>>77420574
If you enjoy them then do them, if not then don't bother desu. They do feel good in the summer. Most of the benefits like improved test are complete memes and some of the downsides are real (cortisol spike lol). The easiest solution is to just take your hot showers slightly less hot and don't stay in more than 10min. You avoid the dry skin but get the improved circulation (good for recovery and injury prevention), decongestion, helps with headaches, sleep aid.

>>77420574
I love to start my day with them. I know people are going to say I'm memeing and that it's anecdotal etcetc, but I like the embodiment aspect of it. Like I instantly stop overthinking because the cold doesn't allow me to focus on anything else other than itself and my breathing. It's like compressing months of meditation sessions into a minute. It helps me stay "aware" in general. Like if some bullshit is happening at work I realize I'm not stressed I just feel the stress, you know? Hard to explain it without sounding like a cringe edgelord. But the same way I teach myself to endure the cold I can endure mental weather as well. Helps dealing with addiction and compulsive behavior etc. Of course it's not like I'm pure awareness 24/7, but I often catch myself thinking "wait a sec, I don't have to get mad over this trivial nonsense", and this realization stops the mental spiralling. So yes, cold showers are stressful in the moment, but long term can help you deal with chronic stress.
I think it's also good for joint pain.

>>77420574
If you find it helps you wake up or go to sleep or build willpower or something go for it, but it's only useful if you're doing tons of cardio or a skill sport where recovery is more important then muscle gain, because cold showers reduce inflammation and spike cortisol, so makes you feel better but you may lose like 2% of your gains

>>77422233
From what I've heard the gains killing aspect is only true if it's done right after training.