Imagine this: you’re about to step into your morning shower. But instead of turning the dial to hot water, you blast your body with a burst of cold. As uncomfortable as it may sound, taking a super cold shower is a growing trend. The idea is that exposing yourself to cold water will boost your mood. Proponents of this practice also believe it helps strengthen your immune system. Is this a smart trend and does it hold up to science’s scrutiny?
Strengthening Your Immune System
According to some research, a burst of cold, as in a cold shower, could help you avoid the common cold. Researchers in the Netherlands found that subjects who topped off their shower with 30 to 90 seconds of icy water enjoyed 29% fewer sick days compared to those who showered only in warm, comfy water. A blast of chilly water activates leukocytes, white blood cells that fight off infection.
The fact that this was a randomized controlled trial that involved more than 3,000 people adds credibility to its results. However, there are caveats. The above study didn’t find a significant difference in the number of sick days in the groups who took cold showers and those who didn’t.
Circulation Station: Get Your Blood Pumping
Can a cold shower also be good for your heart and circulatory system? When cold water strikes your body; it causes your blood vessels to narrow. This can cause a short-term rise in blood pressure, but as you warm up, you get greater blood vessel widening and increased oxygen delivery to all the tissues in your body.
This constriction followed by vasodilation can give your circulation a boost. Some research suggests this may help with blood pressure control over time. Plus, chilly water has an anti-inflammatory effect that may be beneficial for your heart and blood vessels.
However, you should talk to your doctor before blasting your body with cold. If you have poorly controlled blood pressure or a heart problem, it could be an unsafe practice for you due to the short-term rise in blood pressure and heart rate that cold water triggers.
Also, introduce cold showers gradually. Start by wrapping up a warm shower with a brief cold rinse, and slowly increasing the duration of cold exposure over time. Taking this approach will give your body a chance to adapt to the cold.
Metabolism Boost: Burn, Baby, Burn
Another reason people jump into a cold shower is to boost their resting metabolic rate. Although this effect is subtle, exposure to cold forces your body to work harder to keep a healthy core body temperature. It must burn more energy to do this. Exposing your body to cold also turns on brown fat cells that are less efficient and waste more energy as heat. So, you’re burning more calories. Although humans have limited brown fat as adults, you still have some around your neck and collarbone that you can activate with cold exposure.
Inflammation Buster and Muscle Recovery
Another benefit of cold water is it helps reduce inflammation and ease delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that you get after a hard workout. A meta-analysis of nine studies found that immersing bodies in water between 10 and 15 degrees centigrade. reduced muscle inflammation and soreness. Plus, it helped boost muscle recovery for better performance with subsequent exercise. One question that still hasn’t been answered is how cold-water immersion affects muscle growth in response to strength training.
Mood Elevator: Chill Out to Feel Better
Cold showers may also be a mood booster. Studies show that suddenly exposing your body to cold water, as with a cold shower, releases brain chemicals that have mood-boosting benefits. What explains this benefit? One explanation is the high density of cold receptors in the skin that send signals to the brain when you expose them to cold. Plus, cold activates the sympathetic nervous system and increases the blood level of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline, further contributing to its potential anti-depressive effects. Some experts feel that taking a cold shower once or twice a week could help people struggling with depression.
Wake-Up Call: Instant Alertness
A cold shower may help you wake up and feel more alert without the jittery side effects of caffeinated coffee. Since cold water activates your sympathetic nervous system, it makes you more awake and alert. So, the next time you’re tempted to hit the snooze alarm and sleep a little longer, blast yourself awake with a cold shower – and give your coffee maker a rest.
Glowing Skin and Luscious Locks
When you jump into a cold shower, your blood vessels tighten and constrict blood flow. Once you step out of the shower and your skin is exposed to heat, they expand, giving your skin a youthful glow. It’s like a spa treatment right in your own bathroom!
How to Take the Plunge
Now, before you go diving headfirst into arctic waters, let’s talk strategy. Start your adventure into cold water blasts with a warm shower. Then, during the last 30 seconds of your shower excursion, lower the temperature of the water. Aim for water temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5°C) for maximum benefits.
And remember, you don’t need to freeze for hours – even just 2-3 minutes of cold exposure can be beneficial. The goal of taking a cold shower isn’t to be uncomfortable, it’s to get the possible benefits listed above. So, take it slowly.
The Chill Factor: Considerations and Cautions
Know that cold showers may work differently for different people. If you have health conditions, talk to your doctor before dialing back the temperature on your shower water. Plus, there’s still a lot we don’t know about their health effects. So, approach them with caution and respect and use them as a supplement, rather than a substitute for a healthy lifestyle comprising a balanced diet, consistent exercise, and sufficient sleep.
Embrace the Chill
If you dare, give cold showers a try! Start with brief periods, maintain consistency, and you may soon come to enjoy the refreshing splash of cold water. You might even become one of those fervent proponents of cold showers at social events (we all know someone like that).
References:
- Buijze, Geert A, Inger N Sierevelt, van, Marcel G Dijkgraaf, and Monique. 2016. “The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” PloS One 11 (9): e0161749–49. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161749.
- Shevchuk, Nikolai A. 2008. “Adapted Cold Shower as a Potential Treatment for Depression.” Medical Hypotheses 70 (5): 995–1001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2007.04.052.
- Ajjimaporn A, Chaunchaiyakul R, Pitsamai S, Widjaja W. Effect of cold shower on recovery from high-intensity cycling in the heat. J Strength Cond Res. 2019;33(8):2233-2240. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000003017.
- Mooventhan, A., & Nivethitha, L. (2014). Scientific evidence-based effects of hydrotherapy on various systems of the body. North American Journal of Medical Sciences, 6(5), 199-209.
- Bleakley, C. M., & Davison, G. W. (2010). What is the biochemical and physiological rationale for using cold-water immersion in sports recovery? A systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 44(3), 179-187.
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