Cold showers have been gaining popularity in recent years, and for good reason. They bring a wide range of benefits that can positively impact your health, both physically and mentally. People who practice semen retention and regularly take cold showers have reported seeing remarkable results in a short period of time, and I can attest to the benefits I have experienced myself in the last two years.
The practice of taking cold showers is not new. For thousands of years, cultures around the world have used cold water as a natural treatment for overall well-being. In ancient times, the Spartans believed that warm water was for the weak and that cold water helped to condition their bodies and minds for battle. In contrast, the rise of warm showers, with their heated water and plumbed systems, was a luxury that led to the downfall of the Spartan society.
Today, cold water is still used as part of religious ceremonies in various cultures. For example, followers of the Japanese Shinto religion practice Misogi, which involves purifying the soul by sitting or standing under a waterfall. In Russia and Finland, winter activities often include rotating between saunas and cold dips in ice lakes or snow. World-class athletes also use ice baths to speed up recovery and enhance athletic performance.
The Ancient Spartans were known for their rigorous regime, starting each day with two hours of intense calisthenics followed by a freezing cold bath. They believed that warm water was for the weak and that cold water conditioned their bodies and minds to be strong, vigorous, and always prepared for battle. In contrast, the first proper showers with plumbed in waters and heating systems were developed by Athenians, which some historians argue led to the downfall of the revered Spartan society.
Across the world, various cultures use cold water for religious and spiritual purposes. For example, followers of the Japanese Shinto Religion practice a ritual called Misogi, which involves purifying their souls under a waterfall. In Russia and Finland, rotating between a sauna and an ice bath is a popular winter pastime. Modern-day athletes also use ice baths to speed up their recovery and improve athletic performance.
So, what exactly are the benefits of these seemingly unconventional practices? Here are just a few of the many benefits (there are virtually no negatives) of cold showers. It’s important to note, however, that one should gradually work up to taking full freezing water baths to prevent discomfort or injury.
The Astonishing Advantages of Cold Showers:
1. Better looking skin and hair:
Warm water opens up your pores, and cold water closes them. Using warm water to open your pores and clean them, then closing them with cold water so they don’t get clogged again will definitely improve your complexion, which leads to a healthy ‘glow’. The same treatment works with your hair cuticles as well, leading to an overall healthy appearance (and feeling). A Cold Shower can also make you look more youthful and fresher. According to Dr. Green, “A cold shower tightens the pores, and it also seals in moisture”—whereas hot showers can make your skin drier and rough. Cold shower helps to make your hair thicker and stronger by preventing dirt particles from entering your scalp. Cold water can seal the pores in the skin and scalp too, stopping dirt from getting in. For hair care, cold showers can make the hair look shinier, stronger, and healthier by flattening hair follicles and improving their ability to grip the scalp.
2. Cold showers improve your testosterone:
If this was the only benefit of cold showers, it would still make it worth it. It is common knowledge that heat kills sperm, which is why frequent hot baths are terrible for men. Well, guess what? Cold water does the exact opposite by increasing the level of testosterone in your body, which leads to increased sperm production and improved fertility.
3. Improving your health:
The force of the freezing cold water hitting your skin gets your heart pumping and your muscles to instinctively flex. This moves blood to all your muscles, as well as your organs. Warm water does the opposite, moving blood to the surface of your skin. Alternating between warm and cold water while in the shower is a great way to stimulate and improve your circulation. This also serves to improve the immune system.
4. Conditioning you to be a Bold Man:
Taking cold showers invigorates your body and mind and leaves you feeling energized and ready to conquer the day. It is NOT comfortable at first and forcing yourself to do it every day requires inner strength that most people simply do not have. You may look forward to cold showers after a while of performing them.
5. Mental benefits:
Ancient samurai warriors in Japan used to pour buckets of freezing river water over their heads every morning to cleanse their mind and spirit; they believed it helped them start each new day and adventure fresh. Cold showers release chemicals in the brain which can improve your mood, decrease stress and anxiety, and relieve depression.
Hugh Jackman used freezing cold showers in the morning to prepare himself to play Wolverine in X-Men Origins: Wolverine Movie. He actually credits the showers for getting him in the pissed off mood which was necessary for his character.
“It’s, like, five o’clock in the morning and there’s no hot water, so my hair was full of the hairspray from the day before and I had to take a shower. It was freezing cold water, and I was so pissed. A cold shower in the middle of a Toronto winter and I had to be under there for two minutes. I was halfway through it, and I went, ‘This is it!’ This feeling was so through my body that I wanted to scream but you couldn’t, so that was kind of the character. So, every morning and every time I play that role now, it’s become superstitious, almost. I always take a cold shower first thing in the morning—just to get pissed off.”
