Conning Myself that Cold Showers will Help Save Money and My Health!

[Nachtvlinder]

I have taken two 3 minute cold showers a day (sometimes 4/5 times in the heatwave - I'm menopausal too) since the start of warmer weather as a way to stave off the heat whilst believing that cold water therapy will be so beneficial to my body/mind. I've got used to having them now so I don't feel "shocked" anymore. I'm now considering whether to continue with this line in thinking into the colder months, although I know I use to love having hot showers to warm through my body, plus having them to heat through my aches and pains. (Yes, I am old and have suffered mildly over the years and getting worse as I age. I'm in my early 50s.) So, I'm not so sure if I can manage to go without hot showers.

Atm, my dual energy bills are very low as a single householder (although WFH, I have to be mindful of my usage) and have a fixed tariff of £80pm. Currently overpaying by £40pm on average due to the summer season. But come May 2023, the contract ends and I'll be with all the millions of others in the UK facing 1000s of pound bills which I'm so anxiously dreading.

Are there others out there also doing this too as a way to save money as well as thinking it will improve our health at the same time? I will probably not mention to others for they will think I'm bonkers or something. I'm also not sure if it has helped my health at all these past two months. They say it improves sleep, mental health/anxiety/depression etc.

Usually in the winter months, I'll have one room heated, say the electric fire in the living room as I tend to feel it more than the radiator which I'll switch on for an hour or so, then off and on again after another hour has passed. Would that be damaging to the combi system if I keep on doing that? Sometimes the radiators come on which I set at 19C for a few hours and switch off and on again for a further 3 hours later when I've finished work in my bedroom.

Sometimes, I do wonder what's the point and just have no heating and rely on layering clothes, hats, scarves, gloves and electric blanket. Cooking less, and eating cold food/sandwiches. I know I will get an electric gilet as they say it is really effective in getting warm whilst they're really cheap to run (4p says MoneySavingExpert - can you believe that??)

I am trying the same since doing lots of cold water swimming in the summer. I only feel shocked now for the first 2 or 3 seconds of a cold shower, but I guess it remains to be seen whether I can keep it up in colder weather.with reduced heating on...

I am very interested in the physical/mental health benefits as well as financial benefits.

Am delighted that 2 of my kids also also seems to enjoy cold showers.

Fuck that, I'd rather skip a meal than have a cold shower. Brrrr! I find being cold painful. I could wash my hair in cold water if need be but no way my body is going in there if it's cold water. I don't have my shower hot generally, more warm, but sometimes in the winter it's bliss to have a hot shower.

Cold showers are lovely in the heat, but I think you'll find them less appealing in the dead of winter! But if you're able to save heating the water for most of the year then why not.

Well, so far, I'm dealing with the cold showers nicely. I know the temps. have gone down a lot today and yet, I haven't found it uncomfortable so far. I know in the dead of winter when it's single digits (my house gets quite cold as well, despite UPVC windows and doors) I may not keep this up, but it's an endeavour I'll try to stick to.

I spoke to someone at work about this and they say they do it in the mornings to help them acclimatise to the cold, but only on a cooler temp, not cold-cold, but will have a hot shower at night.

I guess I'm in the very minority who is doing this it seems!