5 uncomfortable things that will improve your life

One user suggested waking up at 5am rather than your usual rising time

You could even try something as radical as bungee jumping (Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Most people endeavour to live their lives as comfortably as they can. With the rise in technology, easy fixes are everywhere – from apps that manage your heating to food delivery.

However, one Quora user posed the question of whether stepping out of your comfort zones could actually improve your quality of life.

The user posted “What uncomfortable things such as cold showers can improve your life?” and received a good number of responses.

Mark Toole suggested social interaction, writing: “Forcing yourself to interact in social situations where you feel uncomfortable will increase your confidence and level of comfort. It can also lead to new relationships and opportunities.”

User Ekin Öcalan put forward the idea of waking up earlier than you usually would, and enjoying the quiet of the start of the day. “Waking up at 5 am. Perfect study/work environment. The sun's still trying to shine, everyone is on their sleep. Silence. A perfect way to begin the day. Waking up that early is a challenge though.”

One user argued for looking after your health, before you were in a position where it’s too late. Jeanine Jooste wrote: “Changing your diet long before you “need” to. Imagine leaving things like high blood pressure and high cholesterol unchecked until your 40's? Your arteries might already have suffered damage. It’s so much easier to make these changes for healthier food choices once things are starting to go wrong but by then it might be too late.”

Researcher Rohit Dhumane went for a more extreme angle, suggesting bungee jumping: “I have heard bungee jumping changes you. You get the confidence to do anything you wished for when you do it, that's what I've heard.”

In a nod to the nature of our ‘online’ society, social media professional Marc Applewhite suggested detoxing from your social media accounts and even your smartphone. “If your professional life allows, unplug from social media for a month especially if you're a frequent user of it. If not social media, your smartphone.”