You should avoid cold showers if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, Raynaud's syndrome, cold urticaria, or are elderly, pregnant, or sick, as the cold shock can stress your heart and body; also, don't take them if you're already cold or trying to cool down from extreme heat, as they can make you feel colder or hinder core cooling, and avoid them immediately after workouts if aiming for muscle growth. Always consult a doctor if you have health concerns.
It is best to avoid taking a cold shower if you are already cold, considering your body temperature won't be enhanced in any way, and is likely to lessen in fact.
Many people find that a cold shower in the morning helps wake them up and provides a burst of energy to start the day. It can also improve alertness and mental focus. Taking a cold shower after a workout can help with muscle recovery by reducing inflammation and soreness.
Dr. Viola recommends taking a cold shower in the morning. “[It] may interfere with sleep if taken late in the evening because it stimulates the nervous system,” she says. As explained above, cold exposure increases alertness, heart rate, and adrenaline, making it a great wake-up tool.
After 30 days of cold showers, people often report increased energy, better mood, improved mental resilience, and sharper focus, alongside potential physical benefits like better circulation, skin/hair health, reduced inflammation, and muscle recovery, largely due to the body adapting to the stress and the activation of systems that boost alertness and metabolism, though individual results vary.
It's called the 1-10-1 rule. It refers to you having one minute to control your breathing, less than 10 minutes for self-rescue, and 1 hour before you become unconscious due to hypothermia. Hypothermia is when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it.
Improves Metabolism: When taking cold showers, your body undergoes a natural thermogenesis process to keep the body warm to defend against extreme cold exposure. Thermogenesis induces more brown fat activation that helps in burning several calories to facilitate weight loss.
The 3-2-1 bedtime method is a simple sleep hygiene strategy: stop eating 3 hours before bed, stop working 2 hours before bed, and stop using screens (phones, tablets, TVs) 1 hour before sleep, helping your body transition to rest by reducing stimulants and digestive load for better sleep quality. A more detailed version adds 10 hours (no caffeine) and 0 (no snoozing) for a 10-3-2-1-0 rule.
“While there aren't as many studies on showers compared to cold plunges and immersion, you need at least 11 minutes a week to get the benefits,” Paulvin says. “You should take a cold shower for at least two to three minutes, anywhere between 50 and 60 degrees, though many people like to go below that temperature.”
How long should your cold showers be? The optimal amount of cold exposure is about 10 minutes per week. After that, returns diminish. So if you divide that by 7 days a week, you only need to shower cold for 1-2 minutes per day to get the optimal benefits.
Warm water soothes the nervous system, eases tension, and prepares your body for rest. Cold showers give you a quick reset. Cold water boosts alertness, circulation, and mood—making it great for mornings or low-energy days. The best temperature is the one your body needs.
In one clinical study Link is external, Link opens in new window, participants who took daily cold showers for several months reported decreased depression symptoms. Additional research suggests that cold water may boost your mood and decrease anxiety Link is external, Link opens in new window.
Cold showers can also be beneficial for your skin and hair. Hot water can strip your skin and hair of natural oils, leading to dryness and irritation. Cold water, on the other hand, can help preserve these natural oils, which can help keep hair and skin moisturized and healthy.
Contrast showers cause changes in your circulatory system when you go from very warm to very cold water. The application of hot and cold water causes intermittent vasodilation and vasoconstriction (2).
Opt for a temperature that falls between 10°C and 15°C. Don't stay in for more than 10 minutes (3-8 minutes is optimal) The best time to take a cold shower is in the morning, as it kick-starts your system ready for the rest of the day.
The koala is famous for sleeping around 20-22 hours a day, which is about 90% of the day, due to their low-energy diet of eucalyptus leaves that requires extensive digestion. Other extremely sleepy animals include the sloth (up to 20 hours) and the brown bat (around 20 hours), with some snakes like the ball python also sleeping up to 23 hours daily.
The 80/20 Rule means that you stick to your healthy, consistent sleep schedule 80% of the time. You then can make exceptions to your schedule 20% of the time. The 80/20 Rule allows you to “live life” and enjoy those special moments with your family.
Sudden exposure to cold can be a shock to the system, and it's not suitable for everyone. People with certain health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or circulatory disorders, should consult with a healthcare professional before trying cold showers or baths for vein health.
It takes a lot of energy to keep your body warm, so you'd think that calories would melt away. However, studies show that a ten-minute cold plunge will only burn 10-20 additional calories. This fact may make avid cold plungers angry because it is clear that your body is working hard when you go into cold water.
Lowering the temperature: Brown fat activates at colder temperatures, right before you start shivering. Some studies suggest turning down the thermostat, taking a cold shower or an ice bath could activate brown fat to help your body produce more to burn more calories.
What are common cold plunge mistakes? Typical errors include starting in water that's too cold, staying too long, neglecting breath control, skipping warm-up, and ignoring the body's signals. These mistakes can cause adverse effects such as hyperventilation, high blood pressure, and cold shock.
After 30 days of cold showers, people often report increased energy, better mood, improved mental resilience, and sharper focus, alongside potential physical benefits like better circulation, skin/hair health, reduced inflammation, and muscle recovery, largely due to the body adapting to the stress and the activation of systems that boost alertness and metabolism, though individual results vary.