What I Learned From Taking Cold Showers Daily For 2 Years [practical Results]

[Gabriel Antonio]

@Visionarythanks 

i am wise in some aspects, but very unwise in others haha. people have told me this year that I act like a spoiled child, but other people have also told me that I am "an old spirit", and other kinds of things like that. 

It is just a matter of perspective

I can see how I look like that dude hahaha. 

Edited September 25, 2017 by Gabriel Antonio

[Quang]

On 21.9.2017 at 0:59 AM, smd said:

What if you have a cold?   I've found my lungs get wheezy after a cold shower, so I haven't tried it in a long time.

Iam glad you brought up this question. There are certainly many out there who want to know the answer to this question.
@Gabriel Antonio Have you already made that experience taking cold shower even at times where you have a cold?
By the way, many thanks for the huge inspiration

[Kaity]

@Gabriel Antonio

I never thought something could inspire me to take a cold shower, neither thought I that it would be a random forum post. I just did it and it felt like a slap in the face. Now I feel great. Thank you sir! (Although I have to say that this practice is lot more challenging for girls with long hair and the hair care routine  )

[Gabriel Antonio]

@Quang yea, I have taken cold showers even when I had a fever, but i am a savage so i dont know if everyone is like me. I just dont care hahah. Seriously, what would a cold shower cause? I was scared off my mind to take them in the winter, and depending on how bad is the weather, I do not recommend ?% cold. Why? Because it becomes fucking painful, like really painful. Not that it is a bad thing, but I'd be lying if I said: all cold showers are the same. No, they are not.

 I feel like it is a matter of mindset. 

I take 100% cold no matter what. I hate hot showers because my body get extremely sloppy and lethargic. I mean, I understand the pleasure of a hot shower, I just don't think it is worth it. This is an example of the difference between delayed gratification and instant gratification.

I have read on a book that cold showers is one of the secrets for optimal health, to "never get sick." So it is one of those counter-intuitive moves we got to take so frequently.

Btw, I would assume that taking a hot shower is worse than a cold shower when you have a cold. At least when I had that fever, the schock therapeutical effect of cold showers was what brought some tranquility and some refreshing feeling. 

Anyway, this is my experience. But just remember: there is always an excuse...  

 

@Kaity hahahahahah Awesome! It feels like a big slap on the ego hahaha

i agree that it must take more work... i wash my hair so quickly. it takes me less than 20 seconds... 

a weird thing that happens when you get used to cold showers is that you simply stop having aversion for cold water. You actually start loving it. 

Right now, we are in spring in Brazil, and I actually miss taking those crazy-ass cold showers when it is freezing cold hahaha. You feel so good afterwards... 

People, here is a golden tip: start from your back.

 

> Just turn off the thinking mind and jump into that beautiful cold shower <<

 

 

[Brimstone]

I live on tank water so I barely shower, but I got to say, this thread is awesome! 

[cosmicrays]

Today I took a cold shower. Summer ended yesterday and I was in a mood to try it out as my motivation wasn't high lately.

First 3,4 hours - visible effect - I'm much more energetic. "I fly".
Afternoon - I haven't had such a deep focus in a long time. 

Can't wait to try it tomorrow morning again. Thank you!
 

[cosmicrays]

Hello,

After I took the cold shower I felt awesome, but I noticed that now I have trouble retaining heat in my body for 2 days. I am afraid I might cause myself hypothermia if I continue taking cold showers.

What advice can be given in such a situation?

Edited September 28, 2017 by cosmicrays

[Voyager]

@cosmicrays Can't retain heat for 2 days? Do you exersize? Move your body more. I don't see a cold shower doing that honestly. It automatically starts heating your body up once you get out. Sounds like a circulation problem. MOVE MOVE MOVE

[Voyager]

@Gabriel Antonio I'm doing cold morning showers now, and hot then cold evening showers. I find it easier to soap up my body in the hot water, so i think i'll do a few minutes hot first only in the evening. The morning is just a wake up shock shower so cold is actually a better option! 

I've already been finishing off all my showers cold for the last few years which has been pretty awesome. Loved it in Japan where the water was FREEZING. Even just doing that really helped I rekon. 

