How nice, isn’t it, when you have passed on something to your students for years, and it is now scientifically proven.
An article from the World Economic Forum describes the positive effects of taking a cold shower.
I tell my students to sharply lower the water temperature at the end of the daily shower. The temperature itself is not so important here, but the difference between cold and warm water is.
The goal is to evoke the natural reflex of Fight or Flight.
As described earlier, we recognize five different phases of muscle states:
1. Contraction
2. Relaxation
3. Stretch
4. Release
5. Prepare for Contraction
Due to the cold water, our body reacts automatically (this reflex has been in our body for tens of thousands of years) to a tense state corresponding to Phase “1. Contraction”. Our muscles tense up because our body produces Epinephrine (more commonly known as Adrenaline).
I ask my students to stand under the cold water for at least 30 seconds. And at the same time, I teach them how to go from “1. Contraction” to phase “2. Relaxation”.
In the beginning, you will need somewhere between 15 to 20 seconds to relax under this cold water. You will notice that this time will slowly decrease.
Currently, I now end up around 5 to 6 seconds.
Check it for yourself.
And believe me, you’re never going to make it to 0 seconds 😊