Cold Showers – Actual Benefits and Myths You Should Know

Brrrrrrrrng! The alarm clock groaned for the THIRD TIME! Hit snooze, AGAIN! I fell asleep in the middle of a doom scroll - my phone's still playing the video of Christiano Ronaldo talking into my screen from a tub.

Miserably, I dragged myself out of bed and stood in front of the bathroom mirror. Then it dawned on me: It was already 7 a.m., and I had to be at the office by 8!

I calculated how much time I had before I could rush out: brush my teeth, get ready, get coffee on the way, and maybe skip if it's too late! This was all I could afford, but my body was not ready to move, and my mind was completely muddled.

With great effort, I hauled myself into the shower and turned on the ice-cold water. I felt the ice bath jolt me awake from the dead. As soon as I turned off the knob and stepped out of the shower, I felt like a different person.

As I rushed out of my house at 7:40, I was still sleep-deprived, but at least now I did not feel like it—or even, might I dare say it, look like it.

As far as making lifestyle choices go, getting a cold shower is pretty much up there with investing in SIPs and checking your engine oil. The benefits are endless!

Improves immunity: Research suggests that cold water can boost immunity. A study in the Netherlands concluded that taking regular cold showers for at least 30 days can reduce the number of sick days people take off from work. If you constantly feel under the weather, this could be a game changer.

Makes you feel good: Fun fact! We have certain feel-good chemicals in our body named endorphins. Our body releases these chemicals naturally when we do something that makes us feel good.

According to Nikolai A. Shevchuk, a Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researcher, cold showers may alleviate depression by enhancing brain activity that plays a huge role in mood control. By triggering the release of this chemical, cold showers can improve mood and provide an analgesic (pain-relieving) effect. In the endless grind of everyday life, who wouldn't want a low-effort, a good-old boost of happy hormones to kickstart our day?

Increased alertness: Not just happiness, but it also gives you the will to live! More or less. Noradrenaline is a neurotransmitter involved in the body's stress response. Exposure to cold increases noradrenaline in the brain and bloodstream, leading to improved focus, alertness, and mood regulation.

Subjecting yourself to icy cold water may be an excellent way to increase focus and alertness if you feel groggy, under slept, or post-30.

Helps with muscle soreness and fatigue: Imagine a scenario. You just came back from playing a gruelling badminton match. You feel tired, your muscles are sore. You have a presentation the next day. No, you don't have to call in sick. A frosty dip could be the answer to all your problems.

Research from 2022 suggests that CWI, or cold water immersion, helps with muscle recovery after strenuous exercise. It alleviates muscle soreness and could be a greatly effective method for athletes looking to recover quickly.

Stimulates the vagus nerve: The vagus nerve is a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps control functions like heart rate, digestion, and relaxation. Cold stimulation on the neck has been found to stimulate the vagus nerve. Bitter cold water could be key for relaxation and potentially reducing stress. A not-so-bitter outcome.

Can aid in weight loss: Preposterous, am I right? Wait, before you run into a chilled pool of water, read the whole thing. A group of Norwegian researchers found that cold water immersion could help reduce or transform body fat, which may protect against conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

CWI leads to improved insulin sensitivity, meaning the body becomes more efficient at using glucose for energy instead of storing it as fat. This can prevent fat accumulation and support overall metabolic health.

Makes us feel good AND helps to reduce weight? That's a winning combination right there.

Historically, athletes and fitness experts have advocated for the health benefits of cold plunges. Even though cold plunges or cold water immersion have many benefits, as we talked about, their effects on athletic performance and recovery are still much debated.

What is a cold plunge?

A cold plunge or cold water immersion involves complete or partial submersion into cold water. It's just what it says on the tin.

A 2023 study reviewed the effectiveness of CWI as a method for helping people recover after exercise. It concluded that CWI helps reduce muscle soreness and tiredness right after exercise, but it doesn't have a lasting effect after 24 or 48 hours.

Overall, it may help with short-term recovery, but more research is still needed to determine how cold or how long your plunge should be.

The study also suggests that CWI should not be used regularly during training phases aimed at building muscles, as it might reduce the body's natural adaptation to exercise. Its use should be tailored to individual athletes' needs and goals.

If you are thinking of taking the plunge (quite literally), please consult an expert or your doctor first to check if it's safe for you to do so.

Ice, ice, baby!

We went through countless accounts of people on the internet who tried taking cold showers consistently for a month. The takeaway?

Even though there were no significant changes, people reported feeling alert, motivated, and energised, having reduced depression symptoms, an increase in feelings of well-being, better mood, and, most importantly, a general sense of accomplishment.

A sense of accomplishment and a productive start to the day - Stepping into an ice-cold shower first thing in the morning provides a sense of achievement at having done something that is generally considered to be uncomfortable yet good for you. That simply sets them up for a great day psychologically.

