your pimples and scars begin to fade, but you will also begin to notice more smooth, clean, authenticate skin from head to toe.
Alas, cold showers are not the end-all-be-all to a perfect life, but they have definitely made a lasting impact on mine. Some people get their morning boost from a freshly brewed cup of coffee, I just prefer a more natural, awakening approach, and I hope you will give my technique a bracing try!
