7 Benefits of Cold Showers and Cold Therapy

Forget saunas and steamy showers. First popularized by Dutch motivational speaker Wim Hof, American science writer Timothy Ferris, and biohacker Dave Asprey, more and more fitness enthusiasts — from Olympic athletes to casual weekend warriors — are embracing the hot benefits of ice-cold showers.

The next time you need to rinse off after a long run or a sweaty gym session, turn the shower dial to blue and see what happens!

The 7 Benefits of Cold Showers That Will Transform Your Health and Fitness

From cold showers to ice baths, cold therapy provides a multitude of perks. 

1. Reduce Muscle Pain & Boost Exercise Recovery

Those aches and pains you feel after going hard in the gym are often due to two factors: 

• Pinched or irritated nerves 
• Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) from post-workout muscle inflammation

Cold temperatures from an ice bath or icy shower helps to numb and soothe irritated nerves. Numerous studies have also found that very cold temperatures improve athletic recovery and workout performance by reducing inflammation and soothing sore muscles.

2. Heighten Your Mood and Balance Your Hormones

You've heard of the so-called "runner's high" — the mood boost and sense of increased happiness and reduced stress you feel after exercising. That's because exercising releases feel-good brain chemicals known as endorphins. 

Cold showers have the same effect, and the resulting endorphin "high" can help you think more clearly and feel more energized and optimistic.

3. Increase Your Muscle Strength and Endurance

Do you want to swim faster? Run longer? Swing that kettlebell harder? These movements incorporate post-activation potentiation (PAP), in which you need to contract your muscles to generate a lot of power and endurance. 

Cold showers and other forms of cold therapy have been shown to support PAP. For instance, five days of cold therapy for tennis players resulted in a significant enhancement of their swinging speed.

4. Increase Blood Circulation

When you step out of that cold shower and glance in the locker room mirror, you may notice that your face and body appear red and flushed. That's not just your imagination. Exposure to cold temperatures increases your body's circulation. Better circulation may:

• Flush out toxins and metabolic waste, such as the waste generated in your muscles and tissues during exercise
• Flood your muscles with more oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood, thus improving muscle recovery and performance
• Enhance your overall health and wellness

5. Improve Your Hormone Balance

Several hormones can positively or negatively impact your health and fitness. For example, testosterone is important for supporting muscle growth, muscle strength, and muscle size. In contrast, the stress hormone cortisol is linked with a slower metabolism, increased weight gain (and specifically fat gain around your belly), poor sleep, and slower exercise recovery. 

Cold showers and other forms of cold therapy may boost your testosterone levels and simultaneously lower your cortisol.

6. Enhance Your Immune System

There's a positive and negative link between exercise and your immune system. For example, working out helps flush out bacteria and viruses and may also help circulate white blood cells through your body. But too much exercise can also weaken your immune system.

A cold shower may be the balancing antidote. Cold showers help to stimulate illness-fighting immune cells known as leukocytes, which may be why people who take cold showers statistically take fewer sick days at work.

7. Protect Against Oxidative Stress

"Oxidative stress" is the clinical term when there are more free radicals (unstable, chemically reactive atoms or molecules that damage other cells in your body) in your body than antioxidants (nutrients that neutralize free radicals). Free radicals constantly bombard you through:

• Environmental toxins, such as air pollutants or household pollutants
• Unhealthy ingredients in a poor diet, such as excess sugar or processed foods
• Lifestyle habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, or having too much sun exposure
• Excessive exercise

Oxidative stress is closely linked with an increased risk of numerous chronic diseases, poor fitness recovery, and weaker muscles. One study followed elite athletes and found that various forms of cold therapy led to a significant reduction in oxidative stress.