Hot and Cold Showers 101
Exposing my body to cold temperatures
Prior to starting the For A Better Monday adventure in April 2016, finishing my daily showers with water at a lower temperature was already a habit of mine. If I had done some running that day, I would pass the coldest water I had access to on my arms and legs. In April 2016 I decided to start swimming in Lake Geneva. I will always remember my very first time. It was a beautiful sunny spring day at “Les Bains des Pâquis”, and the air temperature was in the 20 degrees Celsius. The water on the other hand was extremely cold. I remember it being around 7 or 8 degrees.
The place was packed with people sunbathing, but only a few people including myself dared to swim in the lake. Going into the water was a bit painful at first, but as I started to swim the enjoyment increased. I stayed for about 10 minutes in cold water. As I got out from the lake, I could feel a sensation of warmth all over my body. I dried up, and went to lay down under the sun. After a minute laying down, I was able to reach a sense of accomplishment as If I was able to get rid of if all the negative tension accumulated in my body. The combination of going into cold water and later laying down under the sun made me feel extremely relaxed.
After that day swimming in cold water became a sort of an addiction for me. Back then I held a membership to a gym nearby. This allowed me to get into the routine of working out three to four times a week, and after my workout go swim in the lake. I would do it pretty much in any weather condition. I was able to hold on to this ritual until my departure to Argentina in late January 2017. I would have never though that I’d be able to swim in lake Geneva during the fall and winter seasons. I never got sick, and this practice enhanced my life greatly during my last year spent in Geneva.
Hot and Cold Shower Rituals
In Buenos Aires unfortunately, I don’t have an easy access to cold water. Even tap water will eventually get kind of cold during the winter months, but nothing compared with the water temperatures in Switzerland. Although the temperature interval between hot and cold water are shorter here in Buenos Aires, this situation does not keep me from regularly doing hot and cold shower sessions.Continue reading