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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
In the meantime, a friend who has has 1st, 2nd and booster shots against Covid - has caught a dose. He's self-isolating at home and needs to take care as his 2nd son is severely asthmatic. I, in the meantime, feel invincible, but hopefully, will not end up eating my words....
I am still doing the cold showers but have to admit that with the coming of winter they have become shorter. Oh the blasphemy, I even sometimes end with some warm water!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
You traitor...!
(Actually, I have a stone-cold shower, change to hot, then back to cold. And I definitely prefer the cold.)
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited January 2022
I posted this on Facebook yesterday:
I have to say, I am extremely fortunate, in spite of the problem I have with walking, that I am in extremely good health. Even with the danger of the ever-transforming, perpetually evolving Covid Virus (and all its off-shoots) I feel as fit as a fiddle, with not even so much as a whiff of a sniff...
I wear my mask when out shopping; I wash my hands frequently; I keep a safe distance from others...
But of one thing I am absolutely 100% convinced:
Since I began taking cold showers, I would swear that my immune system has upped its game, and provided me with an enhanced barrier to any viral attacks.
I began during the "warm" summer months ...(who has noticed the marked changes in the seasons, transforming our country from a hot summer haven, to a golden cool autumn and a cold, wind-swept winter? No, me neither!) ... and approached the discipline carefully, beginning with a warm shower, and gradually changing it to cold; the first couple of times, I could barely endure 5 seconds, before switching the water off with a marked shiver...
Fast-forward to today, when I went straight into a fully cold shower, for a full 5 minutes, and was reluctant to turn the water off.
Taking cold showers/baths is a proven mechanism, scientifically-supported and verified, to boost your immune system, as well as providing many other health benefits which I won't list here, because I'll sound like an advert. It has been found to make great improvements to many conditions and afflictions, and it's free.
But seriously? There's a growing swell of people all over the world, recommending this, and singing its praises. Cold showers, cold baths, Wild-water swimming... It's very much an "in-thing" and I heartily recommend and endorse it.
if you do nothing else for yourselves this year, consider embarking on taking cold showers. If you value your health, and want to support your immune system during these "interesting Times", there are ways and means of doing it; diet, exercise, lifestyle changes - but this is free, 'on tap' (literally!), effective, energising, invigorating and something we can all do.
Power to the (Cold) Shower!
5
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I bought myself one of these new (some may say, novelty) shower heads, that emit super-fine shards of water at high speed... you may have seen them advertised...
Holy Moley... First of all, it makes it much easier to get into the shower, because for a split second, you don't even realise the water's hitting you. Secondly, the water travels at such a speed it actually gets fractionally COLDER. I hit 8 degrees this morning.
Lastly, you're being assaulted by thousands of little pinpricks - but in a nice way. It's quite invigorating and stimulating.
It may seem like a gimmick - but I recommend it, if you ever want to try it!
Had my first shower in quite a while (new shower just installed).
I had a warm shower ( yes I am even a Wim Hoff method heretic )
Like 'Randy Andy' ex-prince Andrew, I don't sweat much but I am learning to again. May turn the heat to the off setting for a short sharp invigoration at the end … 🥶
I am a beginner again …
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Every day is a new beginning, lobby...
Up before the lark this morning, at just gone 04:00... Decided to use my time fruitfully, so prepared a steak & kidney stew, which is now quietly burbling in my slow-cooker... that will be delish, tonight...
And so, now at 06:30, I shall shower and set myself up for the new day....
I've been having cold showers every morning for the past 3 weeks....Not sure how I'll go during winter time though...
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Winter is the best time, @Shoshin1 ... Wim Hof refers to the cold as merciless but righteous. I prefer to alliterate and use the term Ruthless... and it's true.
The cold doesn't care where you are, who you are, or what you think. The cold, IS. And it will cool you whether you're a Prince or a Pauper, wet or dry, cold or hot. It does its thing.
The reluctance is ours. The apprehension is ours. The hesitation is ours.
