Lifelife news, Longevity, health, fitness
Jan 15, 2024 06:40 AM EST
Here in New York City, we have exceptionally sh*tty water. Belle Delphine's bathwater - which yes, she bottled and sold her bathwater to fans - is of higher quality.
A hot shower here makes me feel like swaths of radiation are emitting from my body.
I looked and felt miserable.
You know how important it is to be at your best, whether it's in investing or just living your best life. So I reluctantly tried this one activity that seemed ridiculously dumb, and now it's a vital part of my daily routine.
Cold showers.
Wim Hof, better known as the "Iceman," first introduced the concept of cold showers to me. This Dutch extreme athlete has set records for the longest swim under ice, the longest full-body contact with ice, he's tried to climb Mt. Everest wearing nothing but shorts and shoes, and has a breathing system that many have used to great success.
Cold showers are a staple of Wim's life. He recommends it to everyone for the tremendous body and brain benefits that they deliver.
In my case, the quality of my water isn't improving - which I'm learning is full of magnesium, lead, and Chromium 6 - but it buttresses me with a load of additional health benefits.
Researchers at Harvard found that cold showers lead to fewer sick days, improve sleep, and reduce stress by activating the sympathetic nervous system. They also boost your level of focus. The cold stimulates you to take deeper breaths, decreasing the level of CO2 throughout the body, helping you better concentrate.
One study hypothesized cold showers could become a potential antidote for depression, as the piercing sensation sends an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses to the brain. It's like a one-minute workout.
Oh, and they burn small amounts of body fat too. Brown fat to be specific, a type of fatty tissue that generates energy by burning calories.
Cold showers will make you think you're crazy. That first week is hell. Sometimes you'll pace back and forth in your bathroom for minutes reevaluating your life choices. Other times you might just give up entirely.
Trust me, fighting through the craziness is worth it. After all, no one becomes their best self by doing what everyone else is doing.
"We have become alienated from nature. But the cold is capable of bringing us back to what we once had lost" - Wim Hof a.k.a. The Iceman
I was one of those people pacing back and forth as the cold water pounded off my shower walls. "I do enough already," I thought. "Why am I standing in front of this cold-ass freaking shower?
It's easy to ditch responsibilities when you over rationalize. The benefits of cold showers aren't immediate - but after a week (or less) you will have a good idea of if they're for you or not.
Think of that first encounter as jumping into a pool. The first minute is devastating, but once you're adjusted it feels like nothing.
In my first experience, I hyperventilated and every part of my being told me to GET OUT! After a few days, I actually began to look forward to my cold shower. I'd even throwing on a full Strokes or Daft Punk song to act as my timer.
Even a one-minute cold shower will leave you deeply satisfied and feeling like you just conquered the world.
I live by Navy Seal and Ultramarathon runner, David Goggin's philosophy: "Do something that sucks every day." Goggins doesn't mean to enlist in the Navy Seal core and commit to running 20-miles every day (but you could).
Just do something - no matter how little - that sucks every day. As Goggins puts it, "callous your mind." Be 1% better every single day. It's that easy, and that hard.
This is why cold showers are so great for the body and brain. Your body is shocked to the core and activates several dormant systems, while your brain delivers that sweet dopamine high for accomplishing something.
Give them a try. You won't regret it
"Fear does not go away by itself. You have to confront your fear, mold it, then learn to control it in its own irrational reality. Every human being has the power to do just that. To go deep within and confront your inner being is a powerful act. Going deep and developing the willpower is the only way."
- Wim Hof
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