re: Started 3 minute cold showers about 3 weeks ago - the benefits iv found astonishingly real

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Better mindset, I feel more disciplined and like tough tasks aren't as daunting

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This is the major benefit I find for myself. It is fricking hard to wake up at 5 am on a cold, drizzly morning and jump in a 38 degree bath, but I do it. I know if I can force myself to do that, then other things throughout the day are easier. For me, it's a meditative thing. Once I'm in, it's all about quieting my mind and getting comfortable. I slow my breathing, relax my body, and try to focus on the sounds of pre-dawn birds. It's training my mind to ignore the physical discomfort.

It carries over to work in that the stress doesn't bother me like it used to. If a problem comes up, I know how to go about it in a relaxed way. Like, say something has come up on a job site and the contractor is yelling this or that, I used to fire back and then have to take a walk afterwards to calm down. Now, I rarely if ever get worked up. My adrenaline doesn't spike like it used to. Maybe it's placebo, and maybe I don't care if it is a placebo. A placebo that works is no longer a placebo.

I don't know about the physical benefits, and the small number of studies are not the best. I just ignore the physical part and focus on the mental part. I do give credence to better cold tolerance. On the flipside, hot weather gets to me more.

It's also helped me cut a decent bit of caffeine out of my morning routine.