Ok my shower is much colder in the evening...I just dove right in immediately after I turned it on, the physical shock sent me straight to breathing exercise, got light headed while soaping my face and almost fell on my butt!
It's amazing, I never thought I could be a 5 minute shower kinda guy but here we are. I'm ready for my next one in the morning.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited February 2022
@FleaMarket said:
Ok my shower is much colder in the evening...I just dove right in immediately after I turned it on, the physical shock sent me straight to breathing exercise, got light headed while soaping my face and almost fell on my butt!
It's amazing, I never thought I could be a 5 minute shower kinda guy but here we are. I'm ready for my next one in the morning.
Normally, it's advisable to begin with short bursts, even if only for 5 seconds, and gradually build up the time... I now step into a cold shower as easily as I would a warm one. It's finally got to the point where having a hot shower feels alien and strange... but I wash under hot, and dance under cold....
A cold shower in the evening can disturb the sleep pattern. I'm an erratic sleeper at the best of times, so am hesitant to try it, but I shall, over a time where getting up in the morning, has no urgency or commitment to follow...
@federica said:
Normally, it's advisable to begin with short bursts, even if only for 5 seconds, and gradually build up the time...
I find excitement in some roads less traveled. I also needed some tough love today and aside from not being very sleepy now, I really enjoyed it.
I now step into a cold shower as easily as I would a warm one. It's finally got to the point where having a hot shower feels alien and strange... but I wash under hot, and dance under cold....
Now that is so cool...I hope I have the fortitude to reach that point. Two days down so far but not nearly as structured as your routine.
What do you mean you wash hot and dance cold? Is this in the same session or different sessions? Do you start hot and wash then go cold or start cold and dance then go hot?
A cold shower in the evening can disturb the sleep pattern. I'm an erratic sleeper at the best of times, so am hesitant to try it
Fellow erratic sleeper here and it is now midnight and I showered about two hours ago. Hard to tell if alertness is from the shower or the difficult mental state I find myself in today. Maybe I'll retest tomorrow.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I have my spotify on with all my fave tracks (although the damn thing now keeps adding "oh, we thought you'd like this song!" which I hate - if anyone has a remedy to prevent this, I would LOVE please, to have it!!) and I begin immediately with a cold shower. After 5 minutes, I switch to hot, wash myself, and hair, then switch back to cold, which is refreshing and invigorating... "dancing the blues away!"
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited March 2022
@Jeroen said:
I do this guided breathing set… sometimes 4,5 times a day…
I have just recently picked this up again after not doing it for a while. I do it just after I wake up, often in the middle of the night, and I had forgotten how good it feels. Love how he says “All the love, all the power.” Did you notice this video has 43 million views in two years?
There is a really strong tingling I get in various parts of the body during each breath hold part of the video. I do wonder about that…
ahh there is nothing new under the sun. The dear old Tummo is coming back to the West, this time from WIn Hof.
One thing to keep in mind is that once you have made some progress, you should never dress warmly again.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
He's soon to be broadcasting a programme on the BBC, and a film is being made about him. Joseph Fiennes will star. I wish him well. He will have to immerse himself in the role, quite literally!
I'm still having cold showers...haven't used hot water since the beginning of January...There as been a drop in temperature first time in the morning and of an evening over the last week or so...
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Am recording the series and watched the first episode on iplayer... He's larger than life, isn't he?
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@Shoshin1 said:
I'm still having cold showers...haven't used hot water since the beginning of January...There as been a drop in temperature first time in the morning and of an evening over the last week or so...
I continued cold-showering throughout our winter here; the lowest temperature the water reached was 8 degrees C which is considered "freezing", so I was pleased with that, at least!
I've kept the cold showers and I like what you said Fede: merciless, ruthless... but not in a Harold Hadrada style, but more like a clear view, clearing a hoarse throat, or emptying a clogged nose. The "buzz" or "day-dreaming" / "worries" are done once the cold water hit the middle of your upper back. Phew!
