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.
Pain Relief
Posted by Burness Speakman (Fredericktown , MO) on 09/25/2007
★★★★★
I read about the cold showers here 3 days ago. I have experienced whole body pain for as long as I can remember. Recently it has become unbearable to try and sleep without double doses of over the counter pain killers. The legs throbbed, prickley needles in the soles of the feet, leg muscle pain, skin pain, hip pain, numbness in the shin area. It was building up for years. I was ready to check myself in somewhere but I do not go to doctors. Anyway to continue. After reading the messages, I went and took a cold shower. This was the afternoon. Just before retiring I took another. This one really affected my body. Gasping and panting but not painful I stayed in the shower. For the first time since I could remember I had a peaceful night sleep. No pain in the legs at all, no numbness, no prickleys. I took three the next day with the same good results at night but with one more added strangeness. My Bowel Movement turned green. Not a dark green a kackie green and I was not constipated as usual. I gathered my bile was flowing. I had come to think I had a gallblader problem years ago but never associated the whole body aches with it. There might be some siatic nerve situation involved also, but I don't know. All I do now is that this seems just short of a miracle for me. I certainly hope it continues, because I don't know if I ever want to take another hot bath again as long as I live. Oh, the energy and high spirits are there too as others reported. Bless you all.
Mood Enhancer
Posted by Dylan (Galway, Scotland) on 09/25/2007
★★★★★
yeah after trying a few cold showers we are totally addicted to it!! good for staying up at night during exam times. as foreign students we are broke after the bill skyrocketed this summer, i have made a deal with my flatmates to turn off the water heater from now on. means we only have cold water to use into the winter !! we shall see who can last the longest..i even placed a bet that i wont turn it on again.. not until next year..
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Henry (Texas, Tx) on 06/20/2010
162 lbs with a medium build is far from being underweight with an eating disorder. People that are underweight with eating disorders would have a frail build and closer to 70-100 lbs.
Multiple Ailments Treated
Posted by Aron (Cluj-Napoca, Romania) on 09/02/2007
★★★★★
I started taking cold showers about five weeks ago. I started with Scottish showers (hot/cold) and then after a couple of days I tried the cold ones. I just love them: it gives me enough energy to last throughout the day and my overall mood has improved. Now my daily routine includes a Scottish shower in the morning and a cold one before I go to sleep. Usually it takes no more than 10 minutes to shower. I start from the feet, arms, armpits and then the chest. In the beginning I expected to catch a cold, which didn't happen (good thing), although I sneeze a lot more (bad thing). I've discovered that I have less BO and I am cleaner after showering, although I don't use soap or duche gel.
Also, for the ones who want to try it: take it easy; go from hot to lukewarm, and then gradually go to cold. Try it for 3 weeks and then decide if you don't like them. Try it.
Anxiety
Posted by JJ (VA) on 08/01/2023
But we are not talking about some situations that are life threatening. Just routine, daily activities that can avoid Tylenol, Advil and depressants etc. Are we going to compare post-heart surgery medicines or anethestics for surgery to Tylenol avoiding medicines and other over the counter medicines that can be easily avoided...not prescribed for cures but symptoms? Let's be serious again!
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Craig (Fredericksburg, Virginia) on 06/28/2007
★★★★★
Cold showers have been working wonderfully for me. No longer do I feel sluggish in the morning. It gives me energy throughout the day and makes my body feel (and look) HEALTHY! I'd recommend them for anyone. It does take a little while to get used to it, but be brave and do it. One thing I like to do while being under the ice cold for a couple minutes is turn the knob to warm for a few seconds.
WARNING - This might make you giggle uncontrollably for a few seconds and feel semi-orgasmic! After doing cold showers, I don't get rashes, my hair and skin looks healthy and I feel energetic. Have fun with your cold showers, it really does change you for the better.
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Adil (New York, USA) on 05/17/2007
★★★★★
I find taking cold showers hard (painful), but I discovered something that significantly helps: Bring a few ice cubes in a glass with you to the shower and keep an ice cube in your mouth as you shower. Take another when it melts.
Makes Hair Curly
Posted by Michael (Toronto, Canada) on 05/17/2007
★★★★★
ive been taking cold showers for about 2-3 weeks now and its really good, i feel better and everything, but since ive started taking cold showers my hair has been more curly. i just wanted to know if this is because of the cold showers or maybe something else.
EC: Yes, quite a few people have remarked about curlier hair after taking a cold shower!
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Terence (London, UK) on 05/08/2007
★★★★★
my water heater blew up during end of Jan, my landlord was away so i forced myself to take cold showers till he is back. every shower was freezingly cold at first and i shivered a lot, but once i endured pass the initial stage my body started to generate heat and i felt better, my whole body flushed after the showers and i felt warm!!
i like the challenge of it when the icy water first gush down to my skin, it is thrilling, and i found myself become healthier as i haven't catched a single cold since Jan, i have more cold tolerance i can go jogging in the cold shirtless and go to college with just one layer of shirt in the dread cold feb and march !!
when my landlord came back i didn't say a word about the spoilt heater, and continued with my cold showers, he noticed it somehow when the electricity bills dropoed, and was so surprise on how i went through the winter months, he fixed it for me but i just switched it off till now as i'm totally addicted to my cold showers !! can't wait for another winter to come !! going to challenge myself again !! something that i want to do when i'm still young and strong..
