Cold showers
- Thread starter cory
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Burnham
Woods walker
NFW
Steve Mack
Life Member.
Well I had two, the plumber had to come back again today to fit a new heater.
Not hot, just warm tonight and that'll do me.
Not hot, just warm tonight and that'll do me.
kevin bingham
TreeHouser
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yeah, I literally jack up the bathroom to like 85 before attempting. There is a rule of thumb for cold water swimming that if ambient temperature + water temperature equals less than 100, it is prime hypothermia conditions. I can tolerate swimming in the Detroit river in June only when the sun is shining. anyway, it is one of the advantages of a tiny bathroom is that I can get it so warm it makes me sweat.I wimped out today, couldnt get psyched up when outside temp was +6* and felt like -10*
biggun
Monkey for Hire
So are you having a warm shower first ? or literally just getting direct into a cold one?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #82
Interesting formula
Biggun I think KB jumps straight into a cold shower. Too manly for me though, I start with hot shower and work back from there
kevin bingham
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I guess what I have taken away from all this is there is no benefit to hot showers, they are bad for my skin. So why do it other than pleasure? The discomfort of ashy itchy skin has kept my hand off the hot dial. Also, to go from a warm shower to cold seems much more difficult to me. The temperature transition would be even that much more brutal. I wish I had some before and after pictures of my skin... It is kind of tripping me out that it was that simple this whole time. I guess I just assumed showers needed to be hot to get clean... Which also doesn't make too much sense. I wash my clothes in cold because hot seems to wreck clothes too. Maybe if I were a mechanic, hot would cut away grease better. I still am using soap and a wash cloth. I get all the sweat and tree dirt off no problem. I wish I were a morning shower person so I could get the "focus" and alertness"benefits the guy in the video talks about. I could see that being nice. I'm not dirty in the morning though. I ussually need a shower so my wife lets me into the bed though.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Summer, I start hot and work my way to a cold finish.
Winter, I go hot and stay hot.
It ain't rocket science!
Winter, I go hot and stay hot.
It ain't rocket science!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #85
There is a saying - Sometimes, when you really need something, you find you already have it, right there under your nose. And before you find it, there is a powerful feeling that it is nowhere near.
Kevin have you Googed Wim Hoff?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Sounds kinky... 
Burnham
Woods walker
Summer, I start hot and work my way to a cold finish.
Winter, I go hot and stay hot.
It ain't rocket science!
Me, too.
Now I'm happy to hit the cold pool, snow bank, or cold shower once I've heated up to super hot in a sauna, hot springs, or hot tub. That is easy. I've even partaken of a sweat lodge on the shore of a deeply frozen Cascades mountain lake, then been dipped by two friends into a hole chopped through the foot thick ice into the lake water below. That was nothing but stimulating.
This craziness of stepping into a cold shower with no prep of the like I've read here described is nutso
. Anything that demands a screaming in pain response is highly suspect, imo. I think it might cause a heart attack, so I'll decline 
.But then we must acknowledge that I am old and feeble, these days. Have at it, you youngsters
.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
I agree with the heart attack thing!!!
They say most people who are about to freeze to death die by heart attack first, so you usually never actually "freeze to death". I'm sure there's something to it, but barring dry skin issues, i fell no need to trigger my mammalian diving reflex!!
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
I find the heat from a shower soothing to my muscles. I feel like a instant cold shower could cause some exerted muscles to clamp down. I'll wait though to see if any of you all report any issues. I love a hot shower, my skin is fine with it.
kevin bingham
TreeHouser
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I may indulge in a hot bath one of these days if my muscles get sore... but most days I have no problem with muscle soreness. dry skin is related and contributes to arthritis... something that worries me. But so far I haven’t had any cravings for a hot shower. Like I can’t really see giving up, say beer or coffee being easy. That would be almost impossible. The pleasure of a hot shower is easily forgotten I think.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Not my way of thinking!!!