I am enjoying watching "Freeze the Fear". Watching on Youtube since I don't have BBC:
Also restarted doing cold showers. Chickened out over the winter this year. Thinking of stocking up on those ice-making moulds for some ice baths.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@marcitko said:
I am enjoying watching "Freeze the Fear". Watching on Youtube since I don't have BBC:
Also restarted doing cold showers. Chickened out over the winter this year. Thinking of stocking up on those ice-making moulds for some ice baths.
Our supermarket sells bags of ice in the frozen food section. I might give it a go, by having at least 1 ice bath over the summer. But not in the winter.
For 2 reasons:
1 - Supermarket doesn't stock bags of ice in winter.
2 - Easy tigers - water's cold enough in winter, whatcha think I am, a sucker for punishment?!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I was surprised by events in this week's episode. The 2 people I never expected to pull out of one challenge, did. Funnily enough, they showed the most resilience and resistance, in a previous challenge.
Funny that.
I watch each programme wishing I could take part...
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
So the series has come to an end with all but one member participating in the final challenge - again, wishing I could have been there... The last challenge looked like so much fun!! I'd have been first at the gate!!
Still cold showering every day - still bopping and dancing to the music!
Thank you @federica for keeping us inspired for the cold showers. I'm doing them every day, sometimes twice. Going now to the shop to buy those ice making moulds since shops round here do not sell packets of ice. It's trully excellent training, both physical and psychological. Do you also do the breathing excercises?
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited May 2022
@marcitko said:
Thank you @federica for keeping us inspired for the cold showers. I'm doing them every day, sometimes twice. Going now to the shop to buy those ice making moulds since shops round here do not sell packets of ice. It's trully excellent training, both physical and psychological. Do you also do the breathing excercises?
No. I stopped doing those some time ago. TbH, I didn't see the point. It's not something I need, or has proven beneficial to me in any significant way, although I do deep breathing before showering/bathing...
YMMV.
ETA: You can also cut large pop bottles in half lengthways, fill each half with water, and freeze them, then tip the ice into the bath. You'll have to devise a way of stopping th water running out of the split bottle top, normally sealed by the screw on tap, though... Maybe blue tack, chewing gum or plasticine? Depends on the size of your freezer, I guess...
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
My first cold shower in a while… the breathing just kind of happened, it was very energising.
I haven't had a warm/hot shower since the first week of January ( Summertime) and it's now mid winter and still no warm/hot showers...not a drop...
It's been quite cold (island standards) especially first thing of a morning,(this morning it was around 8/9C) ...
It's a case of feel the fear and do it anyway....However I have my morning jolk before the shower...
Yup. Mental. And sane. I fear I have been an instigator.
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, mate!
It's exhilarating, and very, very good for you.
I've had cold showers and once in training (army) we had to do a river crossing in winter. There was frost on the ground. It was so cold that I shrieked when I entered the water and my testicles literally ached.
I'd rather run, lift weights, and try to avoid eating my weight in chocolate for health reasons.
But fair play to you; I admire your fortitude.
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personDon't believe everything you thinkThe liminal spaceVeteran
I've recently decided to start taking cold showers. I haven't really spent much time learning the proper technique yet, so I'll say what I've been doing and hear any feedback.
I wash with cool water, not warm but not so cold that it takes your breath away. Then when I'm ready to leave I turn it much colder and stand in it for a bit, maybe 10 seconds or so?
Is the ideal to do an ice cold shower while washing up? Just how cold is cold supposed to be?
@person good for you! Let us know how it goes and what effects you observe.
The way I've heard Wim Hoff "teach" cold showers is:
a) put the shower on the coldest possible position
b) start with 30 seconds
c) slowly build up to 2-3 minutes
My personal method, which I've written about here before, is to each time slowly shower each body part, building up to a full body shower, and then to shower the whole body until the body fully relaxes and I feel I could go on forever. Same-same, since that takes a few minutes, not longer.
For sure, you can also start with mixing cool and cold water, building up to more cold water.
After a while, it just becomes easy and normal - the body adapts.
