I don’t like being cold. I get cold easily, and I’m usually sporting hoodies and fuzzy socks to keep warm. 

Hot showers feel like heaven, especially after a long day or when I can’t warm up in the colder months. 

But cold showers aren’t all that bad either, and there are some health benefits to taking cooler showers. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the shock of cold water in the morning can help you wake up, even if you haven’t had your coffee yet. 

It can also help with hair growth and having healthy skin.

Washing your skin with cold water can help prevent breakouts, according to Healthline, a peer-reviewed health journal. This is because cold water can regulate the oil levels of your skin, which prevents redness and dryness. Hot water strips your skin of oils, which has the opposite effect. 

The same is true for your hair. Washing with cold water can help keep natural oil levels in your hair regulated, and it can also prevent breakage.  

After a nice, long workout, when you’re already hot and sweaty, a cold shower feels refreshing. On a hot summer day, taking a cold shower feels like a relief. 

What is crucial about cold showers is that you have to get used to taking them. Unlike with warm water, it’s hard to want to endure the freezing cold temperatures, regardless of the health benefits it may have. 

For most people, starting the day with goosebumps isn’t worth having smoother hair or skin. In that way, cold showers can seem a little inconvenient. After you get over the initial shock, though, cold showers can actually be refreshing.

For me, cold showers have their place. After a workout? For sure. In the summer? Maybe. I’ll take one if I have to, but taking a cold shower is not a part of my daily routine. I’ll definitely never like being cold, but sometimes taking a cold shower is worth it — the boost in energy feels good, and it’s surprisingly healthy.