A boost of energy - Cold showers feel like a shock to the system. It jolts you. Wakes you up. Subjecting yourself to it first thing in the morning accomplishes the tiresome task of waking oneself up, especially for those who struggle with motivation.

Makes you feel good - When our bodies are exposed to the cold, it activates our sympathetic nervous system and releases endorphins (feel-good hormones) and noradrenaline (impacts the body's flight-or-fight response/increases alertness). This could help relieve symptoms of depression, decrease anxiety, and have an overall positive impact on our mood.

Better hair and skin - The scathing cold stimulates circulation, which increases blood flow. This is great for your skin. Hot water can irritate your skin and strip your hair of natural oils. Cold water helps combat this by preventing the loss of moisture and reducing the appearance of frizz.

What are the alternatives to Cold Showers?

There are some people who do not want to be subjected to the rude shock of an ice-cold shower first thing in the morning, but want the benefits. The solution? A warm shower ending with 10-15 seconds of cold shower. This allows you to reap the benefits while not having to step into an ice bath first thing in the morning.

Then there are people who are a bit too apprehensive about anything cold; cold showers feel needlessly bothersome. Eating healthy, regular exercise and walks in nature could all provide the same benefits without subjecting yourself to the horrors of cold showers!

Religion, politics, and showers. People are divided. Anecdotal experiences relay that there are two kinds of people: those who believe in subjecting oneself to discomfort and don't mind the icy raptures of a cold bath, and those who associate more with the Targaryen way of life and can only step into a blistering hot shower.

But which is better?

Both hot and cold showers have their fair share of pros and cons and are known to display their fair share of benefits.

Let's take a quick look at what hot showers have to offer-

Improves blood circulation—Warm water could do wonders for our body by improving blood circulation and boosting cardiovascular health.

Improves sleep - It has been found that taking a warm shower or bath before bedtime can improve sleep quality. This is thought to happen because the warm water helps regulate body temperature, making it easier for the body to cool down, which is important for sleep.

Aids in muscle relaxation - Studies have shown that hot water can help reduce muscle soreness and relieve pain.

If we compare hot and cold showers, they have different effects and should be tuned to what our body requires. Generally, a cold shower in the morning could increase alertness and give you a boost of energy, while a hot shower at night could have a calming effect and induce sleep. It is imperative to understand the different effects and try them yourself to see what works best for you.

A study found that both cold and heat treatments can help reduce muscle damage and soreness after exercise, but they work differently. Applying cold immediately after exercise or even 24 hours later is more effective at reducing pain than using heat. However, using cold or heat right after exercise helps maintain strength and prevents further muscle damage. Both methods are beneficial, but cold treatment may be better for pain relief, especially soon after working out.

Our two cents:

A fair amount of research on cold showers or Cold Water Immersion (CWI) has been performed to date; however, the results are somewhat limited in scope. More rigorous research and controlled studies are definitely needed to better understand its effects on overall health.

It should be noted that cold showers are generally not recommended for people with cardiovascular diseases. The cold water may cause irregular heartbeats, which could further stress the heart.

In Conclusion,

It's pretty simple: this is not for you if you have heart conditions, high blood pressure, or respiratory issues.

If your immune system is compromised, such as when recovering from a cold, this would not be the recommended plan of action.

However, if you're looking to get an energy boost in the morning and improve your stress tolerance, this is the way to go.

If you are an athlete and need a quick recovery, cold showers can help reduce soreness.

And if you hate the cold, the good news is that you can definitely skip this and try something warmer and more suitable.

Does cold shower increase testosterone?

A study looked at how cold water exposure affects testosterone levels in men. It found that cold water exposure caused testosterone to drop by 10% while LH (which stands for Luteinizing hormone, a hormone that stimulates the testes to produce testosterone in men) saw an increase. In conclusion, even though the cold may temporarily cause testosterone levels to drop, its effect is fairly insignificant. So, straight answer - Just go for the icy dip and don't overthink about your testosterone levels.

Does cold shower increase dopamine?

Yes. Some research suggests that cold water exposure increases dopamine levels, a neurotransmitter that plays a big role in mood regulation. Cold showers can make you feel good and increase your sense of well-being.

Does a cold shower help fever?

The short answer is no. Cold exposure during a fever could have adverse effects since it could induce shivering and increase body temperature instead of reducing it. Research suggests that cold water sponging is effective in reducing fever. However, cold showers or cold plunges should be strictly avoided during this time.

So, should you start taking cold showers or maybe invest in a cold plunge pool?

The thing is, as far as health fads go, cold showers are a pretty low-risk undertaking. If you are perennially tired and have a difficult time functioning in the morning, this could be a great way to get an energy boost. (You still might need your caffeine, though!) It is definitely not a fix-all solution, and other activities could be done in its place (like going for a run). However, it is interesting to note that most people who have consistently followed the cold shower method for a certain amount of time have kept up with the experience. Does that mean you should get your own plunge pool? Probably not. But hey, if extreme sports is your thing, go for it!