The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Komal (NJ, USA) on 05/25/2007
★★★★★
I am 28 and have been a vegetarian all my life. I have been taking cold showers for the last 12 years. I have a way of doing it. I start from my head and keep the water dripping on the head for a few seconds and I feel the rest of the body warming up. then i get into it.
Talking about the advantages, Where can I start.
Cold showers helped me get over the anxiety of the teen age, they have helped me concentrate in studies, feel confident when facing challenges and the list goes on. The recent example is when I had to undergo a knee reconstruction. It is a painful surgery and I was strongly advised by my surgeon to have pain killers for the next few months (I was told not to be brave and have a pill every time I was in pain). I had a better way out. It's been 6 months and not even 1 painkiller and no pain as well. I know there must be a number of factors but cold showers are the greatest. So keep the hot knob closed and keep the warmth coming out for good.
Anxiety
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, Usa) on 08/29/2020 523 posts
Lavina! A camp shower in the fridge? That's BRILLIANT!
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Gracie (Pasadena, CA) on 08/08/2006
★★★★★
My body hums, vibrates with energy, after a cold shower, very obviously so when I take one just before bed .I lie down on nice clean sheets with a fresh feeling that honestly makes me feel like a kid again. I feel sensual, youthful, trim and slim after a cold shower. As a professional artist my color palette has become brighter, cleaner and more like freshly squeezed fruit juice than in past. My ideas have opened up, become more playful and light hearted. I have opened up more to other people which has attracted new clients into my business life. I have no interest in hot showers. The thought of standing under hot water is actually unpleasant to me now. I love stepping under the flow of water that feels like plunging into ocean. You get the same rush of electricity from a cold shower as you do in large bodies of water. I wish that I had known about them years ago .They have changed my entire outlook on life which is helping the world because I am more loving,open and kind to the people that I come into contact with. I am also more tolerant of situations that used to drive me into states of serious anxiety.
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Ahmad (Kansas City, Missouri) on 01/31/2006
★★★★★
Cold showers are not for everyone! Your body will tell you; shivering inconsolably like a pager on vibrate without acclimating. In this case, the potential good will have to be outweighed by your own mental well-being and stamina. But if you're those fortunate ones to stomach this midwinter dance, then try to make routine the targeting of the area under your arms (where the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems connect. This is a conduit point for blood flow and setoffs the body for a silent symphony of contractions between your bouts of frigid shower time.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Sid (San Francisco, CA)
★★★★★
I take a hot-cold shower 7 times as recommended by Dr. Schultz.
At first I thought this was excessive but it wasn't at all. Moreover, it encouraged me to involve myself in taking cold showers at all.
I found after 3 hot-colds that my body tolerated the cold much easier and by the time I got to the 7th time, I was able to endure the cold shower easily. The results are remarkable as it easily brings me out of depression and brings good cheer and optimism to my heart. Moreover, my energy levels are high and I can then take my exercise routine with no difficulty whatsoever.
There are too many good points about this discipline and I would encourage anyone to undertake this to do. If it is winter time and you feel really chilled out then it may be better to really arm up your body with a very warm shower until you feel enough strength for the first cold shower. And, it may be tough so do it for only a few seconds if you feel your body is weak. Then hot again until you feel strong enough to do the cold again for a few seconds. If after the third time you find it is chilling your body too much then I would not continue.
However, there is a distinction between a healthy body that can endure and enjoy the hot-cold routine and someone who may have a chill that has weakened the body so it is best to start the hot-cold routine during the summer or when you are feeling well rather than start it when you are tired, feel weak and lacking energy. Moreover, people who exercise have better circulation and can naturally enjoy the difference. I
have tried taking only a cold shower but my feeling is that there is a distinction and that the hot-cold may have an extra edge on getting a better circulation and it will certainly encourage non-participants in getting involved. If anyone has other thoughts or info on this I would be glad to receive their input.
Anxiety
Posted by Marissa (Williamstown, Nj) on 12/20/2011
I suffer from anxiety so much! And I want to start this cold shower therapy, but will it negatively effect my high blood pressure? btw this high blood pressure is all new ever since I've started with these headaches that seem like tension. (alot if pain on almost a daily basis) will the CST be a good solution for me? Does it help with headaches? Thanx so much!!
