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.
Energized
Posted by Al (Atlanta, GA)
★★★★★
I've been taking cold showers for two years now, every morning, and sometimes in the evening. I am addicted. I start my day with an energy level that is not possible to attain in any other fashion of which I am aware. I don't get sick in the winter, even when I go out without a shirt on. I don't take warm showers at all anymore. I used to think that I was a little nuts, but now after visiting this web site I'm relieved. I've only told a couple of my closest associates about my addiction to cold showers since most people would find it hard, if not impossible to appreciate or understand. I have also dispensed with air conditioning in my auto and home. I find myself returning to the days of my youth when such modern conveniences were non-existent. I walk a lot also. I practice the separation of mind and body, and cold showers assist me in taking control of the body through the power of the mind. I readily confess that cold showers are now a way of life for me and I feel blessed that I accidentally found out about this magnificent therapy when our heater went out and I was forced to take my first cold shower. Take care and God bless. It's time to take my shower! Al Jefferson
Enhanced Sense of Smell
Posted by James (St. Louis)
★★★★★
I started taking cold showers (very cold) about a month ago due to high gas bills. I have also done some research on the topic and have found that many cultures from India to Russia have practiced this for hundreds of years. Russian boxers do this for toughing up the skin before a fight and as the topic above Indians have been practicing this for health benefits mental and physical. The most dramatic benefit I have found is sense of smell. I never realized how smelly hot water is. Also after taking a warm shower, you smell as if you didn't clean yourself an hour later. Start taking cold showers help yourself and the environment!
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Fernanda (Sydney, Australia)
★★★★★
Well, I guess I will be the first woman to say how great it feels to be having cold showers first thing in the morning.. My dad who is studying naturopathy began about 2 months ago to have cold showers in the morning then went back to bed for 10 mins for his body to warm up!! I have been doing the same for 3 weeks and I feel mentally more alert, with more energy and the funny thing is that when ever I feel a little bit hot, my body is craving to have another cold shower.. my complexion is looking so healthy and I don't have to use moisturizers any more.. I recommend for other women to try this. You will benefit so much from it.. so go for girls give ur self that cold shower!
Immune System
Posted by Tim (NSW Kitchener, Australia)
★★★★★
I decided to finish every normal 'hot shower' with a blast of totally cold water, after reading a book by an old healer by the name of Jethro Kloss. Anyway, I am a bad asthmatic, and used to get sick around 6 times per year. When I got sick it really affected my chest, with huge amounts of mucous, and real bad asthma.
Now I rarely get sick (it boosts the immune system as well as circulation), and if I do it's usually just a mildly sore throat. I wish I could better explain the massive difference this has made. Even if you feel sickness coming on, a cold shower will often stop it in its tracks.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Christie (Ontario, Canada)
★★★★★
Although I have not been using cold showers to treat specific ailments, I have been finding that in spite of an incredibly limited amount of sleep lately (3-5 hrs a night), the cold showers in the mornings have helped to revive my senses, increase blood circulation, and increase clarity and concentration(I only wish I had the opportunity to take one in the afternoon!). I did not know that cold showers were advised against during menstruation but that explains my intense aversion to them at this time and I won't be trying to endure that experience again. I have used cold showers at the end of very warm showers for about ten years now fairly consistently, however, I have switched to only cold showers in the morning under the direction of my yoga teacher trainer, and have noted that I feel I am gaining more benefits from the cold as opposed to the hot-cold routine.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by H (London)
★★★★★
I recently discovered the wonders of hot-cold showers only 3 weeks ago, having read about it in a book about rejuvenation which highly recommend the practice. Despite being in my thirties I thought it's never too early to start preventative measures, and decided to try it out despite a great deal of aversion to the idea. Boy, am I glad I did. It's the single best thing I do every day for my health, energy, looks and state of mind. Nothing, and I mean nothing produces results like this almost instantaneously. After my shower I feel so happy, I'm almost dancing with joy, whatever state I was in before getting in.
My skin glows (I only realized this when people kept on complimenting me); and I feel full of beans and raring to go - the absolute opposite to how I normally feel in the mornings ! I'd always defined myself as "not a morning person". Well that's no longer true! I start with a hot shower whilst washing then switch to cold for 15 seconds then hot, and repeat twice. I don't think I could cope with getting into a cold shower during the winter, though I will try it out in summer.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by John (Lacrosse, WI)
★★★★★
In the summer of '81, while working at Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park, I was faced with what I thought was an unbearable situation. The hot water heater went out in the dorms. This meant, of course, that we had to take cold showers--and I mean COLD, since the water source was Swiftcurrent Lake, which couldn't have been more than 38 degrees.