I have to say. The best benefit -apart from the health and discipline reasons- is the electricity bill: no hot water = saving some juicy $$$$$$$$
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
@marcitko said:
My personal method, which I've written about here before, is to each time slowly shower each body part, building up to a full body shower, and then to shower the whole body until the body fully relaxes and I feel I could go on forever. Same-same, since that takes a few minutes, not longer.
This is kind of what I do: I start off with the shower directed at my chest, and then rotate to the right shoulder, back and left shoulder. I’ve found washing the wrists in cold water also takes some of the edge off the shock of cold water. But the body relaxes after a minute or so, and then it’s fine, no problem to just continue.
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personDon't believe everything you thinkThe liminal spaceVeteran
Still working up a tolerance, but I find the sensation of the skin warming again after getting out of the shower pretty pleasant and invigorating.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I've become so accustomed to it now, it takes me fewer than 5 seconds to feel "normal" whereas when I first began, I could only stand it for 5 seconds and it really took my breath away....
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personDon't believe everything you thinkThe liminal spaceVeteran
It was a really lazy day today. I take a shower at the end of the day and as I was sitting around being comfortable all day getting in the cool shower was very aversive. But as I washed up it felt like all the lazy was being washed away with it, I felt reinvigorated. I was also not wanting to do the cold shower and thought I'd just do 5 seconds, but for whatever reason it quickly became comfortable and I did a minute without much trouble.
I guess I'm still fairly undecided about potential physical benefits from cold showers but there definitely seem to be psychological ones.
I had one today. In summer my water doesn't get very cold but still enough to trigger breathing. It was kind of fun watching my body's response after I stopped mentally panicking. Do you override the body's natural choppy breathing response, leave it alone, amplify it? His breathing exercise video is slow and steady but in 'Becoming Superhuman' when they are in the freezing river, they breath in a choppy rhythm I find similar to the triggered response.
Either way, it definitely woke me up more than sitting at my desk with a cup of coffee does. While nice, I'm not convinced being more awake is worth the effort yet. Yes I am, I'm just lazy and like my comfy distractions too much. You're right @person, the exact thing cold showers seem good at washing away.
@FleaMarket
I have started drinking decaf tea and coffee.
Now we don't buy anything else apart from herbal teas.
Somedays cold showers, somedays a bit of heat. Somedays no showers.
Sometimes the shower attachment falls away.
It is all a process and direction and not a masochistic plunge into dukkha …
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Cold-showering is one of the few things keeping me sane, right now.
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personDon't believe everything you thinkThe liminal spaceVeteran
Last night I took a 2 minute cold shower right before getting into bed. It was really grounding settling into the sensations of the body, it'd probably make a good practice to do afterwards all the time. Get out of the shower and lie down to focus on bodily sensations for a few minutes.
I took a 10 minute cold bath a few days ago. Tap water cold, no ice. Excellent for mindset improvement. I had to work through feelings of "can I do it?", then boredom when I discovered I could but there was still much time left, then wanting to quit before the end. It is excellent "winning over oneself" in this way and the cold is an excellent teacher, as advertised by WH.
I am still keeping the water boiler in the bathroom turned off. Committed to doing cold showers this winter. My only question is whether I will be able to wash my hair in the cold water during winter but so far it is not a problem.
I discovered that my local swimming pool has a "cold pool". But alas it is only 16C. For a moment I thought I had found someplace to do really cold ice baths.
I am really enjoying this thread. Carry on!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@marcitko said: ... Committed to doing cold showers this winter.
Good for you. Literally!
My only question is whether I will be able to wash my hair in the cold water during winter but so far it is not a problem.
I have to start with warm/tepid water, and turn it to cool, as I'm final-rinsing. Otherwise, I get brain freeze (like when you eat a really cold ice cream?) It hurts. As I increase the cold water, the head gets used to it, but do it suddenly, and it might be painful...
I am really enjoying this thread. Carry on!
It's very therapeutic. I couldn't think of missing my showers in the morning. I have a cold bath once a week, but this is really so as to not waste water, rather than any reluctance.