Anxiety
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Usa) on 12/21/2011 2048 posts
Marissa, all your symptoms are common in heavy metal poisoning. Do you detox periodically? Master Cleanse? Take Vit/min supplement? Eat lots of greens, Chlorella? Oil Pull? it could likely be anything else like allergy or who knows, just sayin' it's likely.
From what I've read, cold shower therapy can be dangerous for LOW blood pressure folks. Try CST s l o w l y. Just a little cool at end of shower, more cooler and end of next shower etc.
I would do the CST along with other detox methods. A high profile, high potency multivitamin/mineral/foods supplement as directed on label alone will help very much if you are one who never supplement.
Depression
Posted by Kp (Punjab, India) on 05/07/2011
★★★★★
i read about cold water shower yesterday and tried it today. it took me off from my depression medicine.
Stomach Pain
Posted by Earthy (Dearborn, Mi) on 03/12/2011
★★★★★
Ok this is amazing this totally works I had horible stomach pain and then I took a cold shower and then felt tottaly better and even more amazing in the muslims book ( quaran ) it says to the prophet jacob to wash himself with cold water.
Cold Baths
Posted by Yggdrasil (Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway) on 10/05/2010
★★★★★
I live in Norway, and was delighted to read all the feedback on cold baths and showers. Through my job, I had access to a cabin on the ocean, and bathed during the summertime (17-18 Celsius). I felt great afterwords(hot shower to wash the salt off). On a dare, we swam later and later into the fall, swimming until the water was 12C, and always getting an incredibly invigorating experience. It became the absolute highlight of every trip to the cabin! I thought this was all to do with the ocean, for some reason, and it never occurred to me that a cold shower or bath would give me the same results! It is exactly as described here by so many: I swam around until I didn't feel cold anymore, then stayed until I started to feel chilled (arms start getting heavy in 12C! ). Then into the hot shower, and out again incredibly re-invigorated. What an interesting website!
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Leon (Wichita, Kansas) on 06/20/2009
★★★★★
I am convinced the cold shower works. When I take a cold shower every morning I feel the rush of exhileration and blood circulation when I get out, which is why I feel warm. Still my health is among the best in the world. No medication and no allergies or asthma. Period.
Weight Loss
Posted by Lana (Des Plaines, IL) on 06/02/2009
★★★★★
I've been doing cold showers for 2 weeks, and my appetite significantly decreased, and i lost 4 pounds already. Amazing! ACV helps too, but it doesn't decrease appetite as cold showers do, at least for me.
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Paul (Uxbridge, MA) on 12/01/2008
★★★★★
1. Not sure. I take mine in a regular shower with a normal shower curtain. I don't think it would matter to be honest.
2. Fixed shower heads probably work better b/c you need to force yourself under the cold water. A moveable head doesn't give you the full affect of the refreshing blast of cold water coming at you.
3. I used to take hot showers for a good 15 minutes. I've been able to cut my showers down to 5 minutes while fully cleaning myself. Cold showers are extremely environmental friendly in that respect.
4. Dry off. I don't feel the need to shiver in the bathroom and try to warm myself up. My body temp has risen to the point where I can get out of the shower and not reach for the towel to warm up but rather dry off.
5. Not at all. I thought it would when I first started but it really isn't. The shampoo and soap come off just as if it was warm water.
6. Dimensions... I don't think it matters. One thing I do is run in place as soon as that cold blast hits me. You do feel a good shock to the body but compose yourself and run in place for 30 seconds and you will notice that you can handle the cold water better.
7. Not that I can think of.
The best way to promote cold showers would be to talk about how healthy cold showers are. My moods have improved, Headaches are limited, I almost never get sick, I can handle sleeping in a cold basement now, my hair is thicker and stronger, my skin is smoother, I have much better circulation. To be honest, I didn't even think of the environmental effect cold showers would have, but it certainly has cut my oil and water bill drastically.
Best of Luck!!!
