People Started to Take Cold Showers in an Experiment, And a Strange Thing Happened

Key Points:

• A study led by psychologist Lena Glaser at the University of Basel analyzed data from 719 participants across three randomized controlled trials and found that regular cold showers reduced work absence due to illness by 31% and illness days by 26% compared to mostly warm showers.
• Participants who consistently took cold showers also reported slight improvements in psychological well-being, with no significant negative impact on comfort or mental health, suggesting cold showers may enhance overall well-being.
• Although many participants initially dropped out within the first two weeks, adherence improved over time, indicating that people can gradually adapt to cold showers with consistent practice.
• The findings align with a 2016 study showing reduced sickness absence from cold showers, and researchers propose that cold showers could be a simple, low-cost workplace intervention to improve health and reduce absenteeism, pending further peer-reviewed confirmation.
• While this study did not explore biological mechanisms, other research indicates cold water exposure may boost immune response, potentially explaining the observed reductions in illness, but more research is needed to verify these effects.