In the health and fitness realm, the cold shower has been a concept that’s been around for quite some time, with research showing that they can increase circulation, aid in weight loss, and reduce inflammation after a workout. According to a recent study, the effects of the cold shower may surpass these well-known benefits and have an even greater influence on your immune system.
The study followed a little over 3000 participants for 90 days as they switched from hot to cold showers, and tracked any correlation between sick absences from work, as well as levels of anxiety, productivity, and overall quality of life. The results show a 29% reduction in sick absences in comparison to the control group, suggesting implementing a daily cold shower into your routine may help fight off illness or otherwise improve your immune system.
For those of you dreading a 10 minute icy shower in the morning, don’t panic—the study also found that the duration of the shower did not have a significant impact on the benefits to the immune system, with 30, 60, and 90 second cold showers all having similar results.