Thank you for the encouragement @federica! Good for us! I too remember getting brain freeze during the winter when washing the head. I will keep going without the water boiler for as long as this does not happen and then turn it on once/if brain freezing happens. No need to overdo it. Brain freeze might be unhealthy too.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
No, it's not unhealthy, and leaves no lasting side-effects. It's the cold affecting the sinuses that causes brain freeze, as nerves within the sinuses send messages to the brain that the temperature has fallen sharply and suddenly.
A good way to prevent it happening is to have a mouthful of hot water, while you wash your hair. Heating is faster than cooling.
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personDon't believe everything you thinkThe liminal spaceVeteran
I've been trying to push past the 3 minute mark. About that time is when my muscles start to get sluggish and the sensation can be painful rather than just shocking or uncomfortable.
Anyone have any insight or suggestions about these effects?
Comments
In the meantime, a friend who has has 1st, 2nd and booster shots against Covid - has caught a dose. He's self-isolating at home and needs to take care as his 2nd son is severely asthmatic. I, in the meantime, feel invincible, but hopefully, will not end up eating my words....
I am still doing the cold showers but have to admit that with the coming of winter they have become shorter. Oh the blasphemy, I even sometimes end with some warm water!
You traitor...!
(Actually, I have a stone-cold shower, change to hot, then back to cold. And I definitely prefer the cold.)
I posted this on Facebook yesterday:
I have to say, I am extremely fortunate, in spite of the problem I have with walking, that I am in extremely good health. Even with the danger of the ever-transforming, perpetually evolving Covid Virus (and all its off-shoots) I feel as fit as a fiddle, with not even so much as a whiff of a sniff...
I wear my mask when out shopping; I wash my hands frequently; I keep a safe distance from others...
But of one thing I am absolutely 100% convinced:
Since I began taking cold showers, I would swear that my immune system has upped its game, and provided me with an enhanced barrier to any viral attacks.
I began during the "warm" summer months ...(who has noticed the marked changes in the seasons, transforming our country from a hot summer haven, to a golden cool autumn and a cold, wind-swept winter? No, me neither!) ... and approached the discipline carefully, beginning with a warm shower, and gradually changing it to cold; the first couple of times, I could barely endure 5 seconds, before switching the water off with a marked shiver...
Fast-forward to today, when I went straight into a fully cold shower, for a full 5 minutes, and was reluctant to turn the water off.
Taking cold showers/baths is a proven mechanism, scientifically-supported and verified, to boost your immune system, as well as providing many other health benefits which I won't list here, because I'll sound like an advert. It has been found to make great improvements to many conditions and afflictions, and it's free.
But seriously? There's a growing swell of people all over the world, recommending this, and singing its praises. Cold showers, cold baths, Wild-water swimming... It's very much an "in-thing" and I heartily recommend and endorse it.
if you do nothing else for yourselves this year, consider embarking on taking cold showers. If you value your health, and want to support your immune system during these "interesting Times", there are ways and means of doing it; diet, exercise, lifestyle changes - but this is free, 'on tap' (literally!), effective, energising, invigorating and something we can all do.
Power to the (Cold) Shower!
I bought myself one of these new (some may say, novelty) shower heads, that emit super-fine shards of water at high speed... you may have seen them advertised...
Holy Moley... First of all, it makes it much easier to get into the shower, because for a split second, you don't even realise the water's hitting you. Secondly, the water travels at such a speed it actually gets fractionally COLDER. I hit 8 degrees this morning.
Lastly, you're being assaulted by thousands of little pinpricks - but in a nice way. It's quite invigorating and stimulating.
It may seem like a gimmick - but I recommend it, if you ever want to try it!
Had my first shower in quite a while (new shower just installed).
)
I had a warm shower ( yes I am even a Wim Hoff method heretic
Like 'Randy Andy' ex-prince Andrew, I don't sweat much but I am learning to again. May turn the heat to the off setting for a short sharp invigoration at the end … 🥶
I am a beginner again …
Every day is a new beginning, lobby...