Well, on my initial encounter with the hyperborean liquid, I turned eighteen shades of blue. But, oddly enough, I (and my coworkers in the dorm) got used to it; in fact, we grew to like it. It felt incredible to vigorously rub down after the shower, looking out at the snow-capped peaks through an open window. I felt like the Fates had suddenly whispered to me a great secret. A week later, when the hot water system was fixed, I kept up with the Spartan regimen, and have maintained the habit since.
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Dave Murray (Derby, Uk) on 08/31/2011
★★★★★
I recall reading that part of the Spartan regime at Gordonstoun School in Scotland is/was cold showers. HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh attended this school and he has recently reached his 90th year. The cold showers haven't done him any harm have they! As for me, I have just discovered them. Kind people have given me a shower head, curtain etc so it's only cost me a few pounds to make my cold shower. It's great!
Lethargy
Posted by Robin (Alamogordo Nm) on 07/22/2016
You are talking about CORE temps. It takes a looooong time to change your core temp. Stuff like this just confuses people and scares them off from doing more research into something that could help. A 1 to 3 minute cold shower will not affect your CORE body temperature!!!
EC: Right, but the poster wrote about a 15 minute cold shower, not a 3 minute cold shower!
Mood Enhancer
Posted by Patrick (Sydney, Australia) on 05/25/2009
★★★★★
I found cold water by accident. I swim each day and when the cold weather arrived I kept swimming in the outdoor pool until they closed for winter. And, I was the only person left swimming in the 15 degree water. I found that cold water gave me an incredible feeling and I wondered if anyone else has experienced it - so I checked the internet. And yes, many had - I was not alone. Now, for the past month I have been swimming in the heated indoor pool but having cold showers after - plus I also have cold showers each morning. I laugh before I get in the shower; my head is a can of worms screaming at me not to inflict this pain. But I do it. I stay under the water until it feels comfortable. BUT, it is best to wear rubber thongs/jandalls/flip flops to save freezing your little feet off on the cold tiles.
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by James (Roseburg, Oregon) on 05/05/2009
★★★★★
This is a submission for the cold showers remedy.
My Method and what I Know:
First how I got started. I got involved because my father told me about it (he his interested in some of the Hindu's practices and practices some of them) and that it was beneficial to ones health. He also told me of some other Hindu practices that I now combine into my shower regime.
So, next is what I do. First I turn the tap on warm. But since I am not close to the hot water source, it takes some time for it to reach me. So I usually have a 10-15 second cold shower. I then take a hot shower for the next minute or so. Following that I rinse myself with another 10-20 second shower. At the end I pat myself dry with a towel. Also during the shower I usually yell as loud as I can for stress relief reasons. Plus to give my vocal cords some exercise.
Now I will tell you what I experienced during my time taking cold-hot-cold showers. First, I noticed a peculiar thing about my perception of the waters temperature. The first section felt quite cold and I usually try to keep it short. The portion after the hot part on the other hand did not fell anything like the one before. It was almost like my body had created a shield; likely to be the blood rising to the surface from the first cold water blast, and then my body was further heated from the hot water. Two last thoughts, At the beginning I had a lot of trouble turning the water on. But, I noticed that as I continued it was taking less and less effort on my part, till now I have next to no trouble. Thought two, I also noticed that taking my shower is very revitalizing, and is good for clearing my head so I can think properly.
This next section I will talk about the benefits I have seen of taking a cold-hot-cold shower. I know it would be good for warding off sickness in two ways. First, it acts as a mixer to the blood. The cold bringing the blood to the surface, then the hot driving it inwards, and finally the cold drawing it back out again. ( I think the blood does this because of homeostasis, a bodies mechanism for keeping balance.) The second reason I think these showers are good for wellness is that hot promotes openness and movement, essentially opening the pores of your skin. Cold on the other hand closes things and promotes stillness.
So, I would advise a person to end with a session of cold water at the end of a period of hot water. UNLESS, that is, they wish to have their pores open for health purposes. Although as general practice I would usually close my pores.
Also a word of caution. Try to keep the water from being to hot. Especially where your hair is concerned, as it can cause damage to the roots. (Or so I have hear. But it does make some sense.)
Thank you for reading this, and I hope you got something out of reading it.
Good Vitality and Enthusiasm to you!
