Set the timer to 56 seconds

How to use the online timer

Cold exposure only needs to be brief to count, and 56 seconds is a realistic target if you're easing into cold showers or a quick ice bath rather than chasing a personal record. Start the clock as soon as the cold hits, breathe through it instead of watching the screen, and get out the second it beeps. Short, sharp, and over before your brain talks you out of it.

Using it is as simple as it sounds: hit Start and the countdown takes over from there. Keep the browser tab open while it runs, since the timer only keeps counting while the page stays loaded, and pause or reset it any time if your plans change. When time's up, a sound plays to let you know, so you don't need to keep glancing at the screen.

Setting an egg timer or fumbling with a phone app both work, but neither is as quick as a browser tab you already have open. There's no app store, no update prompt, and no login screen between you and starting the count. It's free and needs no registration, it works on any device with a browser, and closing other tabs won't affect it as long as this one stays open. If you would rather say put a timer on for 56 seconds, that works too — press Start and the page does the rest.