Nothing beats a nice hot shower in the morning to get you awake and ready to take on the day, right?
Wrong! According to an article from Entrepeneur, a standard hot shower is exactly what you want ... if you plan on going back to sleep.
Instead, says contributor Phil Dumontet, there's an easy way to get clean and send yourself out the door ready to tackle the morning — and it only takes 90 seconds.
RELATED: KLG, Hoda: Do you prefer a bath or a shower?
In the article he says you should:
- Go through your regular cleaning routine in the shower.
- Crank the cold all the way up and stand under the water for 30 seconds. "Scream if it helps," he says.
- Crank the hot up as far as you can stand it for another 30 seconds.
- Go back to cold for a final 30 seconds.
RELATED: Here's how often you should be cleaning your shower — and the right way to do it
Notes Dumontet, the cycles are what matter. "Hot and cold hydrotherapy has been used for thousands of years," particularly by the Finns. He adds, "it provides a full-body tuneup" that has benefits of reducing stress, a stronger immune system, improved blood circulation, a greater ability to burn fat and helps some people battle depression.
Todd Becker, author of the blog Getting Stronger, would probably agree with this theory; in March he told TODAY about how he's benefited from a bone-chilling cold shower as part of a routine of "voluntary stress."
It might just work. And sure, it'll throw cold water over your morning routine, but apparently that's exactly what everyone needs!