X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parenting & Play by Friso
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-schooler
    • Kids
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • Money Parenting
    • Tips for Parents
    • Tips for Toddlers
    • Tips for Older Kids
    • The 5 Personas
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Cold Showers Are Good For You, Here’s What The Evidence Shows

5 min read
Cold Showers Are Good For You, Here’s What The Evidence ShowsCold Showers Are Good For You, Here’s What The Evidence Shows

The reason a blast of cold water might stop people from getting ill is not clear, but some research suggests it may have something to do with boosting the immune system.

A cold shower in the morning is a pretty unpleasant way to start the day. Yet many have been tempted to take up the habit because being immersed in cold water has many purported health benefits, both physical and mental.

Cold showers were first administered for health reasons in the early 19th century when doctors designed them for use on asylum and prison inmates to “cool hot, inflamed brains, and to instil fear to tame impetuous wills.”

By the mid-19th century, the people realised that the shower had other uses, namely washing people – and it would be better if the water was warm. So the shower went from being a device used to inflict unpleasantness for an hour and a half to one that was very pleasant and lasted about five minutes.

And yet the practice of taking a cold shower for health benefits never truly went away, and, indeed, seems to be enjoying a resurgence. Especially among Silicon Valley types.

But What Does The Evidence Show?

cold shower benefits

Image courtesy: iStock

A large study from the Netherlands found that people who took a cold shower were less likely than those who took a warm shower to take time off work due to sickness.

A group of over 3,000 people was split into four groups and asked to have a warm shower every day. But one group was asked to end it with 30 seconds of cold water, another with 60 seconds of cold water, another with 90 seconds of cold water. The control group could merely enjoy a warm shower. The participants were asked to follow this protocol for a month. (Although, 64% continued with the cold-water regimen because they liked it so much.)

After a three-month follow-up period, they found that the groups that had cold water had a 29% reduction of self-reported sick leave from work. Interestingly, the duration of the cold water did not affect the sickness absence.

The reason a blast of cold water might stop people from getting ill is not clear, but some research suggests it may have something to do with boosting the immune system. 

A study from the Czech Republic showed that when “athletic young men” were immersed in cold water three times a week for six weeks, it gave a slight boost to their immune system. However, more and larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Cold water also appears to activate the sympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that governs the fight-or-flight’ response (an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as dangerous, stressful or frightening).

When this is activated, such as during a cold shower, you get an increase in the hormone noradrenaline. This is what most likely causes the increase in heart rate and blood pressure observed when people are immersed in cold water, and is linked to the suggested health improvements.

Fight Or Flight Response

Cold water immersion has also been shown to improve circulation. When exposed to cold water, there is decreased blood flow to the skin. When the cold water stops, the body has to warm itself up, so there is an increase in blood flow to the surface of the skin. Some scientists think that this could improve circulation.

 A study that looked at cold-water immersion after exercise found that, after four weeks, blood flow to and from muscles had improved.

There is also some evidence that a cold shower can help you lose weight. A study found that cold-water immersion at 14℃ increased metabolism by 350%. Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy, so a higher metabolism roughly equals more energy burned.

Aside from the physical benefits, cold showers could have mental health benefits too. There is a school of thought that cold water immersion causes increased mental alertness due to the stimulation of the previously mentioned fight-or-flight response. In older adults, cold water applied to the face and neck has been shown to improve brain function.

A cold shower may also help relieve symptoms of depression. A proposed mechanism is that, due to the high density of cold receptors in the skin, a cold shower sends an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which may have an anti-depressive effect.

There is a fair amount of evidence that cold water immersion or having a cold shower is good for your health – even if the reasons why are still a little unclear.

But before you start turning the cold tap on towards the end of your shower, you should know that there are some risks to a cold shower. Because a sudden gush of cold water shocks the body, it can be dangerous for people with heart disease and could precipitate a heart attack or heart-rhythm irregularities.

This article was first published by The Conversation and republished on theAsianparent with permission. 

Partner Stories
Changi Experience Studio’s ‘A Night at the Airport’ Family Camp and Other Fun Programmes Return to Jewel This June Holidays
Changi Experience Studio’s ‘A Night at the Airport’ Family Camp and Other Fun Programmes Return to Jewel This June Holidays
Have the Ultimate Dubai Bucket List Holiday This Summer With Emirates
Have the Ultimate Dubai Bucket List Holiday This Summer With Emirates
Say Hello to Marks & Spencer's Eggstra Special Easter Friends!
Say Hello to Marks & Spencer's Eggstra Special Easter Friends!
Here’s Why Your Kids Will Love The Brand New Animated Series, Transformers: BotBots
Here’s Why Your Kids Will Love The Brand New Animated Series, Transformers: BotBots

ALSO READ:

Is Filtered Water Worth The Hype In Singapore? The Answer May Surprise You

“When Can I Give My Baby Water?”: a Must-read Guide for Parents

Cold Showers Are Good For You, Heres What The Evidence Shows

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

The Conversation

  • Home
  • /
  • Lifestyle
  • /
  • Cold Showers Are Good For You, Here’s What The Evidence Shows
Share:
  • Best Winter Activities in New Zealand for the Upcoming Holidays

    Best Winter Activities in New Zealand for the Upcoming Holidays

  • Changi Experience Studio’s ‘A Night at the Airport’ Family Camp and Other Fun Programmes Return to Jewel This June Holidays
    Partner Stories

    Changi Experience Studio’s ‘A Night at the Airport’ Family Camp and Other Fun Programmes Return to Jewel This June Holidays

  • Top Ways to Go on Your Dream Vacation For Less

    Top Ways to Go on Your Dream Vacation For Less

app info
get app banner
  • Best Winter Activities in New Zealand for the Upcoming Holidays

    Best Winter Activities in New Zealand for the Upcoming Holidays

  • Changi Experience Studio’s ‘A Night at the Airport’ Family Camp and Other Fun Programmes Return to Jewel This June Holidays
    Partner Stories

    Changi Experience Studio’s ‘A Night at the Airport’ Family Camp and Other Fun Programmes Return to Jewel This June Holidays

  • Top Ways to Go on Your Dream Vacation For Less

    Top Ways to Go on Your Dream Vacation For Less

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2022. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.