SeanKroll
Treehouser
What's that about arthritis?
Have you considered doing the Maaco Half-and-Half car-thing, as an experiment? Wash cloth and soap on one side of your body, just soap on the other. If you've got dry skin, might you be exfoliating too much.
Some areas might be tougher and more durable, like armpits, that can handle scrubbing.?.?
Have you considered doing the Maaco Half-and-Half car-thing, as an experiment? Wash cloth and soap on one side of your body, just soap on the other. If you've got dry skin, might you be exfoliating too much.
Some areas might be tougher and more durable, like armpits, that can handle scrubbing.?.?
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
Yah what's the deal with dry skin and arthritis? I don't have dry skin but I've got some arthritis I believe and the heat from my hot shower feels unbelievably soothing to my abused hands.
kevin bingham
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https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/psoriatic-arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354076
I have, or what is close to being psoriasis. Scaly dry skin, especially on knees, ankles, elbows, hands, and feet. It seems to be that hot showers were the culprit, as removing that one factor has made more difference than anything else. I have been advised before to lower the temperature on my shower for my skin by various doctors and the internet, But playing with the dial has always led back to HoT, because I think that's natural.
Luke warm is no fun, and if your adjusting than why not crank it hotter... I have used every lotion in the book. I guess one thing about hot showers is that it opens up your pores, so I would just absorb the lotion straight into my body. I don't think too much exfoliating is the culprit. I use pretty mild soap, not too much of it and don't scrub scrub except where dirty or stinky. In hot showers I would spend most of my time just zombied out, enjoying the heat running over my body. The part that makes this transition so easy, unlike quitting a substance like beer or coffee, is that cold showers do feel pretty damn awesome. It feels like trading one pleasure that harms for another that doesn't. Hot showers are great but, there are consequences for some. If your skin is clear and feels good, than there is no need to give up hot showers as far as I can tell. If you do have dry and flaky skin, then give it a shot. I did, just on a whim because of this thread and he said from the very first shower you would see results. I can confirm that the man was truthful.
I have, or what is close to being psoriasis. Scaly dry skin, especially on knees, ankles, elbows, hands, and feet. It seems to be that hot showers were the culprit, as removing that one factor has made more difference than anything else. I have been advised before to lower the temperature on my shower for my skin by various doctors and the internet, But playing with the dial has always led back to HoT, because I think that's natural.
Luke warm is no fun, and if your adjusting than why not crank it hotter... I have used every lotion in the book. I guess one thing about hot showers is that it opens up your pores, so I would just absorb the lotion straight into my body. I don't think too much exfoliating is the culprit. I use pretty mild soap, not too much of it and don't scrub scrub except where dirty or stinky. In hot showers I would spend most of my time just zombied out, enjoying the heat running over my body. The part that makes this transition so easy, unlike quitting a substance like beer or coffee, is that cold showers do feel pretty damn awesome. It feels like trading one pleasure that harms for another that doesn't. Hot showers are great but, there are consequences for some. If your skin is clear and feels good, than there is no need to give up hot showers as far as I can tell. If you do have dry and flaky skin, then give it a shot. I did, just on a whim because of this thread and he said from the very first shower you would see results. I can confirm that the man was truthful.
Stumpshot
General Purpose
Squish, have you tried rooibos tea (from South Africa)? Supposed to be very good for joint inflammation, esp. in the hands.
kevin bingham
TreeHouser
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I am now a full year in on cold showers. Thanks to this thread. It would never have never crossed my mind to lose hot showers. I like it. I have taken several hot showers over the last year, expecting them to feel like a treat, but they have not been satisfying. My body now craves the brisk cool water.. thanks again Cory!
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
That sure doesn't sound right to me. I'd hate coming home to my Viking wife, cold battub and cold meals!
pantheraba
More biners!!!
I have a friend that swims year round here...in waters that can be 40's and 50's at times. He swears by it, loves it. Has tried to talk me into it...no luck yet.
