Cold shower

Cold water in hydrotherapy practices

Water applications occupy an important place in Sebastian Kneipp's approach, developed in the 19th century. They include bathing and watering, integrated into a broader lifestyle method. This tradition helped spread the idea of ​​using water and its temperature to research effects on the body.

The shower becomes a studied protocol

A Dutch trial published in 2016 took the practice to an unusual scale: 3,018 adults were divided between a control group and groups ending their shower with thirty, sixty or ninety seconds of cold water. The researchers notably tracked absences from work and sick days, rather than a cosmetic result.

The different exhibitions remain mixed

Contemporary work on cold also involves immersions, baths and sports recovery. A review published in 2025 brought together results on health and well-being, with varied protocols. This context explains why the same advice can be presented with very different benefits depending on the research it references.