Is it beneficial to shower with cold water?

Question

Does it build discipline to shower with cold water? Are there other benefits why you would recommend it? Are the disadvantages?

Answer 1

According to Tim Ferris yes. Cold shower and ice baths burns more calories than anything you do.

I don't have time to exercise in the morning so I take a cold shower to get my blood flowing (because of the shiver and flexing to stay warm) and wake myself up.

Answer 2

Definitely.

It gives you a rush of endorphins, wakes you up, desensitises you to the cold for the rest of the day, and makes you feel like a man for doing it (although the effect of cold water can temporarily make you look "less of a man"...ahem).

In other words it gives you SOME of the benefits of a work-out all for spending a few minutes in cold water. Do it.

Answer 3

I usually shower with hot water and then, the last minute or so, I turn off the hot water and stand under the cold shower. I occasionally grunt and make spastic movements, but it really helps me getting awake in the morning!

Answer 4

I'll address the "discipline" part, since it's the first question.

What does "building discipline" mean? If you're basically saying:

I hate cold showers, a lot. Will taking cold showers help train self-discipline?

I suppose so, although whether or not it leads to generalized self-discipline, IMO, is a bit up-in-the-air.

In other words, will doing one specific thing you don't like to do make it easier to do other specific things you don't like to do? Self-discipline can be viewed as a muscle: in this sense, yes, practicing self-discipline in one area will build the an ability that may be transferable to other areas.

At the same time, it's one thing to take a cold shower--it's another to do you taxes, read that book, make that apology, wash those dishes, not eat that box of cookies, finish that project... whatever it is that requires self-discipline to get done.

Ultimately, to me, self-discipline has a lot to do with paying attention and remaining conscious of your goals (a subset of "paying attention"). Constancy of purpose, consistency of action.

For me, the answer is no--cold showers wouldn't help build discipline. There are other benefits, as the other answers show. The biggest disadvantage is that it's a cold shower.