Hopefully I won't be missing out on any crazy benefits by doing a bit of hot in the evening ;D Perhaps i'll phase it out . I think the finishing off thing has helped as it's quite easy for me to take that cold morning shower now.

[Gonda]

Be aware though that you don't use cold showers as an escape from inner emotions though. I have been feeling shitty because I was not fully present and I coped with that through taking cold showers and getting present again. Go deep into WHY you are feeling shitty and remember that even Cold Showers or say Meditation can be used as an escape.

[Gabriel Antonio]

On 9/28/2017 at 3:30 PM, cosmicrays said:

After I took the cold shower I felt awesome, but I noticed that now I have trouble retaining heat in my body for 2 days. I am afraid I might cause myself hypothermia if I continue taking cold showers.

What advice can be given in such a situation?

Breathe deeply. 

Practice yoga.

 

Cold showers are not supposed to be pleasant. You are training your “I dont give a fuck” muscle.

 

e@Gonda Everything can be used as an escape. 

[AdamDiC]

I just started doing this (8 days) and I have to say there is no better way to start the day. I wake up at 6 and jump in.

The first few days were nice and refreshing but now im resisting it a bit more. But thats the point!!!

I shall destroy the ego, cleanse my soul, and boost my immune system.

Self-actualization winnnnn.

[Gabriel Antonio]

@AdamDiC Hahahahah! That's the spirit, boy! 

At one point your mind will try to convince you that cold showers are not that necessary. I mean, they are not "necessary," but if you have committed yourself to this practice, then just fucking do it. 

The cool thing is that after you pass the initial stages of self-actualization, you do not have to throw away anything. You simply start to include everything! It is amazing! Because the thing is: you will never get away from your ego. Resistance will always be there. You can't escape that. I have already tried, and it only made me feel miserable. 

However, a good dose of self-discipline is extremely healthy and necessary to keep yourself sane! 

So... don't take yourself too hard and just trust the process. 

Cold showers = best way to wake up

Your life is going to be so amazing if you keep on this path! Don't overdo... Always remember this: Am I being neurotic? Am I trying too hard? Remember: practice your will-power muscle every single day, and this will sum up during the years until you are ready to realize that You Already Are. But, until then, I wish you all luck and serenity!  

 

 

[Vitamine Water]

UPDATE 2:

It has been almost a month now of daily cold showers, thanks to @Gabriel Antonio. And I must say, mornings are great! 

A lot of times i'm just standing there in the shower, laughing my ass off thinking "why the f am I doing this"? Its like I enjoy 'torturing' myself, lol. 

But yesterday morning I suddently realised this: The more you resist, the harder it's going to be!

 I immediately calmed down and relaxed. The cold somehow became my friend, thats how it felt...man, its all in your head!

DONT FIGHT IT, JUST DO IT! 

See you next year!

 

Edited October 6, 2017 by Vitamine Water

[Gabriel Antonio]

@Vitamine Water hahahaha I am so terrible. I male people torture themselves haha

this insight is very true! it is like taking ayahuasca. If you think too much, you ain’t gonna do it.

good job!

[phoenix666]

@Gabriel Antonio I've been taking cold showers for 4 months now! couldn't have found a better description than yours. it was so hard at the beginning, actually funny watching all the excuses arising  then it became easier and easier, also because of the very hot summer here.

now winter is coming, and it's getting harder again. but I will stick through! also thanks to your inspiration! I will just sit back and be amused by all the excuses and procrastinations of my sneaky ego

I have to agree with @Kaity thou. it's a hell of a bigger challenge for us girls with long hair! even more hardcore 

[Source_Mystic]

Great post it even made me laugh a few times. I never viewed a cold shower with this perspective thanks for sharing. Useful information.

How to be a viking savage

1 Take a cold shower

2 Channel the hulk within

3 whhoooaaaaaaaa

4 Every problem in you life solved 100%  (I am sure it changes your perspective but doubt this much) cold water is not a cure all.

But thanks again for the entertaining post .

