What is it and what do you need to achieve it?
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othing will ruin a day faster than being caught out by a blast of cold water in the shower, right? Maybe not. When that cold water is controlled it can become the key ingredient of a ‘dopamine shower’ designed to perk up your mood and make
you feel more alert and energised.
A dopamine shower has become shorthand for referring to a blast of cold water at the end of a shower and, according to cold water research, it can have huge benefits on your mood, energy and health.
Anyone who has ever been hit with cold water will be familiar with the instant invigorating effect - after all, nothing wakes you up quite like a chilly arctic blast. However, researchers have found that exposing your body to a drop in temperature can increase the amount of dopamine released in the body, the hormone credited with making us feel happy and alert.
The dopamine shower is essentially mimicking a cold water plunge or ice bath, which increases blood concentrations of dopamine by 250%, according to a landmark Czech study from 2000. However, in shower form, you don’t have to bother with the faff of filling up an icy bucket of water to reap the benefits.
If you’re planning to add a dopamine shower to your daily routine you don’t need much, simply a temperature responsive shower and warm fluffy towels for afterwards. And maybe a citrus-scented shower gel to amplify the invigorating effects!
The best time of day to take a cold shower is in the morning. As well as the cold shock to the system being invigorating, the cold water helps trigger your body to warm itself up, thus waking you up. In contrast, if you want help drifting off at night a warm shower or bath encourages a drop in temperature that makes you feel sleepy.
If you are adding a cold shower to your morning routine please ensure you have any radiators or underfloor heating on to help you warm up afterwards. Knowing that you can warm up properly afterwards will be a key part of helping you establish a dopamine shower as a regular part of your routine. If you know the icy blast is only temporary it makes it much easier to keep going back.
It is important to note that a lot of the research into cold water therapy and the benefits of cold showers is still in progress. However, there are promising signs of the benefits and countless cold water converts who will praise its effects. Still, like with anything please exercise caution when adding a dopamine shower to your morning routine and stick to a temperature and time limit that feels right for you.*
Cold water helps TRIGGER YOUR BODY to warm itself up, WAKING YOU UP
A DIGITAL SHOWER is best to give you MORE PRECISION when setting the temperature
To reap the benefits of a dopamine shower, ideally the colder the shower the better. While you can’t hit the same sub-10-degree temperatures of an icy plunge, in a cold shower you’re aiming for a feeling of discomfort where it’s cold enough to make you want to get out. What this roughly translates to is a temperature around 14 degrees (for context the average shower temperature is 37 degrees, according to Mira Showers).
Wim Hoff, a leading practitioner of cold therapy, recommends on his website to start off with a warm shower to lather up your shower gel, then switching the temperature to cold to rinse off. He explains that the first 15 seconds are going to be the hardest, but to just keep breathing through it. You only need to stay under the cold water for 1 to 2 minutes to feel the benefits to your mood and energy levels.
To make this process as seamless as possible you need a shower where you can closely control the temperature. While all showers will get the job done, a digital shower is best to give you more precision when setting the temperature.
Some digital showers, like the Mira Activate with ColdBoostTM, even have a cold shower setting preset. What makes Mira’s version stand out is that it guides you through the cold shower process, signalling when it starts and ends. It has four settings from beginner up to expert that vary the temperature and duration of the cold blast.
How cold does your shower need to BE?
What is the best time of day for a cold shower?
How to set up for the perfect dopamine shower
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*DO NOT USE ColdBoostTM if you are: Pregnant, have heart disease or high blood pressure, have diabetes, complications such as neuropathy or retinal damage, you wear a pacemaker, history of frostbite, had recent surgery, epilepsy or any other health concerns or risks. We always recommend you begin using ColdBoostTM at the “Beginner” setting, and then slowly increase your experience over time. Never push your body beyond its limits.
