I work out most days, eat well and usually sleep well, but something I started doing recently has already paid off in a big way…
Taking a cold shower in the morning, just like The Rock.
Really.
How can something so simple make such a big impact?
There are so many reasons job seekers should take cold showers as part of their daily morning routine.
31 reasons job seekers should take cold showers
1) Wake you up quickly
Probably the most obvious short-term benefit of a cold shower, right?
If you’re groggy in the morning, this is for you.
Counter-intuitively, your body’s thermostat reacts to the cold water by warming you up, waking you up.
The cold will also cause a rush of adrenaline that will push you awake and boost your energy.
I actually only take my cold showers a few hours after waking, and I still feel more alert afterwards.
2) Improves your mood
In his tweet, neuroscientist Andrew Huberman cites a study that found that cold water exposure raises your dopamine levels 2.5 times above normal, which is similar to taking cocaine (!).
He mentions that result in the video too, and goes on to say it’s even better than cocaine because the “cold shower high” lasts longer, staying with you throughout the day.
As for me, it’s hard to say I feel exactly 2.5 times better after the shower, but I definitely feel better.
Higher levels of dopamine have many other benefits, including:
- Increased motivation
- Higher desire for pleasure
- Better memory
- Improved focus
- You’ll become more extroverted
- For women, you’ll feel more motherly
- Stronger bones
- More creative
- Accelerate your internal clock
- Lowers nausea
- Helps prevent Parkinson’s
- Increased sex drive
15) Anti-depressant effects
Besides dopamine, cold showers trigger your brain to also release endorphins, which help us to cope with pain and stress. Higher levels of endorphins lower depression, simple as that.
More endorphins can also lead to:
- Less anxiety (especially before job interviews!)
- Higher self-esteem
- A more controlled appetite
- Improved immune system
- Lower pain and inflammation in the body, which can help longevity
If you are one of many people who deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression brought on by cooler weather, a cold shower is a no-brainer.
21) Healthier skin
Hot water can clean away protective oils that your skin and hair produce, but cold water stimulates blood flow and helps to flush out toxins, improving your skin’s look. Some dermatologists think that cold water tightens your skin and can reduce redness.
22) Good for muscle recovery
Cold water acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling and muscle soreness. This is beneficial to people in all lines of work, but particularly relevant for those of us who spend their days hunched over a desk or stuck in an unnatural position.
23) Improves flexibility
Better flexibility can help you avoid injuries on the job. From Mycoldtherapy.com:
cold temperature causes vasodilation – widening of the blood vessels. This allows your blood to circulate more freely and increases the temperature inside your muscles. This causes a soothing effect on your musculature, reducing its resistance to stretches.
24) Gets you out of your comfort zone each day
No matter how many cold showers I take, I always dread stepping under the shower head before that first blast of frigid water. You never fully get used to it, which acts as a cheap way of getting you out of your comfort zone and pushing you to face fears while the stakes are low, making it easier to face fears when the stakes are higher.
25) Keeps you focused on goals
Every day, when you step into a cold shower, you’re reminded of why you’re taking it. This is a great way to keep yourself focused on what matters throughout your day and not get distracted by other things, like checking social media or email.
26) Improves your stress management by increasing your stress threshold
While the cold water feels harsh initially, it only takes a few minutes for your body to adjust and start feeling better. The higher your stress threshold, the less easily you’ll be disturbed by what happens around you.
27) Benefits neurons in your brain
Recent research shows that cold exposure triggers your nervous system to boost production of a special protein:
RNA-Binding Protein Motif 3, or RBM3, is a cold shock protein induced by low temperature and hypoxia. This is the key cold shock protein, found in the brain, heart, liver and skeletal muscle, that has been found to assist in the regeneration of synapses in the human brain.
By exposing the body to cold water by way of an ice bath or cold plunge, the cold shock protein is released that encourages the repair and regeneration of synapses and therefore aids in the prevention of degenerative disease and reduce cognitive decline.
28) Aids those who are trying to lose weight or maintain their weight loss
Cold water causes blood vessels to constrict. Since blood transports heat from your core to your skin, your body burns calories trying to warm itself up. You can lose a couple pounds a year just by taking cold showers regularly.
29) Speeds up your metabolism
Cold water immersion raises your baseline temperature, which increases your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). If you’re looking to lose fat, a higher BMR will allow you to burn more calories at rest. So not only does cold exposure increase your metabolism for hours after taking a cold shower (what’s known as “post-exposure calorie burn”), it actually increases your overall BMR – creating a sort of afterburn effect on top of normal calorie burning.
Cold water also promotes brown fat (brown adipose tissue), which burns white fat, also resulting in BMR boosts.
30) Increases insulin sensitivity
When your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas, it has trouble responding to sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to spike and ultimately lead to type 2 diabetes. Cold water and cold air can help lower such ‘insulin resistance’.
31) Accelerates your lymphatic system, which cleans the body
The lymphatic system is a vital part of your body’s immune system, as it removes toxins from your blood vessels. When you don’t give your lymphatic system a chance to do its thing, it slows down, causing a buildup of these toxins, leading to digestive issues and even disease.
From Healthline:
One study even indicated that cold showers could make the body more resistant to certain types of cancer. And a clinical trial in the Netherlands showed that people who took cold showers called out of work less.
How to take cold showers for beginners
If you’re wondering how to train yourself to take cold showers for the first time:
- A cold shower before bed can actually make it harder to fall asleep, so keep your cold showering to earlier in the day for full benefits.
- Go slow. Start your showers with warm water and gradually lower the temperature until it becomes uncomfortable, and stay there for at least 30 – 60 seconds.
- Every time you shower next, see how cold you can endure the water, training yourself over time. Time yourself, building towards at least 3 minutes of cold showering.
- Don’t overdo it, as Dr. Huberman explains what to aim for:
Question of the article
Have you tried taking cold showers regularly? Tell us in the comments.
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