The proper way to take a cold shower

To properly take a cold shower, Andrew Huberman provides the following guidelines:

1. Temperature and Duration: The water should be comfortably uncomfortable—cold enough that you want to get out, but you can safely stay in. Start with cold water that makes you breathe quickly, which will stabilize after about 20 seconds. Aim to stay in the shower for 1 to 3 minutes, but you can start with as little as 30 seconds based on your cold tolerance and mental barriers to entering the cold water 1 2.

2. Timing: Ideally, do this practice early in the day or as part of a morning routine. Avoid doing it immediately after strength or hypertrophy training to prevent interference with muscle adaptation 3.

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     1

     Cold Exposure Guidelines

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     2

     Cold Exposure Techniques

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     3

     Cold Exposure Benefits

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     4

     Stress Management Techniques

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3. Breathing and Adaptation: Control your breathing by trying to anchor or calm it during the stress of the cold. This practice helps train your resilience to stress, analogous to learning to drive in different weather conditions. It’s about managing stress effectively, not being immune to it 4.

4. Safety Precautions: Ensure that the temperature and exposure are safe, avoiding extreme cold that could lead to shock or hypothermia. Do not perform breath work, like hyperventilation, before entering the cold water, as this could dangerously affect your breathing reflex 2.

By managing these aspects, you're not only practicing cold exposure effectively but also enhancing your overall resilience to stress.