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Form meets
function
A ledge IN THE SHOWER or the edge of a sink should be RESERVED FOR ESSENTIALS
the door with minimal effort and involve little to no decision-making. However, as soon as you introduce kids, partners or flatmates into the equation, every minute in your morning routine becomes precious in that goal to get out the front door on time. This is where your design choices and organisation systems can help, especially in the bathroom.
Relaxing bathroom retreats can wait for the evening, in the morning you need a space that is efficient and organised to minimise stress and getting ready time. You don’t need a whole bathroom renovation to achieve this. Instead, 9 simple hacks can help power you (and your family) through the mornings and make them less stressful.
morning routine is the foundation of a good day. Whether you are a morning person or not, establishing a good morning routine will get you out
A
The dopamine
shower
Whether it’s an en-suite or a busy family bathroom, try to keep all the surfaces clear. A ledge in the shower or the edge of a sink should be reserved for essentials the whole household will use like handwash or shower gel. Everything else can then be neatly stored under the sink, in a medicine cabinet or in drawers.
CLEAR SURFACES
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MIRASHOWERS.CO.UK
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Whether it’s an en-suite or a busy family bathroom, try to keep all the surfaces clear. A ledge in the shower or the edge of a sink should be reserved for essentials the whole household will use like handwash or shower gel. Everything else can then be neatly stored under the sink, in a medicine cabinet or in drawers.
How to set up for the perfect dopamine shower
To reap the benefits of a dopamine shower, ideally the colder the shower the better. While you can’t hit the same sub-10-degree temperatures of an icy plunge, in a cold shower you’re aiming for a feeling of discomfort where it’s cold enough to make you get out. What this roughly translates to is a temperature around 14 degrees (for context the average shower temperature is 37 degrees, according to Mira Showers).
Wim Hoff, a leading practitioner of cold therapy, recommends on his website starting out with a warm shower and lathering up your shower gel, then switching the temperature to cold to rinse off. He explains that the first 15 seconds are going to be the hardest, but just keep breathing through it. You only need to stay under the cold water for 1 to 2 minutes to feel the benefits to your mood and energy levels.
To make this process as seamless as possible you need a shower where you can closely control the temperature. While all showers will get the job done, a digital shower is best to give you more precision when setting the temperature.
Some digital showers, like the Mira Activate with ColdBoostTM, even have a cold shower setting preset. What makes Mira’s version stand out is that it guides you through the cold shower process, signalling when it starts and ends. It has four settings from beginner up to expert that vary the temperature and duration of the cold blast.
How cold does your shower need to BE?
A DIGITAL SHOWER is best to give you MORE PRECISION when setting the temperature
Form meets
function
The best time of day to take a cold shower is in the morning. As well as the cold shock to the system being invigorating, the cold water helps trigger your body to warm itself up, thus waking you up. In contrast, if you want help drifting off at night a warm shower or bath encourages a drop in temperature that makes you feel sleepy.
If you are adding a cold shower to your morning routine please ensure you have any radiators or underfloor heating on to help you warm up afterwards. Knowing that you can warm up properly afterwards will be a key part of helping you establish a dopamine shower as a regular part of your routine. If you know the icy blast is only temporary it makes it much easier to keep going back.
It is important to note that a lot of the research into cold water therapy and the benefits of cold showers is still in progress. However, there are promising signs of the benefits and countless cold water converts who will praise its effects. Still, like with anything please exercise caution when adding a dopamine shower to your morning routine and stick to a temperature and time limit that feels right for you.*
What is the best time of day for a cold shower?
So, whether you’re a cold water newbie, or simply hoping to bring the benefits into an at-home setting, the dopamine shower might just be your new (and favourite) wellness hack.
add this energising wellness hack to your arsenal
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If you’re planning to add a dopamine shower to your daily routine you don’t need much, simply a temperature responsive shower and warm fluffy towels for afterwards. And maybe a citrus-scented shower gel to amplify the invigorating effects!
How to set up for the perfect dopamine shower
9 bathroom design tips