A Two-Minute Cold Shower Daily. Here’s Why.

Professional athletes are known for taking ice baths. (“Hmm, good thing I’m not a professional athlete.”)

People are seen taking a “polar plunge” into freezing waters in freezing temperatures. (That’s a “No thank you” for me.)

So why do I turn the faucet to a cold temperature for two minutes at the end of each shower?

Well, it all started in November.

I took a business accelerator course from the Kerwin Rae organization. I’ve followed him on social media ever since I saw him encouraging the words, “This is simple, this is easy, this is fun” as a way of supporting ourselves through difficult tasks. A long-time fan, I was beyond excited to attend his three-day training.

During the first session, he talked about the benefits of taking a 2-minute cold shower each day. He listed many benefits most of which I’m not qualified to speak about.

But, let me tell you about one:
This daily habit helps you learn to manage your response to stress.

Now I love a good, hot, steaming shower. So, to say turning the water to cold can create a stress response is accurate. But it also provides a daily opportunity to practice, “This is simple, this is easy, this is fun” when faced with a difficult task. Another of my newer favorite phrases is, “It’s easy for me to do hard things.”

Is the cold shower “fun”? Well, truthfully it wasn’t at first. But then I realized, it really is fun to do things that are difficult for me; to conquer new challenges; to lead my life in new ways.

Sometimes I still have to talk myself into it. But I take a deep breath and I do it because I enjoy the accomplishment. It has also become quite a refreshing and energizing start to my day.

Today, I encourage you to find something to do that’s a bit difficult, even stressful. But something you can do every day so you learn to manage your own stress response.

If you’re ready to try the 2-minute cold shower, go for it. If you’re not ready for a full two-minutes, start in small steps. Do ten seconds for a couple of days; increase to 15 then 20 until one day you’re at the full two minutes. Start with cool water and gradually increase to colder temperatures. Rather than saying, “I can’t do that” start with a smaller step that you can do.

Challenge yourself. Because it is easy for you to do hard things, too!

Truthfully, I don’t see an ice bath or polar plunge in my near (or far off) future. But the shower experience has been a good one for me.

Because new challenges have become simple, easy, and fun.

Even when they’re not at first.