Cold showers are literally the fountain of youth!! 

They go by so underestimated in the modern fitness world… it’s simply shocking! 

Cold therapy has been utilised by the ancients for thousands of years for its beneficial effects to the body.

The ancient Greeks, Romans, and ancient Russians all used cold water therapy to reap the health benefits!

It’s still used today in some parts of the world, from Scandinavian countries to parts or Russia and Japan, but why does it go by so underutilised by modern westerners?

Cold showers are simply fantastic!….the feeling you get after jumping into a freezing cold shower first thing in the morning is incredible…It’s revitalising….rejuvenating!

Don’t get me wrong, the first few seconds after dipping your head and naked body under the cold plume of icy water is a tad uncomfortable…

just embrace it…

stay with it…

keep moving and enjoy the feeling of the icy rain pulsating down on you….

Bringing you more and more into the world, into reality, into the present…into the NOW…

Empowering you with LIFE…

You’ll feel truly ALIVE!

Like you’re ready to conquer the world….

Words can’t describe how tremendously beneficial cold showers are to the body.

Here’s a list of 8 key benefits of turning your tap to cold!

1) Increased testosterone & fertility

A study conducted by the thrombosis research institute found that cold showers significantly increased men’s testosterone levels.

Higher testosterone levels boosts energy, vitality, strength, endurance and libido.

They also work to boost a man’s fertility.

The testes aren’t meant to be exposed to hot temperatures, that’s why they are on the outside of the body, to keep them cooler.

Research conducted in the 1950’s showed that hot baths were an effective contraception for men…

The research found that taking a hot bath for 30mins every other day for 3 months made men infertile for the following 6 months!! (STOP HAVING REGULAR HOT BATHS)

More recent research conducted by the University of California Sanfrancisco echoed similar findings….

Showing that when just 30 minutes of wet heat exposure (hot shower/bath/steam) per week was ceased, sperm count increased by 491%

Brave the cold to boost your testosterone & fertility!!

2) You’ll develop iron discipline & willpower

I won’t lie…

It takes balls to talk yourself into turning the tap to cold knowing it will instantly throw you out of your world of comfort….

Just damn well do it.

Convince yourself that the benefits far outweigh the few minutes of discomfort you’ll experience.

Because they do.

In doing so, your developing self-discipline and strong willpower which will serve you in every area of your life.

If you can endure a few minutes of relative discomfort for greater gain, you will apply this newly developed discipline improving further areas of your life.

Diet, lifestyle, work…

Don’t you want to be making smarter nutrition choices, exercising and enjoying life more, performing better at work?…

Teaching yourself discipline through cold therapy will flip your common thought process of doing things in every day life for comfort….taking the easy road….being lazy….

You’ll develop newfound motivation and drive!

Say no to comfort…

AND Yes to what’s best for you!!

3) Improved immune function

Cold showers when taken daily, stimulate the release and creation of new white blood cells.

White blood cells are the bodies frontline defence against disease, viruses, infections and any other unwanted foreign bodies which threaten your health.

Research conducted by the Thrombosis Society showed that cold showers taken daily, increased the white blood cell count of subjects.

The researchers believed that this increase was due to the drastic increase in metabolism.

From personal experience…I’ve been an advocate of cold showers now for the last 8 months….

Not once have I been ill during this time….

No joke. I’m being completely honest.

I’ve been enjoying cold showers every day, twice a day since December 2018.

All throughout this wintertime I was away in France managing a ski resort too, always out in the cold skiing, around staff and kids/families who were ill week on week.

Not once did I fall ill.

Normally I was the individual who was constantly ill, I’d pick up literally every cold circulating!

I can tell you one thing from this…

I’ll never be changing back to having regular warm showers….

Never again.

4) Increased metabolism

Cold showers boost your metabolism by as much as 350%!!

The instant exposure to cold causes the body to react to heat you up quickly by stimulating the burning of fat around the body.

Believe it or not, the body has different types of fat tissue.

There’s white fat, the fat that’s stored and accumulates under the skin called adipose tissue which everyone refers to generally as fat.

