There's no getting around it: I am not a morning person. Once I've snoozed my alarm several times, I finally stagger into the bathroom and begrudgingly start my routine. Needless to say, my pre-work ritual could use a serious energy boost. So, I started researching habits of successful people and how they make their mornings more efficient. The surprising unifying answer? Cold showers.
According to multiple anecdotes, cold showers resulted in reduced stress, better circulation, improved energy — and, as an added bonus, shinier hair. Refinery29's Senior Sex and Relationships writer Maria Del Russo tried rinsing her recently-bleached locks with cold water to repair the damage — and she noticed a real difference. Even Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr swears by an ice-cold, 6 AM shower, which she also pairs with oil-pulling. And while it certainly sounded like these ladies were onto something, I was still a little nervous about taking the plunge. Could a cold shower really be the key to a more focused day?
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This is a good time to mention that I'm a total, "I-can't-get-out-of-my-warm-fluffy-sheets-this-morning" kind of person. I hate feeling cold and the thought of taking a freezing shower first thing in the morning makes me want to scream in agony and hide under my duvet.
Still, I tried it for five days in a row. Each cold shower wound up being a little different than the last, and I wove in some new techniques like rubbing my body with coconut oil (another one of Miranda Kerr's favourite morning rituals) and dry brushing, just to see how each fit into my new approach to beauty.
Press play above to see what I learned from my five days of freezing showers — and comment below with your own tips for a revitalised morning routine.
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