COLD SHOWERS 🥶

[Different]

How many of you guys like to take COLD showers? It can be one of the most uncomfortable, dreadful feelings in the world, right?! Some of you may view it as being a little unorthodox because you’re normally used to enjoying the luxury of taking hot showers. Typically, it’s a water heater that provides hot water for you to enjoy your showers. But what happens when it breaks down and you’re working a sorry ass job? You can’t afford to pay for that. Your bills are stressing you out, your savings account is pathetic, and you have debts that prevents you from keeping up.

WWYD (What would you do): Suppose your water heater completely breaks down, and nothing comes out but ICE COLD water. At this point, you call a repairman to fix the water heater. He comes out to your house, takes a look at it and says that it’s too far gone and that you’re going to need a replacement. He then says that’ll be $5k for replacement. Even after you seek a second opinion, everyone ends up saying the same thing. Now $5k is a lot of money to replace a water heater, and I know that y’all don’t want to go out in public smelling like failure.

So what do you do now? A water heater replacement is out of your budget. I know… how about taking a COLD shower, right?! Makes you feel miserable just thinking about it, huh? That ICE COLD water running down your skin making you shiver and quiver under temperatures beyond your body’s temperature. It sounds easy at first, but then once you try it, you’re instantly feeling regretful. To some of you, that might not be a problem.

RECAP: The water heater is broken down, replacement is out of your budget, and you’re left with COLD showers. Now what?

[Master Raiden]

Go to your local gym or swimming pool and shower there until your water heater is fixed.

[Uptight 534]

I take quick showers, so I can muster up the courage to take one cold. This has happened to me before, so just got to live with it. Things could be way worse.

[Different]

Go to your local gym or swimming pool and shower there until your water heater is fixed.

Great answer! How do you feel about taking cold showers, personally?

I take quick showers, so I can muster up the courage to take one cold. This has happened to me before, so just got to live with it. Things could be way worse.

Oh for sure they could be much worse. It took me a while to get used to taking them cold when this happened to me, recently. How did you get used to taking one cold? Because everyone has different strategies.

[Master Raiden]

Great answer! How do you feel about taking cold showers, personally?

I could never do it.
If I had no choice, I would probably wash myself with a sponge so it isn't as bad.

[Uptight 534]

Oh for sure they could be much worse. It took me a while to get used to taking them cold when this happened to me, recently. How did you get used to taking one cold? Because everyone has different strategies.

Just get in there and get it over with. After 10-15 seconds the body will adjust.

[Different]

I could never do it.
If I had no choice, I would probably wash myself with a sponge so it isn't as bad.

I used to be just like that until I saw this video. Then it didn’t faze me as much. You’ll get used to it after a while. At first, you’re going to feel miserable, though.

Just get in there and get it over with. After 10-15 seconds the body will adjust.

Exactly. For anyone else, I highly recommend anyone try this first, just to grow accustomed to it. Then take the cold shower. Cold plunges/ice bathes are a great start. I probably wouldn’t do it during the winter time, though.

[Delphinoid_]

I used to exclusively take cold showers, although these days it's not something I do very often. I do still like to end every shower with a few minutes or so of cold water though. Currently I do my skincare routine (as well as shampooing, detangling and conditioning my hair) with warm (not hot) water, since that allows the pores to open, and then I finish by rinsing with cold water.

[Different]

I used to exclusively take cold showers, although these days it's not something I do very often. I do still like to end every shower with a few minutes or so of cold water though. Currently I do my skincare routine (as well as shampooing, detangling and conditioning my hair) with warm (not hot) water, since that allows the pores to open, and then I finish by rinsing with cold water.

So I’d imagine that during your first time that you took a cold shower, it felt very bone-chilling because you’re having ice cold water running down your skin. Some people say that it takes a while for them to get used to it, some say that they can’t do it at all, and then there are those who manage to just jump into it. So for you, how do you normally prepare yourself for a cold shower when you do make the conscious decision to take one?

[Mia]

I can't do cold showers due to stress. Sometimes, the best way for me to unwind is by taking a warm/hot shower.

[Delphinoid_]

So I’d imagine that during your first time that you took a cold shower, it felt very bone-chilling because you’re having ice cold water running down your skin. Some people say that it takes a while for them to get used to it, some say that they can’t do it at all, and then there are those who manage to just jump into it. So for you, how do you normally prepare yourself for a cold shower when you do make the conscious decision to take one?

I don't really prepare, I just do it I guess. The only thing I guess I do is turn on the cold water when I'm not under the shower and then gradually inch under it so I can adjust to it slowly. Turning on the cold water when you're directly under it and going from 0 to 100 instantly feels pretty awful. It also obviously feels a bit worse during the winter, but even winter doesn't really get very cold over here. I feel like I have cold showers on "easy mode" since the average day is pretty hot over here (we've only just entered Spring and already we've been getting uncomfortably hot days, I hate it).