Up before the lark this morning, at just gone 04:00... Decided to use my time fruitfully, so prepared a steak & kidney stew, which is now quietly burbling in my slow-cooker... that will be delish, tonight...
And so, now at 06:30, I shall shower and set myself up for the new day....
I've been having cold showers every morning for the past 3 weeks....Not sure how I'll go during winter time though...
Winter is the best time, @Shoshin1 ... Wim Hof refers to the cold as merciless but righteous. I prefer to alliterate and use the term Ruthless... and it's true.
The cold doesn't care where you are, who you are, or what you think. The cold, IS. And it will cool you whether you're a Prince or a Pauper, wet or dry, cold or hot. It does its thing.
The reluctance is ours. The apprehension is ours. The hesitation is ours.
Feel the cold. And do it anyway.
You won't be sorry.
With new shower, up to 30 sec of refreshing br r r r …
Now that liquid light is nearly available
https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-create-fifth-state-of-matter-liquid-light
I am wondering what a shower using this exotic material will be like?
Ok my shower is much colder in the evening...I just dove right in immediately after I turned it on, the physical shock sent me straight to breathing exercise, got light headed while soaping my face and almost fell on my butt!
It's amazing, I never thought I could be a 5 minute shower kinda guy but here we are. I'm ready for my next one in the morning.
Normally, it's advisable to begin with short bursts, even if only for 5 seconds, and gradually build up the time... I now step into a cold shower as easily as I would a warm one. It's finally got to the point where having a hot shower feels alien and strange... but I wash under hot, and dance under cold....
A cold shower in the evening can disturb the sleep pattern. I'm an erratic sleeper at the best of times, so am hesitant to try it, but I shall, over a time where getting up in the morning, has no urgency or commitment to follow...
I find excitement in some roads less traveled. I also needed some tough love today and aside from not being very sleepy now, I really enjoyed it.
Now that is so cool...I hope I have the fortitude to reach that point. Two days down so far but not nearly as structured as your routine.
What do you mean you wash hot and dance cold? Is this in the same session or different sessions? Do you start hot and wash then go cold or start cold and dance then go hot?
Fellow erratic sleeper here and it is now midnight and I showered about two hours ago. Hard to tell if alertness is from the shower or the difficult mental state I find myself in today. Maybe I'll retest tomorrow.
I have my spotify on with all my fave tracks (although the damn thing now keeps adding "oh, we thought you'd like this song!" which I hate - if anyone has a remedy to prevent this, I would LOVE please, to have it!!) and I begin immediately with a cold shower. After 5 minutes, I switch to hot, wash myself, and hair, then switch back to cold, which is refreshing and invigorating... "dancing the blues away!"
I have just recently picked this up again after not doing it for a while. I do it just after I wake up, often in the middle of the night, and I had forgotten how good it feels. Love how he says “All the love, all the power.” Did you notice this video has 43 million views in two years?
There is a really strong tingling I get in various parts of the body during each breath hold part of the video. I do wonder about that…
ahh there is nothing new under the sun. The dear old Tummo is coming back to the West, this time from WIn Hof.
One thing to keep in mind is that once you have made some progress, you should never dress warmly again.
He's soon to be broadcasting a programme on the BBC, and a film is being made about him. Joseph Fiennes will star. I wish him well. He will have to immerse himself in the role, quite literally!
Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bzyyxj
I'm still having cold showers...haven't used hot water since the beginning of January...There as been a drop in temperature first time in the morning and of an evening over the last week or so...
Am recording the series and watched the first episode on iplayer... He's larger than life, isn't he?
I continued cold-showering throughout our winter here; the lowest temperature the water reached was 8 degrees C which is considered "freezing", so I was pleased with that, at least!
https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/cold-water-feels-temperature-guide/
I've kept the cold showers and I like what you said Fede: merciless, ruthless... but not in a Harold Hadrada style, but more like a clear view, clearing a hoarse throat, or emptying a clogged nose. The "buzz" or "day-dreaming" / "worries" are done once the cold water hit the middle of your upper back. Phew!
