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.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Andrew (USA)
★★★★★
I ALWAYS take a cold shower first thing in the morning (before my 10 mile, cross country, bare-chested, run, and another one immediately afterwards. These are invigorating and extremely healthy. I have been told this by the doctor who gives me two thorough medical examinations per year.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Justin (NYC)
★★★★★
I've been taking cold showers for a year, the results have been tremendous. I don't take any vitamins, no herbs or supplemental vitamins and I haven't been sick once B''H. Any time I have a stomach ache or injury I feel the healing system in my body working more efficiently, helping me to heal quicker. After a really cold shower, and I have taken some cold ones, I feel invigorated and excited about life. Some in NYC where the water gets really cold or in the mountains in northern Israel where the water is absolutely chilling. I was laughing it was so cold. But I feel great, I trust my body and my immune system, I have confidence in my body's ability to heal itself. I feel my internal systems are functioning at their potential. Though, I have to admit, it is hard to motivate to go into a cold shower, but every time afterwards I say to myself it's so worth it. I tried to explain to my parents, okay big mistake, and they thought I was crazy, they're right. I hear the Seal song in my head, "we're never gonna survive, unless we are a little crazy". Get in there! justin
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!
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Anonymous (USA)
★★★★★
I have a freezing cold shower twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night, which I've added to my already extremely vigorous exercise routine, as well as sleeping in the nude, and I can't even begin to extol their virtues by saying how wonderful they are.
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.
Multiple Ailments Treated
Posted by Danny (Mooresville, Indiana)
★★★★★
I have been taking cold showers for several years. I started taking them when I would shave in the shower with very hot water and then I would get too hot that I would turn the water completely cold and leave it on for the remainder of my shower. I find that it takes my headaches away and gives me more energy. When I go to hot climates like Florida I find it disappointing to take a shower because they don't have very cold water. I never knew there were any benefits to it until now, but if you try it you will find that you get used to it very quickly. Try it -- you won't be sorry!
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Mindy (Miami, FL)
★★★★★
In Miami, the weather is HORRIBLE...hot, humid, sweltering, blistering sunshine. Still, plenty of people here take hot showers. They look at me like I've lost my mind when I say that cold showers are awesome. I started taking cold showers earlier this year & I've noticed a few benefits. 1) The most obvious: it helps me to feel cool, fresh, & hydrated in this hot weather. Something a hot shower simply wouldn't do.
2) I'm a young woman who is very conscious of her appearance and cold showers have definitely made an improvement in both my skin & hair. My skin has more of a glow to it, I smell more pleasant, and I'm silky all over! Hardly any more blemishes. My hair is more silky, lustrous, & manageable.
3) Cold showers are a simple, cost-effective, holistic approach to health. I have fewer illnesses & my allergies, while still there, aren't as severe as they used to be. My sinuses don't bother me as much anymore. I feel more comfortable & clear-minded after I've had a cold shower.
Anxiety, Depression
Posted by Juliette (Reston, Va) on 05/14/2012
I used to be on a cold shower kick and loved but but got out of the habit going to try it again thanks for posting!!
Frozen Shoulder
Posted by Teresa (Bentonville, Ar) on 09/05/2010
★★★★★
15 days ago I came down with all the symptoms of frozen shoulder. This is an extremely painful condition in the shoulder that makes it feel sort of like its falling off. Every movement hurts, and no movement hurts. Sleep is all but impossible, because its so hard to find a place to rest your arm that does not hurt. This condition can last for 8 months to 3 years, and may not go away at all. My sister had frozen shoulder several years ago, so I'd seen the condition first hand with her. After 4 days of frantic searching, I'd found the cold showers remedy. I started taking them 3-4 times a day when I realized it was helping with the pain. Its been 15 days, I'm down to 2 cold showers a day. My mobility is getting close to normal. I missed my second shower yesterday, and the night time pain was back so at 4 in the morning I'm cold showering again. I will not miss again for a while. I told a nephew who is overweight about it, he has severe hip pain, and he said its really helping him as well. Just water... Go figure!
Increases Sex Drive
Posted by Ed (Newfield, Maine, Usa) on 12/26/2009
★★★★★
I have been reading this site for over a year and started taking cold showers (CS) right after. this info may help. first I take my CS at 5am i set my alarm and wake up every morning just for my CS. after i go back to bed to warm up. i do this because after some time in bed my body is warm all over. no cold hands, feet, other body parts. next i do as many pushups as i can. i think this is very important the body core temp up and makes the CS much more easy to take this gets my hart and breathing rate up. Just before this i turn the shower to full hot. after exercise i turn the shower to cool and get in and soap up. after 30 seconds i turn it colder then another 30 and turn it full cold. i try to stay in the coldest water for 5-8 minuets. i turn alot to get front and back. in winter my water gets down to 53f.
I wish more people would say what water temp they use. I seem to be more into this in winter than other times.
a few times i want the water to be even colder so i will take in a bucket of ice or snow water and after my CS i will pore it over myself as i lie in the tub. one more thing, i would like to know about others but for me i find i must have a high sex drive for this after sex i am not in the mood for a CS for 2-3 days then i am good until i have sex. i am 55. i live in a very cold area and the CS helps me deal with the cold weather.
