You’ve probably heard about ice baths – a lot of celebrities are swearing by cold water immersion to help with everything from inflammation to focus to exercise recovery.

But these special baths are expensive and tough to utilize if you don’t have a lot of space. So will a cold shower do the same?

Experts say – yes, but only to some of the benefits.

Previous studies have shown that a minute-long cold shower can help lower stress. And there’s preliminary evidence that it can improve blood flow and even boost your immune system.

If you look to try it, experts say to start slow – start with lukewarm water before going cold, and don’t stay in long – just 15 second bursts to start, and increase it a little at a time.

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You know you should exercise to keep healthy, but how much should you exercise? Not to become a competitive athlete, but to live a longer, healthier life?

A new study reveals we need 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week – that’s 2 and a half hours. But if you don’t have the time, 75 minutes of more intense, hardcore exercise will do the trick.

You might even already be doing it – moderate exercise can be anything from walking to housework to golfing, or even playing with the kids.

If you run, swim, or do cardio, well that’s considered more intensive. And the more of any exercise you can do, the better, if you can get it in every week.

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Sometimes you just need to take a day off from work – but what day should you take. How about tomorrow?

Specifically, Wednesdays are the best day to take a day off. And this is directly from a college professor of time and communication.

The reason is it splits up our routine evenly – generally, our routines are five days at work, two days off for the weekend. With a Wednesday break, you get two days on, one day off, two days on, two days off.

We feel less stressed and overwhelmed because it makes the work segments as short as possible during a regular week. And we feel more excited, because it’s a non-traditional day, as opposed to a Monday or Friday.

Plus, if you’re playing hooky, Wednesdays are usually the least busy day for restaurants, movies, and amusement parks.

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If you’re looking to add some happiness into your life, find a new hobby. A new study shows it helps, especially as we age.

Researchers found those with hobbies tend to be happier, less depressed, and more satisfied with their lives, and they stay sharper mentally.

The study looked at nearly 100,000 people across three continents, and it held true in every culture. And it doesn’t matter what the hobby is – anything that you enjoy from learning an instrument to puzzles to photography.

Hobbies add purpose to our lives, and they help us feel more in control, and they could help you live longer – as the countries with the longest life expectancies also tended to have the most hobbies.

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It’s finally the weekend! And you want to have a good time and relax, but there’s a few things to avoid doing this weekend so you don’t screw up the next week.

Sleeping in may sound wonderful, but big variations in your sleep times leads to greater fatigue overall. An hour or two is fine, but you don’t want to sleep until noon if you normally need to be at work during the week at 8am.

The best way to stay on a schedule is to plan things that simulate a regular routine – a workout class or meeting up with friends for breakfast.

Stay hydrated – water first thing in the morning is the best thing you can drink, especially if you stay out too late the night before.

While you want to relax, make sure you also plan for the week ahead – meal prep, grocery shopping, continue to do all the stuff you need to do to have a proper week.

And don’t just sit around the couch all weekend – fresh air, sunshine, you’ll get tons of health benefits.

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