I am enjoying watching "Freeze the Fear". Watching on Youtube since I don't have BBC:
Also restarted doing cold showers. Chickened out over the winter this year. Thinking of stocking up on those ice-making moulds for some ice baths.
Our supermarket sells bags of ice in the frozen food section. I might give it a go, by having at least 1 ice bath over the summer. But not in the winter.
For 2 reasons:
1 - Supermarket doesn't stock bags of ice in winter.
2 - Easy tigers - water's cold enough in winter, whatcha think I am, a sucker for punishment?!
I was surprised by events in this week's episode. The 2 people I never expected to pull out of one challenge, did. Funnily enough, they showed the most resilience and resistance, in a previous challenge.
Funny that.
I watch each programme wishing I could take part...
So the series has come to an end with all but one member participating in the final challenge - again, wishing I could have been there... The last challenge looked like so much fun!! I'd have been first at the gate!!
Still cold showering every day - still bopping and dancing to the music!
Thank you @federica for keeping us inspired for the cold showers. I'm doing them every day, sometimes twice. Going now to the shop to buy those ice making moulds since shops round here do not sell packets of ice. It's trully excellent training, both physical and psychological. Do you also do the breathing excercises?
No. I stopped doing those some time ago. TbH, I didn't see the point. It's not something I need, or has proven beneficial to me in any significant way, although I do deep breathing before showering/bathing...
YMMV.
ETA: You can also cut large pop bottles in half lengthways, fill each half with water, and freeze them, then tip the ice into the bath. You'll have to devise a way of stopping th water running out of the split bottle top, normally sealed by the screw on tap, though... Maybe blue tack, chewing gum or plasticine? Depends on the size of your freezer, I guess...
My first cold shower in a while… the breathing just kind of happened, it was very energising.
I haven't had a warm/hot shower since the first week of January ( Summertime) and it's now mid winter and still no warm/hot showers...not a drop...
It's been quite cold (island standards) especially first thing of a morning,(this morning it was around 8/9C) ...
It's a case of feel the fear and do it anyway....However I have my morning jolk before the shower...
I've a few friends into wild swimming, even in winter, but that's mental.
In fact cold showers when there's an option to have a warm one is mental.
There's lots of hard things I will and can do, but I refuse to purposely have a cold shower.
Because that's mental.
Ah … mental! LOL
My favourite form of dharma. Pain requires attention. Hence ye colde showers …
https://metropolisjapan.com/takigyo/
Yup. Mental. And sane. I fear I have been an instigator.
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, mate!
It's exhilarating, and very, very good for you.
I've had cold showers and once in training (army) we had to do a river crossing in winter. There was frost on the ground. It was so cold that I shrieked when I entered the water and my testicles literally ached.
I'd rather run, lift weights, and try to avoid eating my weight in chocolate for health reasons.
But fair play to you; I admire your fortitude.
I've recently decided to start taking cold showers. I haven't really spent much time learning the proper technique yet, so I'll say what I've been doing and hear any feedback.
I wash with cool water, not warm but not so cold that it takes your breath away. Then when I'm ready to leave I turn it much colder and stand in it for a bit, maybe 10 seconds or so?
Is the ideal to do an ice cold shower while washing up? Just how cold is cold supposed to be?
@person good for you! Let us know how it goes and what effects you observe.
The way I've heard Wim Hoff "teach" cold showers is:
a) put the shower on the coldest possible position
b) start with 30 seconds
c) slowly build up to 2-3 minutes
My personal method, which I've written about here before, is to each time slowly shower each body part, building up to a full body shower, and then to shower the whole body until the body fully relaxes and I feel I could go on forever. Same-same, since that takes a few minutes, not longer.
For sure, you can also start with mixing cool and cold water, building up to more cold water.
After a while, it just becomes easy and normal - the body adapts.