Reduces Blood Glucose
Posted by Sushan (London, UK) on 02/01/2009
★★★★★
Cold shower therapy to reduce blood sugar:
cold shower therapy to reduce blood glucose, and get lots of other health benefits. as someone with type 2 diabetes i have been experimenting off and on over 2 years or so with cold showers. they definitely work to reduce blood sugar, by encouraging the cells to utilise the glucose.
some tips:
1. for sustained benefit, its necessary to habituate to cold water( colder temperature is better, ideally around 10 degree centigrade , so it helps to live in a cold climate). It will probably take about a month to habituate. You know this has occurred when you dont really feel the cold after a minute or so of the cold shower, but instead feel quite deatached from consideration of the temperature- you dont really mind it; in fact you rather enjoy the sensation.
2. duration: best results occur when the duration of the shower is upwards of 3 minutes ( it takes 3 minutes for blood to make a complete circuit of the system )to 15 minutes. I personally aim for 2 cold showers a day, 11 minutes each time. morning and evening. self- massage your body during the shower to stimulate circulation, and warm the body. Peripheral circulation (PC) is an issue with diabetes - i have found my practice has significantly improved my own PC- but the self massage is essential especially where the body feels cold.
3. wrap up well after the shower, incl thick socks and if you take longer showers (over 6 minutes) ensure the body temperature has returned to homeostasis before venturing out.
4. caution - if you have diabetes with uncontrolled HBP or atherosclerosis, dont try this approach . At the start it can spike BP up, although its final effect on BP is benign and beneficial.
Cold Baths
Posted by Tamara (Reading, Berkshire UK) on 01/27/2009
★★★★★
In the early 90's I took part in a trial of cold bath therapy. This consisted of taking a cold bath every morning and started off at 22 degrees C for 5 minutes and increasing the time and decreasing the temperature so that when one got to 14 degrees C one was immersed in the water for 20 minutes. That proved to be too long for me, but I did manage 14 degrees for 10 minutes and I must say, having done the therapy for a period of 6 months, I felt extraordinarily well on it. I have now decided to resume it and, having done my first 5 minutes in 22 degrees this morning, am feeling really rather well!
The therapy was thought out by a Pakistani physician here in the UK initially as a cure for Asthma and then ME. I have however lost all reference to him and the therapy and would be grateful if someone knows anything and would care to share! Happy cold bathing!
EC: FYI, 22 C is about 72 F.
Depression
Posted by Jeff (Houston, Texas) on 12/31/2008
★★★★★
Cold Shower Therapy for Depression:
I didn't initially read about cold shower therapy for depression here, but wanted to comment on the positive benefits and why scientists think it works.
I've suffered from treatment resistant or refractory depression since the age of sixteen and am now forty-one years old. I've tried over 50 medications (MAOI's are the best in my personal and medical option), had over 70 ECT (electronvulsive or shock therapy treatments at the age of 18/19), and have tried every other known treatment for depression in the history of mankind.
Cold showers (or baths, swimming in lakes) has been a complimentary or adjunct therapy for me over the past several years. Scientist think it stimulates the blue spot or locus cerulus in the brain which is the main source of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (noradrenaline), but it also stimulates endorphins and has other effects on the hypothalamus/pituitary like stimulating thyroid hormone, helping with hot flashes (I have them with depression) and helps normalize circadian rhythms. I believe it works wonders and am living proof.
I also want to add something else for those who suffer from depression that they might want to try. Sleep deprivation for one or two nights. You might think it would cause depression, but it stimulates most of the neurotransmitters in the brain and is useful for enhancing the antidepressant effect of medications.
Lastly, if one is not so depressed that they're bed ridden, exercise can work wonders.
Mood Enhancer
Posted by Pat (London, England) on 11/10/2008
★★★★★
I am the sort of person that will not swim unless the water is lovely and warm so I dont know what made me start turning the shower to cold after my normal hot session. I didnt stand under it just put my arms and legs under and splashed myself. Then I had the bizarre idea of running a shallow cold bath and putting some good oil in and getting into that. At first I just paddled and splashed but now i sit down in it, and sponge myself down. Wonder if I will ever lie down?? i dont have any ailments i want to cure, but I feel so good after the bath that I dont think I will ever stop startng my day like this. I googled cold shower to see if I was not the only completely mad person and found this site. Since reading this thread i tried the hand held shower nozzle but that was unpleasant and made me feel cold afterwards rather than tingly warm. i am sure it is improving my skin tone, I am 60 this week and my skin needs all the help it can get. And is it just a coincidence that my tennis elbow has gone??
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Coldwater (West Park, Fl) on 08/04/2008
★★★★★
Cold showers are extremely good for the body. They help to drive a fresh supply of oxygenated blood to the site of infection or blockage. Every single person should finish off a shower or bath with cold water. It is highly beneficial.
