Feeling sluggish? Why not clear the cobwebs and jump-start your mind with a refreshing cold swim? Your body's natural reaction to entering chilled waters quickly circulates fresh blood towards the core, stimulating and cleansing both the brain & system for improved mental clarity.

With evidence supporting the notion that a cold shower can offer relief from depression and anxiety, molecular biologist Nikolai Shevchuk's 2007 study revealed promising results. His extraordinary findings suggest that taking an icy plunge may even be more effective than certain prescription antidepressants for those seeking help managing their mental health.

Shevchuk's study revealed that cold could induce a remarkable physical response in the body. Activating your sympathetic nervous system triggers an increased level of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline, which lift up one's mood due to its natural production of norepinephrine. 

Peptides called beta-endorphins have effects on the body as a whole. 

They are regarded as both neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the brain because they can impact targets farther away than normal neurotransmitters (1).

Furthermore, beneficial 'feel good' molecules known as beta-endorphins are produced by immersion into colder temperatures resulting in improved well-being overall.

In the adult brain, neurotransmitters and neuromodulators like dopamine are involved in various behavioral and cognitive processes, including movement, cognition, and reward. 

According to Sheychuck, the activation of dopaminergic transmission in the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways is probably the mechanism that can explain the immediate mood-lifting impact of immersion in cold water or cold showers.

Additionally, it is well-recognized that these dopaminergic pathways have a role in the control of emotions. Numerous studies on health have connected these brain regions to depression.

A cold shower may seem daunting, but the rewards can be immense. Start by dialing back your water temperature to something just above comfortable and gradually cool it down over five minutes until you hit 68°F or beyond. 

Some prefer an "all-at-once" method of sudden immersion into icy temperatures. Whether gradual or abrupt, perseverance through two to three minutes of submergence will give you a refreshing burst that we could use more often.

Ways We Can Release Endorphins in Our Body

  • Exercise. Endorphins and other feel-good neurotransmitters like endocannabinoids, dopamine, and serotonin can increase after moderate to strenuous aerobic activity and strength training (2).
  • Listening to Music. Several research studies have shown that music can induce minor pain, reducing it by producing endorphins, which raise a person's pain threshold. In reality, music therapy is emerging as a common and successful intervention in many medical settings (3).
  • Try Dancing. Both entertainment and dancing are beneficial to your health. It is a cardiorespiratory exercise that increases heart rate and releases endorphins, improving mood and lessening pain.
  • Meditate. Being more conscious and present while practicing meditation consists of developing a person's mindfulness. By triggering the parasympathetic nerve system, sometimes referred to as the "rest and digest" system, it has been demonstrated to support health. Additionally, it lowers the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis or the body's stress response system.

How Endorphins Help Our Mental Health?

  • Alleviating depression's feelings. It releases dopamine in your body, which helps to boost your mood.
  • Support for anxiety and stress. Endorphins help to reduce stress throughout the body, and it is released to calm things down and allow you to cope with stress.
  • Increasing self-esteem. Because it helps you to boost your mood, it also gives you the energy that increases your confidence.
  • Helps to lose weight. Endorphin release has been found to regulate appetite. 
  • Reducing the pain of child delivery. They interact with the same brain receptors as medicines like morphine. In addition to relieving pain, they can make the mother feel happy and delighted.

Taking Cold Showers has Physical Health Benefits

Studies have shown that consciously unplugging yourself from heat and taking a cold shower can have profound beneficial effects on your physical health. From decreasing pains and improving circulation to aiding your metabolic health, you can reap a variety of benefits by simply adjusting the temperature while in the bath. 

Cold showers decrease pain in general due to their numbing effects; these effects reduce nerve sensitivity, relieving muscle aches, headaches, back pain, and other such issues. Along with this, there is evidence that shows how taking cold showers can increase blood circulation in the body, which brings more oxygen to the organs. 

Taking cold showers has various physical health benefits that should not be overlooked. They can boost the immune system and reduce the occurrence of common illnesses such as colds and flu. 

In addition, a cold shower can help to wake people up in the morning or give them an energy boost in the middle of a tiring day. It is also believed that cold showers can reduce inflammation, improve hair and skin health, encourage weight loss, and speed up muscle recovery after strenuous physical activities. 

Integrating cold showers into your daily routine could effectively improve one's overall physical well-being.

Furthermore, researchers suggest that ending your shower with 30 seconds of cold water will also help improve metabolic health by stimulating brown adipose tissue. This decreases overall fat levels and boosts calorie expenditure and energy efficiency. Therefore, taking a cold shower should be part of everyone's regular hygiene routine.

Getting Started with Cold Showers

Incorporating cold showers into your daily routine can be beneficial in many ways. While taking a cold shower may seem intimidating initially, it's essential to start slowly and incrementally incorporate cold water more frequently. 

In addition to the mental and physical health benefits of regular cold showers, the practice can also help enhance alertness and energy levels, relieve stress, and improve blood circulation. If you've been looking for an easy and effective way to take control of your mental health and well-being, getting started with cold showers is an excellent place to begin.

Here are a few tips:

  1. Harness the restorative power of cooler temperatures to give your skin a boost! Experiment twice per week, gradually cooling down for up to five minutes. For an invigorating experience, aim for 30 seconds at a time, and you'll be ready to go in no time.
  2. Protect yourself and your conscience by beginning any medical procedure with caution. Avoid starting at the face - this may cause an involuntary reaction that could decrease heart rate, potentially leading to fainting.
  3. Staying active is key to regulating your body temperature. Keep yourself moving outside in the cold so that you don't allow one area of your skin exposure for too long. Individual areas may become susceptible to chill if stationary for an extended period!

Summary

Although the benefits of cold showers for mental health are clear, it can be tough to take that first step into a freezing stream of water. If you're struggling to switch from your usual hot shower routine, start by slowly turning down your water temperature until you're comfortable with colder temperatures. 

Remember that even a slight temperature change can help activate your sympathetic nervous system and release those feel-good endorphins. Also, try the ways to release endorphins in your body listed above to boost your everyday mood and help your mental health.

So go ahead and try cold showers – your mind (and body) will thank you for it!