How to take cold showers

Why it usually falls apart

Jumping straight into a fully cold shower is a shock, and most people try it once. The cold triggers a gasp reflex and a strong urge to get out. The habit works when you build up gradually, so the body adapts and the dread fades. The payoff people report is feeling alert afterwards. The research on wider health benefits is mixed.

How to take cold showers

1. End warm, finish cold

   Take your normal shower, then turn it to cold for the last thirty seconds. This is the easiest starting point.

2. Breathe slowly

   The cold makes you gasp. Breathe out slowly and steadily. It calms the reflex and makes it bearable.

3. Add time weekly

   Add fifteen to thirty seconds each week. After a month, two minutes will feel normal.

4. Start with limbs

   Point the water at your legs and arms first, then your back and chest. Getting used to it in stages helps.

5. Do it at the same time

   Morning works best for most people, as the alertness is the payoff.

6. Check with a doctor if needed

   If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or other health concerns, check with a doctor first. Cold water causes a sudden increase in heart rate.

What to track

Track the smallest version you would still count on your worst day. A row you can clear when tired is a row you keep:

• Thirty seconds of cold
• Slow breathing in the cold
• Morning shower

Print a tracker with these 3 habits or open them in a spreadsheet.

Your first week

1. Day 1. End today's shower with thirty seconds of cold.
2. Day 2. Repeat, breathing out slowly.
3. Day 3. Start the cold on your legs and arms first.
4. Day 4. Repeat thirty seconds.
5. Day 5. Try forty-five seconds.
6. Day 6. Repeat forty-five seconds.
7. Day 7. Count the days you did it.