Feeling sick? Take a cold shower

TAKING a cold shower has long been recommended as a bracing way to wake up – and now a study has found that it toughens us up too.

The study of more than 3,000 participants found that a cold shower made it less likely that they would call in sick to work.

Researchers found that cold showers did not improve health or prevent colds, flu and other illnesses – but they did make it 29 per cent more likely that participants would battle through sickness and head in to work.

The reason why is unclear but other studies suggest that exposure to cold releases betaendorphin hormones, which make dealing with pain easier.

Participants also reported having more energy after a cold morning shower. The Dutch study, published in the journal PLOS One, concludes: ‘Our findings show that routinely showering (hot-to) cold for at least 30 days resulted in a reduction of self-reported sick leave from work but not illness days in adults.’

During the study, researchers split participants into four groups.

One group took warm showers, while the others introduced a 30, 60 or 90 second blast of cold water into their morning routines.

Those who took cold showers reported a small improvement in their quality of life and 60 days after the study, nearly two-thirds were still taking them. The authors, led by the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, said: ‘Cold bathing is a common custom in many parts of the world.

‘Ever since the introduction of civilised bathing, humans have experimented with water temperature variation to expose the body to extreme conditions.

‘In modern times, the traditional ritual of the “frigidarium” has been kept in most saunas and spas around the world.’

The study concludes by calling for more research on cold showers, stating: ‘Even though the vast majority of participants reported a variable degree of discomfort during cold exposure, the fact that 91 per cent of participants reported the will to continue such routine (and 64 per cent actually did) is perhaps the most indicative of any health or work benefit.’