Cold showers aren’t just for the tech bros

Cold showers are great for women

We know what you’re thinking. “No way am I taking a cold shower.” But, hear us out.

When all those tech bros started recommending cold showers years ago, we ruled it out immediately, too. Why would we want to make ourselves miserable by taking cold showers? Honestly, it just sounded like a douchey bro thing. There’s a reason hot water was invented: comfort.

But, it’s February 6, and statistically, motivation to achieve those resolutions you so carefully crafted at the beginning of the year is starting to wane--or left the port altogether. You started strong, but you might not be seeing the results that you were hoping for so you’re slipping back into old habits. Or, perhaps, you’re in a place where you feel stuck in life. 

The lucky thing about life is that you can start fresh at any point in your life. Literally, you can choose to be different today than you were yesterday. As they say, that’s easier said than done.  You might need some help.

What’s this have to do with taking cold showers? Well, we’re glad you asked. Cold showers are actually incredibly beneficial to women for a variety of reasons that we’re going to dig into here. 

Feeling fatigued? Cold showers can help.

Imbalanced hormones? Cold showers may help. 

Been working out and watching what you’re eating–but the scale isn’t moving?

Cold showers. 

You get it. Cold showers can potentially help you achieve your goals, break through the stuck-in-life feeling, improve your health, and motivate you to continue down your path to a life well lived. 

Let’s explore.

Hormone Regulation 

Cold showers may play a positive role in hormone regulation, particularly cortisol – the stress hormone. Some research has suggested that cold exposure can help lower cortisol levels, which contributes to better stress management for women. 

Chronic stress and high cortisol are linked to fatigue, muscle weakness, weight gain, belly fat, mood swings, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression, and accelerated aging. Cortisol could be playing a role in your sex hormones being unbalanced and plays a role with fertility, PCOS, and endemetriosis.

If you’re a woman in your 30’s or 40’s and are seeing weight loss resistance or hormone imbalance, cortisol may be to blame. Of course, check with your physician, but cold showers could be one way to lower your cortisol and see the needle move towards your health goals.

Better Skin and Hair

We all want this, right? Cold showers can be a game-changer for skin and hair. The cold water helps tighten pores, reduce puffiness, and promote a healthy glow. Cold water can make hair shinier and stronger by closing the hair cuticle and preventing damage. 

Improved Mood and Mental Wellness

Basically, a cold shower is a gentle electroshock therapy technique where the cold water sends impulses to your brain to jolt your system. Don’t worry: it's considered a “good stressor” and is a natural way to get those much-needed endorphins flowing. This is a quick way to potentially have a improve your mood.

Increased Energy and Focus

For the same reasons cold showers improve your mood, they also have the ability to stimulate your nervous system. If you’ve ever accidentally gotten a shot of cold water in the shower, then you’re well acquainted with the adrenaline that hits you when that water hits your body. This adrenaline and shock to your system leads to increased alertness and energy for your day.

Releasing Chronic Freeze Response

If you’re feeling stuck in your life or feeling unmotivated to make the changes you need to make to live the life you want to live, you could very well be stuck in the freeze stress response. According to NIH research, “a freeze response is believed to have adaptive value. In the context of predatory attack, some animals will freeze or “play dead.” This response, often referred to as tonic immobility, includes motor and vocal inhibition with an abrupt initiation and cessation.”

What does this mean? It means that you might have experienced a significant amount of stress over a period of time or all at once, and your body’s nervous system froze. Going into a freeze stress response served a purpose and may have prepared you for action, increased visual perception, helped you hide in plain sight, or reduced the impact of the event (dissociate) in order to deal with the perceived or actual threat. This is a natural response, but getting stuck in the freeze stress response can feel like you’re stuck in life.

And, that’s where cold showers come into play. The ability to shock your system awake can start to awaken your nervous system and allow you to take action. You can learn more about freeze response here and explore it with your physician and therapist.

More Willpower and Resilience

Embracing the discomfort of cold showers requires a certain level of mental strength. Over time, regularly exposing yourself to cold water can build resilience and discipline. This is where the tech bros like to play. They’re right though. We’re just going to say it a little less capitalisticly.

Think about it this way: if you can make it through a cold shower, you can do just about anything. By taking cold showers regularly, you’re boosting your willpower muscles, which will translate into more willpower and resilience in your life to do what you want to do.

Boosted Immune System

These days, we all need help strengthening our immune system and staying healthy. Taking cold showers has been linked to an improvement in the immune system. Cold exposure activates immune cells, enhancing their function and potentially reducing the risk of infections.

Increased Metabolism and Weight Loss

Research suggests that exposure to cold temperatures can activate brown fat, which burns calories to generate heat. Cold showers may aid in weight loss by boosting metabolism and encouraging the body to burn more calories. Reminder: there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. More often than not, successful weight loss is a result of a bunch of smaller tweaks and habits.

Reduced Muscle Soreness

If you’re just starting a workout routine or upping your fitness routine, your muscles are going to be sore. Cold water immersion has been shown to reduce inflammation and promote faster recovery after intense workouts. Every little bit helps, right?

Improved Circulation

Scientific studies have shown that exposure to cold water can stimulate blood flow and enhance circulation. This is particularly beneficial for women as it can contribute to better cardiovascular health, ensuring that vital organs receive an optimal supply of oxygen and nutrients.

Give cold showers a try. It might just be the catalyst that you’ve been looking for.