Scottish shower anyone?

[buckbrush]

I've been on a bit of a kick trying to be more healthy and active for the last few months. I've done the usual extra exercise, clean up my eating a bit, cutting out all drinks besides water and black coffee. I also wanted to step it up a notch and do some other things.

In all of this I have been enjoying trying different things that I used to scoff at. I have decided to see what all the fuss was about. Meditation, deep breathing, Wim Hoff breathing, getting enough sleep ect.. I've tried all of these on a very short basis (maybe a week each) while still keeping the active and healthy(ish)
eating up. It's interesting to see how each one changes you, even over short time.

One that I read great things about and had to convince myself to try was cold showers. They recommend having them in the am but I am a shower at night kind of guy. After a few days of hesitation I decided to try it out...

Standing in front of the shower on the first day I reached in and turned on the cold tap. Now my water being from a shallow well is COLD. It took me a minute of standing there trying to convince myself that I wanted to try it.
Go time, I jump in and am immediately shocked, gasping but not able to take more than a tiny breath. I start rotating because the cold water is too painful in one spot. I refuse to hide from the stream though, I'm trying new things. Right?

As I gasp tiny breaths of air while rotating myself around fumbling for my soap and shampoo. I'm sure at this point that cold showers is one of the stupidest things I've ever done. It took every ounce of willpower not to turn the hot water on. My mind is racing and this is horrible. Finally I'm clean and can shut the shower off, never to try this again.

Well after the shower, I felt GREAT! I got dressed (while hiding 'the goods' from my wife, or the goods hid themselves) once I was dressed I felt warm all over, completely relaxed and energized at the same time coupled with a goofy feeling of accomplishment. It's hard to describe but it just felt awesome. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and I was actually craving that same feeling the next day.

I knew I couldn't go through a cold shower like I had done but then I read about the "Scottish showers". Have a regular hot shower, clean up then before you get out turn the tap to cold for at least a couple minutes. (I peek at the slow moving clock on my wall). I've been doing this for about a week now and as silly as it sounds I look forward to it. Maybe not the shower but the feeling after.

Now I'm no doctor and I'm not sure if this would be a good thing for someone with a heart condition or medical issues so if you're not sure, don't do it. But if you're open to something new Give it a try!

Does anyone else here partake in Scottish showers?

[Mr Flyguy]

One's goods automatically disappear during a cold shower, what's the big (er little) deal?

[Red Bullets]

I've been enjoying cold showers for years. Nothing more refreshing on the scalp than cold water.

[sns2]

Whew! I was worried that Buckbrush was taking golden showers. I can't keep up with all the vernacular nowadays. Glad I was wrong.

[Twisted Canuck]

A good long cold rinse is great for your circulation and boosts your immune system as well. Apparently. It's been a while since I've done that, but used to be part of my routine as well. Maybe I should get back to it.

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by sns2

Whew! I was worried that Buckbrush was taking golden showers. I can't keep up with all the vernacular nowadays. Glad I was wrong.

Haha.
Much more comfortable but not nearly as good of feeling after.

[3blade]

Yep I do this in the summer, when I work out before work. Can’t cool off otherwise. Feels great though.

Lots of data to suggest short duration cold exposure is healthy. The Nordic sauna/roll in the snow thing, ice baths, Russian polar swims, cryotherapy etc

[HunterDave]

Scottish showers, is that what they call them?

Yeah, I took one every chance that I had when I served in Cambodia where it was 45 degrees with the humidex. Hot shower to wash followed by a cold shower to rinse. Cold wasn’t really cold though, probably just room temperature, but it felt cold.......lol. Yes, it was very refreshing.

[whitetail Junkie]

Unless I’m super hot from working outside or sun burnt there is no way in hell im having a cold shower and I’m half Norwegian.

I can shovel snow in -30 Celsius with no gloves and a T-shirt on but I don’t like cold showers.

[CaberTosser]

I'll have to settle for going between the hot tub and the pool when I'm somewhere with both. Dealing with going outside last week was plenty enough for me so far as being cold goes.

[zabbo]

Didn't know there was actually a name for the process. I used to have a shower like this when I was whole lot younger and working on a paving crew. After 12 or 14 hours in 25+ temperature and working around hot asphalt I would start the shower nice and warm, then slowly idle down to cool and eventually right out cold. Felt great under those conditions, not sure I'd like during winter!

[waldedw]

Used to have cold bath in the lake when in hunting camp years ago........... nope didn't like it then and still don't, rolled in the snow a couple times right out of the hot tub.......... no more though

[CDNOutdoorsman]

This cold water therapy is good for burning calories/fat burning as well.

[Robins36]

I have 4 kids, so a cold shower is quite common here.

[Savage Bacon]

I didn't know there was a name for it. I like gradually turning the water hotter and hotter as my body gets used to it, just to relax and sooth my muscles after work. Then when I'm done, I turn it on full cold. It doesn't really feel that bad. Just like getting out of the hot tub kind of feeling. I've always done it to rinse the sweat off. I find my forehead full of beads of sweat after hot showers, so I feel dirtier than when I went in.

[calgarychef]

If you really want to have fun wait until your spouse/kid is in the shower....
Wander down to the basement and shut off the water heater valve.
Instant “Scottish” shower

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

If you really want to have fun wait until your spouse/kid is in the shower....
Wander down to the basement and shut off the water heater valve.
Instant “Scottish” shower

Some of my first-ever plumbing work was when I was 13 operating the water heater isolation valve when my older sister was in the shower

[EZM]

I don't know how much more shrinkage I can take !!!! lol.

I didn't know this was "a thing" but I used to do this, going from normal warm and cleaning up (shampoo and body wash), then up to super hot (slowly turning it up) then, finally, crank the handle over hard left for a full cold finish. Did that for years, don't know why, just got me going every morning and felt great.

[huntinstuff]

Nope not me

Last week. -39. She said " lets hit the hot tub"

Omg. She got out to go inside, decided to check why a solar light wasnt working on her way in, I watched her top FREEZE to her in about 40 seconds.

Cold shower on purpose? Nope.