Tomorrow morning when I step into the shower, I will have been on a journey of only cold showers for 2000 days. It’s something that I never thought would happen, and even to this day, I am surprised that I am still here, turning that tap to the end. It’s taught me many things and motivated me to push myself, especially when times have got tough. I have since frequently thought to myself if I can do this, I can do anything.

As a young man, I was always cold. I suffered from cold hands and cold feet all the time. I was even less enthusiastic about cold water, especially when swimming, and many times in chilly conditions, I would struggle to keep myself warm. So if you had told me that I would be taking only cold showers for more than five years, I would have said, “that’s never going to happen, my friend, ” but this is what did happen.

I first came across Wim Hoff about eight years ago. This unknown man from the Netherlands was an expert in extreme cold. He had broken numerous cold world records and was hailed as the Dutch superman. People thought of him as unique and extraordinary, a freak of nature. However, he said that everyone could do what he did, and the fools brave enough to try would experience many different benefits.

I decided I needed to be one of those fools, so I started with the James Bond shower. Starting warm and then turning it right down to cold. In case you are wondering, this is what Bond does in his books. I did this for two years. However, it wasn’t until later, when I met Wim Hoff that I decided to go all out, no warm showers. Just beautiful ice-cold water penetrating your very essence. I didn’t think I would last 2000 days. I just did it, and contrary to popular opinion, I didn’t set any goals.

Funnily enough, it didn’t feel that, in the beginning, I needed that much motivation to do it. Of course, it was more brutal in winter, but it never got to the point where I wasn’t going to do it. I would just let go of the fear and jump in. Occasionally, I would do the odd ice bath or swim in a freezing lake during winter, but the consistent routine of a cold shower always remained.

I discovered many things about myself during this time. One of the things I noticed is that my body responded to the cold water with more shock in the places where I held tension. Tension was the enemy of cold water, and only through releasing it would one be able to cope with the cold better. So letting go was a vital part of cold showers. Breath was also crucial and when you begin cold showers, doing the Wim Hoff breathing technique helps immensely. Oxygenating your body doesn’t just help you with the cold; it helps you with every aspect of your life. Many have forgotten how vital breath is in our fast-paced modern world and are experiencing more stress than ever. Breath is one of the gateways to calmness and peace in the present moment.

Then there is the benefit to your immune system. Since starting cold showers, I can only remember one period where I felt unwell. That was when Covid hit the headlines, but this was very confusing to me because, at that point, I hadn’t been ill for over three years. However, after about four weeks of having a sore throat, it went away, and I’ve felt amazing since then, with not a single instance of being sick. If my body feels run down, I sit, meditate and let go. Then, I might have a cold shower.

Increased energy was another benefit. This is unsurprising because being hit with a stream of ice-cold water will wake anyone up. However, this energy continues to have an effect for a couple of hours afterwards. However, contrary to what I just stated, one advantage I was surprised to find out was that taking a cold shower just before sleep helps you sleep better. The theory is that as your body falls asleep, its temperature decreases, so the cold acts as a catalyst to this process. Other benefits include being more comfortable in cold and hot weather or having smoother, shiner hair and tighter skin. This was my daughter’s observation when she took her first cold shower.

Quicker recovery time after sports is another benefit. This has been well-known for some time, but I experienced this directly. The ice-cold water can help with healing and recovery from intense workouts. For example, I do a lot of climbing, and cold showers help with muscle aches and cramps, especially in my forearms.

Many other reported benefits include cardiovascular improvements and blood pressure changes. Many people also report it helps with depression and anxiety. However, since I practice meditation and letting go, it has been difficult to tell how much this has affected my mental health.

Will I continue cold showers for the rest of my life? I don’t know, but I encourage everyone to, at least at some point in their lives, take that step and turn the dial all the way down.