Cold Baths
Posted by Kenneth (Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire UK) on 02/22/2008
★★★★★
Forget all about cold showers! Much too brutal. Cold water baths are the thing but then only early in the morning and before the brain is in gear & knows what is happening. You run the cold water bath tap whilst brushing your teeth & washing your face.This gives you a perfect 12 inches of water to which you add some good quality lavender lotion. Then it's in you go, feet first folloiwed by the bottom. A good sponge down of the torso follows. Then stand up & soap the forked bit. After this lie down slowish until everything but the head is submerged. ( At this point I say my morning prayers). A final sponge down completes the process & you step out of the tub feeling taut, fit & very self-righteous having been no more than about 3 minutes in the bath. I've been doing this for nearly 25 years now & am healthy & fit as a fiddle.
Skin Care
Posted by Kenny (Strathclyde, Scotland) on 02/19/2008
★★★★★
For some time now (since before I started ACV), I've suffered red SPOTS/PIMPLES on the face/cheeks and on my head, and since I have little hair, it's particularly unsightly, I also had kind of FLAKEY SKIN on these areas, both would normally be quite itchy.
I have recently taken to the topical application of ACV on these areas, speculatively. I have to say, in just a couple of days, the results are dramatic... I tilt the bottle onto a cotton pad a couple of times to saturate it, about the same size as a cosmetic make-up remover and wipe all over my face and head liberally, avoiding the eyes (cos it stings). I leave it on and repeat several times a day (just remember to wash the face with clean lukewarm water before you go out and pat it dry). The resulting effect is no redness, no flakey skin, just a taught, fresh-faced complexion.
To compliment that, I have been taking daily sauna and steam bath treatments, interspersed with cold showers,excellent for a variety of conditions I'm sure, marvellous for the circulation, very invigorating and great for the skin, which I read here somewhere - is like the body's third kidney, and when in tip-top working condition, serves the body well to flush-out and detox the system. Try it!
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Alexa Fleckenstein M.D. (Brookline, MA) on 11/07/2007
★★★★★
I am fascinated how people stay under an ice-cold shower for a prolonged time. But as a physician and somebody who is using cold water for all of her life, I want to say that one can reap the benefits of cold water also in a shorter time: Just ending a hot shower with a few seconds improves immunity, heart and lung health, boosts the mood. Ultimately about 20 to 30, but depending very much on age, fitness, body mass, time of the day, health status. We don't all have to be winter swimmers - but our modern life lacks the stimuli of the natural world we experienced in prehistoric times, and a short cold shower can restore some of our birthright. My new book "Health20" may help you and Mother Earth to better health (McGraw Hill, February 2007). No, it's not "Health Twenty" but "Health Two O" like in "H20" (water), and it tells you about the myriad health benefits of water - inside and outside, warm and cold. Because we haven't even dipped into the healing power in water! Water greetings! Alexa Fleckenstein M.D.
Best Sleep Ever
Posted by John (Virginia, USA) on 10/16/2007
★★★★★
I have been taking cold showers for the past 3 days at night and I can greatly tell the difference. If I lay down to sleep right after I take a shower, I usually fall asleep within 15 minutes, which is a miracle since it usually took me about an hour or more. I didnt even bother trying to take them over the summer as the water wasnt cold enough, but now that fall is coming and temperatures are getting in the 40's the water is freezing. I cant wait until snow comes so the water is even colder. I havent tried them in the morning as I get out of bed and go in the shower and usually dont feel like getting real cold but I will tomorrow to see if it effects my day. The only side effect is when I was in the shower for the first 5 seconds I started panting and almost became dilusional because it was shocking. Nothing bad about them though. I do have to go from medium to cold back to the middle of the both then cold in order to survive it. Would reccomend it to anyone!
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Jennifer (Chicago, Illinois) on 08/15/2007
★★★★★
I started taking cold showers only a few days ago and I'm already addicted!! I used to LOVE a hot shower- but I will never go back. In just a few short days, I've noticed a drastic energy boost, better overall mood/spirits and improved skin and muscle tone. I feel like I'm able to concentrate better at work and my energy seems to last all day. I start out lukewarm and gradually turn colder - until the last few minutes are as cold as I can stand. It gets a little longer each day!! I take one in the morning and am finding that I'm now craving a second one at night. Only question is - why shouldn't women take cold showers during menstration? Is this harmful?