 

Edited November 14, 2017 by Source_Mystic

[Milos Uzelac]

On 9/8/2017 at 5:33 PM, Gabriel Antonio said:

Hello, all!

“I train myself to do the hard thing first thing in the day.”

Tony Robbins

Introduction

I started taking cold showers in 2015. I was living for the first time by myself in a foreign country. I had just started college. It was so much pressure that I was pretty depressed. I mean, EXTREMELY depressed. It was so crazy. I could not move my ass. I was very paralyzed.

Anyway, I started to read about NoFap. The insights people have in this movement are very juicy. One of the practices that they use to prevent relapses  is taking a cold shower right before you are about to do jerk off (which is an addiction to them).

The first few times were very difficult. 

 

The Technique

Here is my technique: I put on 100% cold and I jump into the shower. I MOVE and SHAKE my body A LOT so that all the stagnated energy is released.

Do not put off the hardest part, face it HEAD ON! What am I talking about? Your back. This is the hardest part. If you're able to face it right off the bat, the rest is relatively easy.

Yes, it is uncomfortable, but after several cold showers, you begin to appreciate that discomfort, which really is a purification.

There is no need to be mindful while taking the cold shower. You just move your body as much as you can. And BAM! It becomes 10x easier.

The trick is: do not think. The practice here is of not-thinking. Or, as Ralph Smart says, stepping into radical action.

 

Traps

1- “Oh… but what if it’s winter, dude! Are you fucking crazy? I’m gonna get sick!!”

That’s bullshit. Cold showers actually help you generate heat in your body. It forces your body to produce that inner heat.

On the other hand, hot showers lower the temperature of your body. I am going to tell you a secret to never feel like you’re boiling in the summer: take a hot shower. Yes, you got it right. You’re doing the complete opposite of what yields the best results.

 

Hot shower = Makes your body cold

Cold shower = Makes your body hot

(it is not immediately, ok? You will likely shiver after the shower, but it is a sign that the body is generating that beautiful heat).

 

2- “Oh… I am not gonna take as a thorough shower.”

Another benefit to cold shower is that you save up water. When you take that cozy hot shower, you simply do not want to leave it. That right there is a perfect example of instant gratification. On the other hand, cold showers speed up the process.

Attention: Breathing deeply helps a lot to soften the discomfort. Exaggerate on the breath, and you’ll be fine.

 

3- Oh… it will be horrible, so I am just gonna start with my feet then move to the other parts of my body…”

BIG MISTAKE! This will only make you suffer. Immerse your body into that cold water. 

 

4- Wow! I can really feel the benefits. Let me commit to other practices such as NoFap, mediatation, exercising, socializing, more work etc etc 

Another trap. Yes, you will feel much better and you might feel this urge to commit to more practices, but really this will not work. You do not need that. Just be fucking patient. Keep doing it everyday, and the rest will change by itself. Do not be a over-controlling boss. Your subconscious will do the rest of the work for you. 

Be a big picture thinker! 

 

There are countless examples of emotional bullshit that your mind loves to create. Remember: there is always an excuse. And I am guaranteeing you: this practice alone pulled me out of depression. 

 

Practical Results

So you want to hear about the results, don’t you (you self-development junkie…)? 

 

> Light a Fire Under my Butt.

Cold showers get you moving. Cold showers make you do things that requires courage. Cold showers are the embodiment of delayed gratification (which is the key for success). 

If you're feeling stuck, cold showers is the solution. Why? Because it builds internal heat and make you run.

 

> Build Momentum

You do not have to anything after you take the cold shower. Your body (also known as subconscious mind) will the heavy work for you. Seriously, next thing you know you’re meditating, having more sex, and doing things that are totally out of your comfort zone -- all of which makes life feel rewarding once again.

And you will not have to work really hard to get those things. They will come to you.

In fact, the freer you allow yourself to be (instead of putting more weight on your shoulders with tons of different practices), the more creative, authentic, and happier you will be. 

Do not commit yourself to many practices. Have you seen the video "40 signs that you are neurotic"? Remember: I commit myself to gradual self-improvement. 