I have to say. The best benefit -apart from the health and discipline reasons- is the electricity bill: no hot water = saving some juicy $$$$$$$$
This is kind of what I do: I start off with the shower directed at my chest, and then rotate to the right shoulder, back and left shoulder. I’ve found washing the wrists in cold water also takes some of the edge off the shock of cold water. But the body relaxes after a minute or so, and then it’s fine, no problem to just continue.
Still working up a tolerance, but I find the sensation of the skin warming again after getting out of the shower pretty pleasant and invigorating.
I've become so accustomed to it now, it takes me fewer than 5 seconds to feel "normal" whereas when I first began, I could only stand it for 5 seconds and it really took my breath away....
It was a really lazy day today. I take a shower at the end of the day and as I was sitting around being comfortable all day getting in the cool shower was very aversive. But as I washed up it felt like all the lazy was being washed away with it, I felt reinvigorated. I was also not wanting to do the cold shower and thought I'd just do 5 seconds, but for whatever reason it quickly became comfortable and I did a minute without much trouble.
I guess I'm still fairly undecided about potential physical benefits from cold showers but there definitely seem to be psychological ones.
I had one today. In summer my water doesn't get very cold but still enough to trigger breathing. It was kind of fun watching my body's response after I stopped mentally panicking. Do you override the body's natural choppy breathing response, leave it alone, amplify it? His breathing exercise video is slow and steady but in 'Becoming Superhuman' when they are in the freezing river, they breath in a choppy rhythm I find similar to the triggered response.
Either way, it definitely woke me up more than sitting at my desk with a cup of coffee does. While nice, I'm not convinced being more awake is worth the effort yet. Yes I am, I'm just lazy and like my comfy distractions too much. You're right @person, the exact thing cold showers seem good at washing away.
@FleaMarket
I have started drinking decaf tea and coffee.
Now we don't buy anything else apart from herbal teas.
Somedays cold showers, somedays a bit of heat. Somedays no showers.
Sometimes the shower attachment falls away.
It is all a process and direction and not a masochistic plunge into dukkha …
Cold-showering is one of the few things keeping me sane, right now.
Last night I took a 2 minute cold shower right before getting into bed. It was really grounding settling into the sensations of the body, it'd probably make a good practice to do afterwards all the time. Get out of the shower and lie down to focus on bodily sensations for a few minutes.
I took a 10 minute cold bath a few days ago. Tap water cold, no ice. Excellent for mindset improvement. I had to work through feelings of "can I do it?", then boredom when I discovered I could but there was still much time left, then wanting to quit before the end. It is excellent "winning over oneself" in this way and the cold is an excellent teacher, as advertised by WH.
I am still keeping the water boiler in the bathroom turned off. Committed to doing cold showers this winter. My only question is whether I will be able to wash my hair in the cold water during winter but so far it is not a problem.
I discovered that my local swimming pool has a "cold pool". But alas it is only 16C. For a moment I thought I had found someplace to do really cold ice baths.
I am really enjoying this thread. Carry on!
Good for you. Literally!
I have to start with warm/tepid water, and turn it to cool, as I'm final-rinsing. Otherwise, I get brain freeze (like when you eat a really cold ice cream?) It hurts. As I increase the cold water, the head gets used to it, but do it suddenly, and it might be painful...
It's very therapeutic. I couldn't think of missing my showers in the morning. I have a cold bath once a week, but this is really so as to not waste water, rather than any reluctance.
Thank you for the encouragement @federica! Good for us! I too remember getting brain freeze during the winter when washing the head. I will keep going without the water boiler for as long as this does not happen and then turn it on once/if brain freezing happens. No need to overdo it. Brain freeze might be unhealthy too.
No, it's not unhealthy, and leaves no lasting side-effects. It's the cold affecting the sinuses that causes brain freeze, as nerves within the sinuses send messages to the brain that the temperature has fallen sharply and suddenly.
A good way to prevent it happening is to have a mouthful of hot water, while you wash your hair. Heating is faster than cooling.
I've been trying to push past the 3 minute mark. About that time is when my muscles start to get sluggish and the sensation can be painful rather than just shocking or uncomfortable.
Anyone have any insight or suggestions about these effects?