30 Day Cold Shower Challenge
So last week, during a couple of days of unusually high temperatures for the middle of Spring, I decided I would take the cold shower challenge. This isn't an official challenge as such. Just a personal one. There are different challenges, varying in the number of days in length and time spent in the shower. First, I wanted to look up what some of the pros and cons were of taking on this challenge and I would address these each day in my blog, along with my personal challenges and success or failure.
Pros
Cold showers help bolster alertness in the morning.
Cold showers help refine skin and hair.
Cold showers help improve immunity and blood circulation.
Cold showers help bolster weight loss.
Cold showers help speed up muscle soreness recovery.
Cons
It's fucking cold. Some people find the idea too much and go from warm to cold gradually.
Cold showers aren't ideal for those with illnesses.
Cold showers may not have a long term effect on weight loss.
DAY 1 - Nov 2.
So the first morning started with the struggle of parenthood, at 1 am, with my 4-year-old, Keegan, deciding it was playtime and turning the bedroom light on. The next few hours were spent with me growling, "Lay down and go to sleep."
The other struggle of parenthood. Keegan loves water, and he doesn't care when the water goes cold. He'll just avoid the stream of water and play in the water at the other end of the shower. This is in the shared bathroom; it is a large shower. The cold shower challenge is taking place in my ensuite, which is a smaller shower, and perfect for this purpose. So we woke up at 8 am. I got him set up in the lounge room with his morning Milo and his favourite ABC song video on YouTube and then quickly and quietly I was off to attempt the 5 min cold shower.
I'd decided I was going to do this when it had hit 31 and then 36 degrees Celsius when it was hot and I was brave. Then it was 25 degrees. Then the Sunday before I was to start, it hit a high of 18 degrees and raining. Really?
REALLY!!??
So I dove in at 9 am on Monday the 2nd of November. It was 17 degrees.
What did I feel? Cold. Very fucking cold.
I certainly felt more awake. I lasted 1 minute and 15 seconds according to my phone. It was a bit over that, I'm allowing for the hitting start/stop button.
Here's to tomorrow's insanity.