A cold water shower can be refreshing or limb numbing, depending on multiple factors. One constant consideration is the fact that the first drop that rolls down your spine is undoubtedly the most difficult. As someone who has taken far too many cold water showers in her life (too much time in Honduras has given me the privilege to make this claim), I feel that I am now certified to give tips on how to take a cold water shower without fearing hypothermia. I believe that there are a few ways to approach a cold water shower:

The ‘Think Later’ Approach

1. Turn on cold water
2. Jump in
3. Think later about how icy cold your entire body feels

Using this method will certainly lead to an immediate and temporary state of paralysis followed by an overwhelming sense of ‘what in the world was I thinking’ type of thoughts. However, these feelings wear off after a few minutes, leaving you to enjoy the rest of your shower.

The ‘Wash One Body Part at a Time’ Approach

1. Get into the shower and face the wall opposite the faucet and shower head
2. Position yourself in a semi yoga-like pose so that you are tilting back your head and making an arch with your back
3. Turn on the cold water
4. Gaze up at the shower head to wet your hair first
5. Slowly turn around so that your back is still arched, don’t let your head up quickly…or that first drop is going to go right down your spine
6. Proceed to put one arm at a time under the water, and then one leg at a time under the water until you are finished

Using this method will take much longer than the average amount of time it should take to bathe normally. The biggest problem with this method is that you feel cold throughout the entire shower.  However, I will say, after the first drop goes down your spine, the rest of the shower is much more bearable.

The ‘Control It’ Approach

1. Fill two over-sized buckets with cold water
2. Dunk your hair in one bucket
3. Proceed to lather your hair over the bucket
4. Use water from the other bucket to rinse hair
5. Using the soapy water, proceed to wash other body parts
6. Use clean water to rinse

This procedure is best used when you are in an area where water is scarce (umm…yeah…I am really familiar with this technique). The good part is that you end up using less water. The bad part is that you don’t feel much cleaner at the end of the shower.

Now, I hope you are better prepared for your next cold water shower.  

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