In this Just Melissa episode, I share all the details of yet another self-experiment with life-changing results—cold showers. When I vowed to take a freezing cold shower every day for 30 days in February 2020, I hoped they would be the missing factor in finally overcoming my health challenges. What I never expected is how much I’d grow to love them, and how much they'd play a major role in my self-care during the pandemic. Today, I’ll dive into the research that led me down this path, what that very first shower looked like, how my cold showers have evolved since then, and the shockingly real benefits I’ve seen. And at the end, I’ll tell you exactly how to structure your own cold shower experiment. Note: Ed Sheeran songs not required... but they help. All sponsorship income from the remainder of Season 2 of Do the Thing will be extended to the Movement for Black Lives. Learn more at m4bl.org.Continue the conversation with me @melissau on Instagram. If you have a question for Dear Melissa or a topic idea for the show, leave me a voicemail at (321) 209-1480. Do the Thing is part of The Onward Project, a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, Side Hustle School, Happier in Hollywood, and Everything Happens. If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends to Do the Thing!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices