Cold shower

An immediate reaction to cold

Cooling the skin triggers heat-conserving responses and can increase feelings of activation. This is what makes a cold shower a popular ritual for feeling awake. The effects on well-being studied in the literature, however, remain variable, and depend in particular on the duration and type of exposure.

What the big test observed

The 2016 trial found about 29% fewer days missed from work in the groups taking cold showers, but no fewer sick days. This difference is interesting, without demonstrating a general strengthening of immunity. The study also did not measure improvement in wrinkles, pores, or body composition.

The skin benefit is mainly due to the washing temperature.

For dry skin, dermatological recommendations favor a short shower with lukewarm water rather than very hot water. The desired benefit is to limit drying out and maintain hydration with appropriate care. Then switching to cold is an additional routine choice, the specific cosmetic benefit of which is less well established.

After bodybuilding, distinguish between shower and immersion

Research indicates that repeated cold immersions immediately after bodybuilding can reduce muscle volume gains. They use longer exposures and different from the end of a thirty-second shower. If your goal is hypertrophy, avoid turning each session into a prolonged cold bath; these results do not allow us to confirm that a brief shower produces the same effect.