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Popularized by Wim Hof, aka the Iceman, cold showers are rapidly becoming a mainstream wellness trend. Bracing yourself under icy water does have several science-backed benefits, especially for men. Here’s what you need to know, why cold showers are good for you, who should avoid them, and how to get started with this chilly practice.
What Are the Benefits of Cold Showers?
Many ancient cultures recognized the therapeutic benefits of cold water. Roman bathing, for example, involved moving through a series of rooms starting in the hot caldarium, moving to the warm tepidarium and finally finishing with a cold bath in the frigidarium. Today, many thermal spas still use that principle, and we are also gradually understanding that cold water swimming can boost health, too. But what about showers, specifically? Here’s what an icy burst can do for you.
1. Improves Circulation and Cardiovascular Health
The shock of cold water exposure causes the blood vessels on the surface of the body to constrict. This is your body in survival mode, trying to protect its core temperature by redirecting blood flow to your deeper vital organs. Over time, this can help boost the efficiency of your circulation, meaning that blood will move through your system faster. This, in turn, can be helpful for anyone with conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
2. Strengthens the Immune System
Research suggests that regular cold showers train the immune system to better repel pathogens. A study found that the practice increases immunoglobulins, which are antibodies — proteins that identify and destroy viruses and bacteria. It also increased production of T-cells, which directly destroy infected cells, and cytokines, which coordinate the immune response.
3. Enhances Mood and Mental Alertness
With statistics from 2024 showing that 20% of American men face mental health challenges, anything that helps alleviate that is valuable.
One of the major benefits of cold showers is that they trigger the diving reflex, which in turn activates your sympathetic nervous system. This floods your body with beta-endorphins, which block pain and induce feelings of well-being and euphoria.
The sympathetic nervous system also releases noradrenaline into your system, increasing alertness and attention. Finally, cold water is also thought to activate the body’s opioid-based soothing system, which boosts emotional regulation and motivation. Taken together, these effects are considered promising for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.
4. Improves Skin and Hair Health
Unlike hot water, which can strip natural oils from your skin and hair, cold water helps to tighten pores and cuticles. This can lead to healthier, more resilient skin and hair that is less prone to dryness.
5. Improves Muscle Recovery and Reduces Inflammation
Athletes often use ice therapy or ice baths to reduce muscle soreness after intense activity. Studies have found that cold water significantly reduces delayed onset muscle soreness and also lowers perceived exertion, meaning that people felt more recovered and that the exercise had taken less of a toll. Blood tests showed lower levels of creatine kinase, indicating less muscle damage had occurred, and reduced levels of inflammatory markers.
Most studies involve cold water immersion — in a tub, for example — rather than showers, but it’s reasonable to hypothesize that cold water showering after exercise may have similar effects. Even if you don’t want to have the head-to-toe experience, you could try directing cold water just to your calves and thighs after a leg day.
6. May Increase Testosterone
Whether cold water exposure increases testosterone in healthy men is a topic of hot debate. Many studies suggest that it actually reduces testosterone during the initial shock period, and other studies find no effect at all. However, a few studies have shown an increase. In one such study, testosterone levels jumped by more than 5% in men who underwent a sauna session followed by cold water immersion.
So the jury is still frosty on that one, but if you are experiencing a low sex drive, mood dips, fatigue or other signs of low testosterone, you might want to experiment. See if this turns out to be one of the benefits of cold showers for you.
7. Builds Mental Toughness and Discipline
The act of willingly taking a cold shower can be seen as an exercise in mental resilience. A 2024 study published in The Sports Psychologist showed that cold water activities, including cold showers, were associated with higher levels of self-efficacy and mental toughness. It also found that the more frequent the activity, the higher the positive effects, lending weight to using cold showers as a regular routine.
How to Start Building a Cold Shower Routine
Don’t expect to go — literally — cold turkey and start out straight away standing under icy water for five minutes — it takes time to adjust to the shock.
Start with a normal warm shower, then gradually decrease the temperature as your shower ends. The first few times you do this, you may only be able to withstand truly cold water for a few seconds. That’s OK, you’re just getting a feel for what to expect.
Gradually, over the next few showers, aim to increase the amount of time you withstand the cold by five seconds each time. Most people aim for a total of 30 seconds initially, then gradually increase to 60 and then 90 seconds, and so on. Two to three minutes should be your maximum aim per shower.
Some people try contrast showers, alternating between hot and cold water for a minute each, ending with cold.
Over time, your tolerance will increase and you may find that you can switch the water to cold abruptly without having to do it gradually. Focus on your breathing and do not push yourself past your limits. You don’t need to cold shower every time — two to three times a week is plenty.
What Are the Risks of Cold Showers?
If you are overall fit and healthy, the risks for up to a few minutes at a time are negligible. However, it is important to remember that many of the benefits of cold showers are actually the after-effects of your body’s fight-or-flight response as it attempts to protect you from potentially lethal cold water shock.
Uncontrolled exposure to cold water below 60o Fahrenheit — for example, by falling from a boat — can kill in seconds because a gasp reflex underwater can immediately drown you. Even if you survive that, most people drown within a minute or two as limbs lose function, incapacitating you, and you lose control of your breathing.
Of course, those risks do not apply in your shower, but it’s always worth bearing in mind that cold water exposure can be dangerous. You are not a polar bear and not inherently built for cold water survival.
Who Should Not Take Cold Showers?
With the above risks in mind, you should not take cold showers if you:
- Have heart disease
- Take medication that lowers blood pressure or reduces your heart rate
- Have Raynaud’s syndrome or other circulatory issues
- Have a compromised immune system
- Are feeling unwell
- Are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
If none of the above apply, then cold showers are generally safe for most people — but if you have any concerns, consult your doctor first.
The Final Verdict — Should You Take the Plunge?
The science points to a surprising number of real benefits of cold showers for healthy men. Creating a cold water routine can boost your circulation, muscle recovery and mental alertness, as well as improve your mood, improve your immune system and build mental resilience. If you want to give it a try, start gradually. Think of it as a personal challenge and an experiment in wellness — it may just be the coolest thing you can do for your health this year.
