I used to shiver in buses, and wear jackets at work. I woke up sometimes to shut off the aircon.
All these changed when I voluntarily embraced the cold. Here is how you can do it in 8 weeks.
First 2 weeks
Every morning, near the end of your shower, turn the heater all the way to the left so you get the coldest water possible. Tolerate it for 30 seconds for the first 2 weeks. You will shiver the first few days. You should fight the shiver whenever you feel you can; it is built into you, like how you can sometimes hold back a sneeze. Hold that shiver and fight the urge to grab your towel quickly.
Weeks 3 to 8
Extend that time to 60 seconds in the 3rd and 4th week as you stopped shivering. The cold water still instantly wakes you up, but it is not that bad now. The next 2 weeks, increase to 90 seconds of cold. Then in the last 2 weeks, you should be able to take it for a full 2 minutes.
What happened?
As you expose yourself to the cold, your blood vessels are now training to constrict in the cold and dilate when you warm up. The cold also activates norepinephrine, a hormone that boosts alertness and helps regulate body temperature. With repeated exposure to the cold, your body reacts faster—constricting blood vessels in your skin to reduce heat loss and conserving warmth more efficiently.
With practice, your nervous system learnt to stay calm in the cold. You feel more in control when exposed to cold. Other benefits include a stronger immune system – you will notice less sick days next year.
You may not need that jacket next time. You may not need to turn off the aircon in the middle of the night.
Next level?
Ice baths are popping up all over the world, due mainly to the influence of the “Iceman” Wim Hof. He has taught in books, videos, and courses that cold exposure and breathing exercises can improve your health significantly. But ice baths are not cheap in Singapore. I went only once, and it was something like $60 in one visit. So, stick to unheated water in your own house. Eventually you can take a full shower in cold water.
May you conquer the cold and improve your health. The real benefit? Experience Kanazawa (Japan) in winter fully without being distracted by your shivering body.