Lethargy
Posted by Sarah (Nottingham, Uk) on 10/10/2009
★★★★★
I was introduced to cold showers by a forceful boyfriend who absolutely insisted that they'd be good for me. I was suffering from a lack of energy and couldn't motivate myself to do anything, with the result that my studies were suffering badly. At first I was very reluctant to stand under cold water for 15 minutes and he more or less had to hold me under the shower. I'm so glad he did. I now have more energy, more motivation, my skin and hair glow, and my apetite has reduced with the added benefit that I'm now 10lb lighter.
I normally take one cold shower when I wake up (washing my hair as well as my body) and then a second cold shower (without washing my hair) before I go to bed. I know haven't had a hot/warm shower for over four years.
EC: Good idea to take your temperature after such a long shower!
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/depression2.html#COLDSHOWERS
[WARNING!] 09/22/2007: Remy from Buffalo, NY writes: "Please tell website users that they have to be very careful if they have low body weight and use the "cold shower" method to alleviate depression. I have low blood circulation and several health problems because I am suffering and loosing to an eating disorder. Cold showers can be dangerous!
For people who are "underweight" it may be a good idea by slowly decreasing the temp. each time you take a shower, followed by taking your temperature afterward.
Core Temp. Side Effect
95 Shivering
90 Confusion
85 Lethargic
80 Coma
78 Death
Measuring the length of the shower is important, as the longer you expose your self to cold water, the lower your body temperature will drop. I hope this helps, and as always; if you think you may have an eating disorder, you may have one, or develop one!"
Skin Care
Posted by Morus (Sunnyville, OH) on 06/21/2009
Maybe you should give cold showers a try. If you google "cold shower therapy" it should tell you alot of the benefits-including better skin, etc. I know one time, my family lost power for about a week, so we had no hot water. I had to take freezing cold showers all week, and i was really surprised at how good my skin looked. At first i thought maybe i was just drinking alot of water, but now i realize that it was the cold showers. it's definetly worth a try!
Cold Baths
Posted by Joe (Brisbane, Australia) on 06/14/2009
Funny you mentioning this asian fellow. I still have the cut out from the original telegraph /times (?) article in my lockbox at home. I can scan it for you.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Kathy (Woodbridge, VA) on 08/01/2008
★★★★★
WOW..I hadn't been able to afford fuel to run the furnace that heats my water for a week..hence I have been taking cold showers. I have felt rejuvinated and awake...and that feeling has lasted all day. GOOGLED "cold shower remedy" found this site and Wasn't amazed to find out that it wasn't in my head, my better mood and all around helth is atributed to my cold showers...YAY ME...so now when I get the fuel for the furnace I will continue to take them!
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Nadia (Chicago, Illinois) on 05/06/2008
★★★★★
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Joe (Brooklyn, NY) on 04/15/2008
★★★★★
I came across the whole notion of cold showers on this website and I thought the people here were crazy. Then, this morning, for no particular reason (in 'Forrest Gump' parlance), I turned my shower water cold and took the plunge. Yeah, it was a heck of a shock to my system, but after about a minute or two, I started warming up automatically -- likely my own body temperature responding to the cold. After I got out, I felt great. Now, it'll take a few days of this to see if this really benefits me or not, but I've already seen two effects:
a) For some reason, my skin is tingly all over and I can't explain it.
and
b) I was early to work today because of the limited time I spent in the shower (hot showers have always encouraged me to just linger under the steam for as long as possible). Before, showers would last 20 minutes. Today, I was in and out in less than 10 -- and more than adequately clean.
I'll write back again to report my progress. Happy scrubbing!
Cold Baths
Posted by Leon (Wichita, Kansas) on 12/27/2008
You're right cold showers are brutal. 12 inches of bath water, my bathtub isn't big enough for that. What I do is fill up my bath and while the water's running, I get my clothes ready, water my nose and then I get in after it's filled up. I try to keep the cold water comfortable and not frigid.
Cold Baths
Posted by Leon (Wichita, Kansas) on 06/20/2009
Now I feel the cold showers are not brutal if you do not turn the shower full blast. A gentle cold shower works just fine. I just now found out. But I do not feel as exhilerated from the bath as from the shower. So I am back to taking showers again.
Cold Shower Side Effects
Posted by Leon (Wichita, Ks) on 06/20/2009
Well now I am back to taking cold showers again and I'll tell'ya. No stomach pains or anything else. I am not sure what it could be. Maybe my body's used to the cold showers rather than the cold baths.
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Kayla (San Jose, California) on 01/28/2008
★★★★★
I tried the cold shower therapy and it was great! At first it was really hard to get started the first 3 times then it was easy. I feel really energized after and positive! It's great even in the winter. But don't go out into the cold after taking one. At firstI used freezing water and that was horrible!
Take cold showers, not freezing. A freezing shower made my head hurt really bad and I started to hyperventalate. so yeah im 15 and cold showers were awsome for me:) i say tough it out and just do it!
