While the popularity of cold water therapy has surged through influencers and athletes promoting its mental and physical benefits, research suggests that cold showers offer a range of surprising health benefits beyond what’s commonly known.
From improving skin health to boosting metabolism, taking the plunge into cold water might be the key to unlocking a healthier lifestyle, and even helping achieve fitness goals.
Mira Showers surveyed 500 Brits to reveal that one in three (30%) were not aware of the health benefits cold showers can provide, whilst over three quarters (77%) revealed they didn’t take cold showers for health benefit purposes.
To find out more, new product development engineer at Mira Showers, Rich Ellis, partnered with Personal Trainer, James Bickerstaff, at OriGym to reveal some of the lesser known perks of taking cold showers.
What are the benefits of cold showers?
Rich Ellis explains how cold showers can help maintain healthy skin, improved metabolic health and more:
- Helps maintain healthy skin
“Although a warm shower may feel like it has a soothing effect, cold showers can be a secret weapon for maintaining healthy skin. The cold temperature helps seal moisture into the skin barrier, preventing the dryness commonly associated with hot showers. Cold water also constricts blood vessels in the skin, reducing redness and puffiness.”
- Improved metabolic health
“Research indicates that exposure to cold water activates brown fat cells, the body’s “good” fat, which burns calories to maintain body temperature. This process, known as ‘thermogenesis’, can contribute to improved metabolic health and potential weight management benefits, however there is limited research on this topic, and this shouldn’t be used as a substitute for exercise and a healthy diet.”
3) Enhanced immune system response
“Cold temperatures are thought to boost the body’s production of white blood cells, enhancing the ability to combat infections and illnesses. This happens as the body responds to cold by elevating its metabolic rate and triggering immune system activation.”
4) Improved lymphatic drainage
“Cold showers can help move lymph fluid through your body in a few simple ways. When you feel cold water, your blood vessels first tighten up then open wider, creating a natural pumping action. The water hitting your skin works like a gentle massage, helping to move fluid along. Your body’s natural reaction to cold, like shivering or tensing up, also helps push lymph fluid through your system, since it doesn’t have its own pump like your heart does”
5) Increased energy levels
“Cold showers can give you a quick energy boost by stimulating your system into alertness and triggering a rush of adrenaline. The cold water stimulates deep breathing, increases your heart rate, and improves circulation, all of which help you feel more alert and refreshed. Taking a quick cold shower in the morning can leave you feeling ready to take on the day.“
Below, James Bickerstaff, PT explains how cold showers can alleviate muscle soreness from exercise and improve circulation:
6) Reduced muscle soreness
“After we exercise our muscles can feel stiff, tense and tender. Cold showers can help alleviate this tension by numbing the pain receptors throughout the body, decreasing the time it takes to travel to the brain.
“Exercise can also cause our muscles to become inflamed and swollen, which is what causes feelings of pain and discomfort, but cold showers can help to relax these muscles. This occurs because cold water limits blood flow throughout the body, helping to flush out harmful waste products like lactic acid, to make the body feel more relaxed and less tense.”
7) Enhances circulation
Cold water exposure encourages blood to circulate more efficiently, supporting cardiovascular health and reducing inflammation in the body, Personal Trainer, James Bickerstaff, from OriGym explains:
“Cold showers improve circulation – this is due to constricting blood vessels on the surface of the body. This causes blood in your deeper tissues to circulate faster to maintain the ideal internal temperature, some researchers liken this to your body entering a ‘survival mode”. As blood vessels constrict and then dilate, this natural process helps flush out toxins and delivers oxygen-rich blood throughout the body more efficiently.”
How to try cold water therapy at home
Cold showers might feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but they can be a natural way to wake up your body and mind. If you’re looking for an energy boost without reaching for another cup of coffee, why not give it a try? Start with just 30 seconds of cool water at the end of your regular shower and see how you feel.
Rich provides three simple tips for trying cold showers at home:
- “Begin with cool water at the end of your normal shower, gradually increasing time as your body adjusts. Try to extend your cold time each day by a few seconds.”
- “When cold water hits your body, you might gasp or hold your breath – that’s normal! Try to breathe slowly and deeply through your nose. Focus on slow, deep breaths (in for 4, out for 4) to calm your body’s initial response.”
- “Set small goals and celebrate reaching them. Maybe play upbeat music during your shower, or treat yourself to your favourite warm drink after completing a week of cold shower endings.”
For those looking for a way to start getting into cold showering from the comfort of your own bathroom, Mira Showers ColdBoost is the UK’s first guided cold water experience shower.