 

> Kick Out Depression

In 2016, I was going through a massive ego backlash. My body was aching all the time; I was getting very overweight; and I was very low on energy. Weak spirit, you might say.

In essence, I didn’t want to live. But… every time I summoned the courage to just do it. BAM! Something nice would happen later in that day. I would naturally be pulled towards higher consciousness. You simply become a fresh new person again. It is that simple…

 

 

> Open Up Your Chakras

Do you feel tired all the time? Well, this is NOT natural. You should be feeling like you have unlimited energy. And cold showers help you open your energy centers (i.e., chakras) so the energy can circulate and flow freely like a river. 

 

> More Sex-Drive

Instead of fapping all day, you will begin to actually have the genuine desire to touch real human beings. 

 

> Less Emotional BS 

I guesstimate cold showers alone removed 80% of my emotional BS. 

 

> More Confidence in Relationships (Dating, Family, and Friends)

I was extremely paralyzed in terms of relationship. But now I know that it is just a matter of getting a little bit uncomfortable, and bam! You're heading for success in this area.

Sometimes you need to tell something to your mom, but you have never summoned the courage to do so. Cold showers can help you with that.

 

> Ego Death

Cold showers are a shock therapy. It is like a thunder that for a moment kills your ego. Have you noticed that you become for an instant 100% aware when you hear a big fucking thunder?

Every cold shower = small death of the ego.

You know that voice that says, "I do not want to do that. It will be horrible!!!" This is a part of you that has to die and that knows it is about to die.

A lot of what we call "emotional, spiritual, or mental problems are actually physical. The mind and the body act full force to maintain homeostasis. They co-opt. Why? Because the old pattern (which is a system) wants to survive.

If you want to know more about this topic, check out the video: "How to Stop Backsliding."

The excuses your mind comes up with are like a cancer that does not want to leave the body. Yes, it is that crazy. 

And remember: water dripping day by day wears the hardest stone away. 

 

> Resistant Towards Discomfort.

You will become a savage. Haha.

In chaotic situations, people will be scared out of their mind, but you will be able to put up with that stress and actually take action.

 

> You Will Become the Most Energized of Your Circle of Friends

Examples: You will naturally want to wash the dishes, help others, and be enthusiastic with children (which is the greatest gift you can give to a child).

In essence, you will do things that nobody wants to do. People will say, "Oh... you're so kind and considerate." But deep down you know that you yourself are the one that benefits from doing the uncomfortable.

Why will you be able to do awesome shit? Because you trained yourself daily in small doses to be more tolerant. 

 

> Ban Physical Pain

Instead of feeling tired and aching all the time, cold showers get you out of that state. It purges that pain out of your body.

 

> Strong Mind (Useful for Psychonauts) 

Westerners have in general a very rotten mind. This is why people freak out on psychedelics.

Psychedelics can produce crazy-ass shit (visuals, body sensations, emotions). But actually all this shit is the FERTILIZER! When you have that in mind, your trips will become so much smoother.

If you go to trip in shamanic ceremonies, people around you might be suffering their ass-off, and you will be in heaven. Haha. Because you know how true pleasure is generated.

With every inhale you welcome heaven. With every exhale you say Goodbye to hell. 

(Again: Hell is actually a fertilizer.)

 

Commit to the Practice! 

There is obviously more benefits (IT'S INFINITE!!! :P), but I will stop here.

Are you able to take a cold shower now??? If you're feeling shitty, I guarantee that it will make you feel better. All you need is that 3 seconds of courage, and BAM! You get acclimated into higher consciousness once again. 

People around you will call you crazy. Why? Because they are in homeostasis. They think you're torturing yourself. But it is a good type of torture. =P 

 

Challenges 

If you are interested in this practice, then I recommend a 21-day-challenge. You take a cold shower first thing in the day no excuses. 

If, on the other hand, you feel extra aversed to cold showers, then I recommend a 30-day-challenge. (Haha. Kidding.)

But really do whatever the fuck you want. I am just telling you that it did wonders for me.

Btw - I myself always take 100% cold no matter what. It is just a matter of mindset. But you might build your way up. However, it is actually easier if you just do it "cold turkey". 

