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What if you could make a climate-friendly lifestyle change that costs you nothing, saves you money and improves your health?
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It sounds like a no-brainer, but there is one small caveat: you may face temporary discomfort.
“Taking a cold shower isn’t exactly pleasant, but it’s a small change to make,” – and it has an impact comparable to recycling – says psychologist Dr Lena Glaser.
Often, going green feels like giving something up – whether that’s driving, flying or eating meat. Or it could mean spending money, like investing in solar panels or an EV.
With lifestyle-policing climate policies often met with resistance, Dr Glaser set out to explore whether small, rewarding changes that fit into everyday life are more effective at securing long-term change.
‘People gradually get used to it’: Temporary discomfort could lead to long-term health gains
“When people see a personal benefit from changing their behaviour and don’t feel that they’re giving something up or missing out, they’re more motivated to stick with it,” says Glaser.
Using cold showers as a case study, Dr Glaser asked 719 participants aged 18 to 65 to turn down the heat for 12 weeks, going as cold as their shower would allow.
To qualify, participants had to be in good health and not already take cold showers.
Evidently, some participants felt they were giving something up: a number of them quit within the first two weeks. But after that the dropout rate declined. “That suggests people gradually get used to it,” says Glaser, although she notes that the participants’ existing environmental leanings were not accounted for.
Participants reported feeling more awake and refreshed immediately following a cold shower. Some also took pride in having pushed themselves to do something uncomfortable. Those who stuck with it reported a longer-term boost in their physical and mental health.
While studies on the benefits of cold water immersion remain limited, the therapeutic advantages are widely reported anecdotally and the practice draws a huge following worldwide.
Proponents often cite benefits such as improved mood, increased energy, heightened alertness, reduced inflammation, reduced muscle pain and a strengthened immune system.
For the participants in Glaser’s study, these subjective improvements appeared to have real-world implications: on average they took 31 per cent fewer sick days than the control group.
How cold showers can cut your emissions and your household bills
It’s less tempting to linger in a cold shower. That means you’re likely to use less water. Add to that the energy saved on heating the water and you’ll see a saving on your utility bills, while cutting emissions at the same time.
For a 40-litre shower – around three-to-four minutes long – lowering the water temperature from 40°C to 15°C saves 1.3 kWh of energy. That’s roughly enough to run a load of laundry or charge your phone 100 times.
Over the 12-week study, participants reduced their CO2 emissions by 15 kilograms per person, roughly equivalent to the emissions from driving 100 kilometres.
If you’re still not convinced, there’s some good news: Glaser says even small changes in water temperature can have a positive effect.
She suggests starting gradually and testing your limits, pushing yourself a little further each time.
“The water doesn’t have to be equally cold every day. We don’t feel equally brave every day, and that’s okay,” Glaser says. “It’s important to listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel. But sometimes it’s worth pushing yourself a little.”