One thing that has changed since I regularly took cold showers is that I've grown out my hair a bit (and started actually trying to look after it properly). The feeling of cold water on my skin isn't too bad, but the feeling of ice cold hair on my head / face somehow feels a million times worse, I have no idea why. That and longer hair means taking longer showers, so while before I could just be in and out in 5 or so minutes, now I have to spend a bit more time.

[Different]

I can't do cold showers due to stress. Sometimes, the best way for me to unwind is by taking a warm/hot shower.

Can’t argue with that logic. Humans naturally gravitate towards hot and warm water because our body temperature is 98.6°F.

I don't really prepare, I just do it I guess. The only thing I guess I do is turn on the cold water when I'm not under the shower and then gradually inch under it so I can adjust to it slowly. Turning on the cold water when you're directly under it and going from 0 to 100 instantly feels pretty awful. It also obviously feels a bit worse during the winter, but even winter doesn't really get very cold over here.

I like that, “just do it” mentality because it forces you to do something that you may or may not want to do. On the other hand, I pretty much have the same method as you by gradually easing towards the cold shower because it takes a while for your body to adjust to it. I always start with the arms because they’re the first to instantly adjust to it. Now the winter time, I would hope you’d have the furnace running hot air through the vents because otherwise it’s just intolerable.

One thing that has changed since I regularly took cold showers is that I've grown out my hair a bit (and started actually trying to look after it properly). The feeling of cold water on my skin isn't too bad, but the feeling of ice cold hair on my head / face somehow feels a million times worse, I have no idea why. That and longer hair means taking longer showers, so while before I could just be in and out in 5 or so minutes, now I have to spend a bit more time.

Yup, everyone’s gotta look after their hair properly because you wouldn’t want a bunch of dandruff getting caught in there. The cold water feels more miserable on your face/head because they tend to be the most sensitive part of the body. It makes you feel like you’re drowning because the face is so thin and the blood vessels in it don’t really respond to the cold water the same way the rest of the body parts do. This is why I prefer warm water on the face, instead.

[LCPD]

I dealt with this a few years ago when an ice storm knocked out power for like 9 days during winter. I refused to take cold showers, so I will warm water on the stove and than shower. It wasnt perfect but it did the job.

[Different]

I dealt with this a few years ago when an ice storm knocked out power for like 9 days during winter. I refused to take cold showers, so I will warm water on the stove and than shower. It wasnt perfect but it did the job.

I can understand warming water on the stove because the thought of ice cold water running down your skin can be bone-chilling. I’ve been there before, 12 years ago. But then what would you do if the wooden stove doesn’t work? I’m assuming that’s what you used and not an electrical one.

[David]

There was a time I took cold showers exclusively for maybe around 6 months, really makes you feel amazing afterwards but jumping into one and that first minute is real tough. I hope to get back to doing them, although in the winter I wouldn't have it on the coldest setting (maybe once to try it)

[LCPD]

I can understand warming water on the stove because the thought of ice cold water running down your skin can be bone-chilling. I’ve been there before, 12 years ago. But then what would you do if the wooden stove doesn’t work? I’m assuming that’s what you used and not an electrical one.

It wasnt a wooden stove, it was an electric one. It was a risk that was for sure.

[Different]

There was a time I took cold showers exclusively for maybe around 6 months, really makes you feel amazing afterwards but jumping into one and that first minute is real tough. I hope to get back to doing them, although in the winter I wouldn't have it on the coldest setting (maybe once to try it)

6 months?? Oh no, I couldn’t do it for that long. How do you normally prepare yourself for taking these cold showers? Because for someone who’s done it for 6 months straight, I’d imagine that you’ve successfully developed a high tolerance for the brutality of it.

[Camer the Dragon]

I think years and years ago I had to do this a couple times
It's not nice but at the same time you don't waste ages in the shower bc you just wanna get yourself properly clean but nothing else

[David]

6 months?? Oh no, I couldn’t do it for that long. How do you normally prepare yourself for taking these cold showers? Because for someone who’s done it for 6 months straight, I’d imagine that you’ve successfully developed a high tolerance for the brutality of it.

Putting on some upbeat music helped a lot, music that really pumps you up lol. Also, now that I think about it, there may have been times I started off a little warm then made it colder (or just started off slightly cold), but I definitely jumped into cold water a lot of times

[Different]

Also, now that I think about it, there may have been times I started off a little warm then made it colder (or just started off slightly cold), but I definitely jumped into cold water a lot of times

Nahh, that’s cheating, bro lol. You gotta start off cold, always. Would you ever pay someone to replace a $5k water heater or would you try and fix it yourself?