Depression
Posted by Lucy (North Vancouver, B.c Canada) on 08/24/2012
★★★★★
I been doing for more then 10 years, happy all the time, never ever sick!
Lowered Blood Sugar and High Cholesterol
Posted by Cory (Tacoma, Washington) on 03/26/2007
★★★★★
I have been taking cold showers every day now for almost three months, and I recently got the results of my latest blood and urine lab tests from my doctor. Blood sugar and cholesterol were markedly lower than the tests showed just prior to starting the cold shower regimen, with no appreciable changes in diet or physical exercise. My blood pressure was lower, and my pulse rate at rest has decreased from 72 to 54, which I find amazing. I am not in "great" shape physically, and I can only attribute these changes to the cold showers. This might actually be the 'fountain of youth'.
Anxiety
Posted by Igor (Moscow, Russia) on 02/21/2009
★★★★★
Dear Earth Clinic,
Thank you for this excellent forum on cold water therapy. I had an anxiety which seemed to 'come from nowhere'. Cold baths work on this much better than cold showers. Also swimming in the sea or lakes. There is a tradition of doing this in Russia and also northern China: but in modern times people think it is madness. In this time of credit crunch (2009) this is a practice which everyone can afford.
I have a question to people on this forum: what about time? I do it for 1-4 minutes, 2 times a day, before and after sleeping, every day, as my uncle showed me, like the brushing of the teeth. (The washing with warm water and soap I do before or after this: it seems not to matter which.) It seems that a longer time is not beneficial at all. So I am interested to know other people's ideas about timing.
Another question: I work sometimes in Arabia where it is very hot in the Summer times. There is no problem to make a bath of water, but it is not very cold. So do people know of any device/machine which can be put in a bath to make the water cold? Putting ice from the fridge is OK but this method needs a lot of ice.
Kind regards,
Igor.
Depression
Posted by Cory ( Tacoma, WA) on 02/26/2007
★★★★★
I am 52 and have been swimming in cold water all my life, and always enjoyed how the cold water made me feel afterwards. I only recently started taking cold showers, and I wish I had started years ago. I had been taking Prozac and other anti-depressant medications for eleven years and desperately wanted to get off them, but the withdrawal symptoms would hit like a nightmare. The cold showers have enabled me to get off these drugs cold turkey. I keep the water ice cold for at least five minutes, then switch to warm and finally hot. I aso discovered that targeting the armpits is absolutely essential.
Acne
Posted by Karthik (Hyderabad, India) on 02/01/2007
★★★★★
Cold Water -- It's really amazing how it feels to take a cold water bath in the mornings. I have had this acne problem for a long time and taking cold water bath has helped me a lot.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Nev (Yorkshire, UK) on 01/11/2007
★★★★★
I tried the cold shower therapy first thing this morning. God it was great, once the initial shock was over, i got out of the shower and was tingling all over. I feel great today, i had little sleep last night and was groggy and felt horrible. thank you, i'm going to be trying this again tomorrow. The worst thing about it was different parts get hit by the water, so just as you thing your getting used to it, BAM an un showered bit gets hit by freezing water. At least the bathroom felt really warm when i got out
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Robert (Waterbury, CT) on 12/24/2006
★★★★★
Read about it on this site. Have been taking cold showers for several months now. Having well water its very cold even in the summer. If i stick my head into the stream of water first the initial shock is not bad at all. Then it just feels super you feel so refreshed and awake. Seem to be very good for the skin and have not had a cold since . I look Forward to it now.
Strengthens Immune System
Posted by Sandi (MA) on 12/18/2006
★★★★★
Well, I have this bronchial thing going on, and being a teacher, I cannot afford to be sick. Tonight I decided to take a cold shower, and this is big for me. I HATE COLD WATER! I always take very hot showers, and tonight I thought, I cannot break the congestion. Well, I gritted my teeth, and ran under the shower. I came out of the shower, and the phlegm started to come up big time. No explanation, but I hate to say it, it felt good, and I do feel refreshed! I think I will do the same tomorrow!
Mood Enhancer
Posted by Eric (Ontario Canada) on 09/12/2006
★★★★★
That's it! I am totally hooked on ice cold showers! I have often thought about doing it over the years but always put it off. Now I'm thinking , why did I wait so long?
Bottom line...total rush, energy that lasts all day, sense of well being, physical and mental stimulation, heightened awareness, heightened senses such as smell, hearing and taste, positive outlook, strong immune system ( no more colds or allergies), great stress reducer.. .it keeps me an all round happy, healthy and fun loving guy. I would recommend it to anybody.
After my morning cold shower I am totally invigorated and I actually want to jump in again during mid day for an added boost.
Mood Enhancer
Posted by SP (NYC) on 09/11/2006
★★★★★
Cold water shower is simply amazing. I tried it today after reading the comments here. First few minutes I was shivering to death. I actually thought of turning the hot water. But I then after few minutes my body temperature got well adjusted to the cold water. It felt so good. I went in with a headache and came out so fresh and renewed. Thanks!