Additionally, there’s also beige fat tissue and brown fat tissue.

Cold exposure is one of the only methods in which these other types of fat tissue can be stimulated to burn fat as energy.

Beige and brown fat normally lie dormant in the body, never utilised for energy production.

More fat being burnt = more kcals burnt

5) Accelerates weight loss

Recent research is beginning to show that fat, unlike previously thought, plays a highly prominent, controlling role in energy metabolism…

Researchers are beginning to believe that fat tissue functions more like an organ, controlling energy metabolism and thermoregulation across the whole body.

Cold exposure is one of the only ways in which brown and beige fat tissue can be activated…

Activating these different types of fat tissue improves the bodies ability to burn fat as energy…

Increasing fat metabolism accelerates weight loss!!

If the body can improve its signalling and cellular metabolism mechanisms, it will increase the rate at which you can metabolise fat as energy.

Meaning you’ll burn more body fat = you’ll lose more weight (the right type of weight, fat, not muscle)

6) You’ll get a solid endorphin Rush

When you jump under a cold shower one of the most beneficial instant responses occurs in the brain!

The brain is immediately flooded with a chemical neurotransmitter called norepinephrine!

Norepinepherine or noradrenalin kicks the body into action!!….

It primarily increases arousal and alertness, promotes vigilance, enhances formation and retrieval of memory, and focuses attention!

The result??

You’ll be able to take on the whole world!!

Or at least you’ll feel as though you’re ready too…

I’m not kidding….

Jump under a cold shower before work for 4-5 minutes and see for yourself!

7) Improved Skin Tone

Cold water is the best medicine for your skin and complexion.

I’ve always washed my face in cold water since I was a teenager.

When I was younger, I suffered from bad acne…I spent a fortune trying every type of soap, acne medicine, treatments, creams, lotions, everything….

Not one of them worked….

They were all complete trash..

They all made my skin worse and more irritated.

My grandfather seeing my troubles told me to wash only with cold water, no cosmetics, no soap, nothing…

Just cold water 2-3x per day.

I followed this for literally 1-2 weeks before seeing instant results…

My complexion completely transformed over the course of a month.

My skin looked radiant! And It always has….

I’ve always followed this principle ever since.

Using hot water opens your pores….It allows dirt and bacteria to get into your skin…causing spots, blemishes and irritation…

Cosmetics and facial products contain a whole host of random chemicals. Whatever comes into contact with your skin, your skin absorbs it….

Chemicals will irritate your skin.

Cold water on the other hand, closes your pores…Preventing this dirt etc from getting under your skin…

It’s also unnatural,

Hot water is not natural…

Use it how it naturally appears in nature…

Cold.

And witness your complexion and skin glow….no dry skin…no flakiness, no scratching/itching/irritation….

Just a solid, healthy glow!

8) Doesn’t dry out your hair

Likewise, as with your skin, showering with cold water does not dry out your hair…

You don’t get weak, brittle, dry, delicate hair

Your hair will begin to glow a brighter colour, look softer and healthier

I can imagine it will only help to prevent dandruff too.

*BONUS BENEFIT*    9) IMPROVED DEEP SLEEP

Cold showers will improve your quality of sleep.

If you struggle to get a decent night’s kip, try jumping in a cold shower about 1 hour before you plan on going to sleep.

Cold exposure balances out your endorphins in the brain resulting in you feeling relaxed and clear minded…

Any stresses or worries from the day will be instantly eliminated from your mind

You’ll feel revitalised…

I can’t recommend trying a cold shower enough…

Give it a try..

Once you truly feel the benefits you’ll never look back!

That initial icy reaction when the cold water hits your skin dampens after two weeks or so…you get used to it…It doesn’t feel anywhere near as sharp and breathtaking…

If it’s too big of a step for you to jump under a cold shower for the full 4-5 minutes, try first of all an intermittent shower

An intermittent shower is where you alternate the temperature from hot to cold, 60s or so on each, continuously, for the duration of your shower…

You’ll get great benefits from doing this too without plunging yourself “into the deep end” so to speak…

Stay well,

Yours in empowerment,

TheLakesCoach