 

Just bear that discomfort and stop bitching about it

 

Even though cold showers have instantaneous benefits, the REAL benefits come in the long term.  The challenges are so you rip some of the initial benefits.

to have a glimpse of how powerful this practice is.

 

Here’s me after a cold shower in the winter:

 

Thanks for the post motivated me as well to take one as soon as I read about your experience. I feel much  calmer and my mind even has quieten a bit. But the real challenge is going to be is making this a morning routine before college, but you made me do the first step so thank for that man!

[Gabriel Antonio]

@Milos Uzelac You're welcome. 

 

One thing I forgot to write about is to keep your body relax all the time. In the beginning, I tensed up my body when the water was too cold. But the real challenge is to make sure your muscles are relaxed during the discomfort.

 

I myself have outgrown the need to take cold showers. I do it because I genuinely like it, but I realize today how much of an ego game that was. That is, I would neurotically try to solve all my life problems through cold showers. In fact, it even became an OCD at some point in my journey. Seriously, one day I took 6 cold showers in very cold winter day. Today I think to myself, "Holy shit! Why did I do that?" The answer is clear: because I was going through a lot of suffering, and I was desperately trying to alleviate the pain I was carrying.  

Don't get me wrong. Cold showers are great, but as with every tool, it should not be overused. Otherwise, it does lose its effects if you will... but if you can manage to just stick with this little habit of taking one cold shower every morning. Wow... there is so much growth you will experience. It is old school self-development. You step out of your comfort zone everyday in small bites. But if you do this as a "panacea", as an attempt to always feel high on energy... well, I am sorry if I put that wrong expectation. I did not know it would influence so many people... 

So the point is: yes, cold showers are great, but I admit that I externalize my power to cold showers. I do the same thing with psychedelics. I tell myself, "Oh... I have used a psychedelic this weekend, so I will feel good this week." Boom. Self-fulling prophecy. And, guess what? I have told that to myself before with cold showers. "Oh... I have faced discomfort right the first thing in the day today, so I will feel good and step out of my comfort zone more today." But the cold shower nor the psychedelic were needed in the first place.

If I could simply tell myself, "Today is going to be awesome regardless of what I do." and believe in that with ALL MY EMOTION, none of that excess of self-help would be necessary. No need to do anything in specific. No need to meditate, no need to get approval, no need to work hard. Because there is no such thing called spiritual obedience. 

At some point in my journey not only did I think I "needed" cold showers to feel good, but also 4 freaking hours of meditation. 

 

 

The second step is to not fight depression or negative emotions in general. We really don't need to throw anything away. If you can stay with the uncomfortable feeling as opposed to brute force them out of your system, you will live a more real life. 

Again, I am sorry if I set the expectation that cold showers are the solution to any problem. It sure helps to get a feel for what is like to shut down the monkey mind and do something without mumble-jumbo, but life is much more complex than just that. 

 

I think we creates the poison and the antidote.

If you think cold showers/no fap will work for you, then it will work.

I had very good sport performance or social skills after a day of depression/fap.

Sometimes I eat junk food and my stomach feel bad (because I felt guilty about eating junk food).

But when I eat junk food enjoying myself, it happened that my stomach doesn't feel bad.

I doesn't understand why, but it seems there is no rules.

I used to take cold showers when I was student (minimalist life-style) because I was in the mood for it.

You can have the same results in your life without taking cold showers : we'r creating our own realities.

A medium reads cards, because she/he can't handle directly seeing it "it's not me, it's the cards!".

Being aware of our creative power is hard to handle because it's huge, so we use subterfuges to justify our own lives.

In a more practical sense, I know cold shower is positive and I can benefit from it - but I know it's not necessary.

Even tho scientific evidence prove it, it doesn't prove anything to my system.

 

This comment is better than the actual topic. Haha... 

Edited November 14, 2017 by Gabriel Antonio

[Soulbass]

the polarity game : when we don't love ourselves as we are right now, we create a "wish" to change so we create the problem on the same time. once we stop trying to change, real change happens.

when we avoid an emotion, circumstances in life will creates situations in which we have the opportunity to live this emotion again and again.