Cold Showers Cut Sick Days by 31%

A recent study involving 719 people has found that taking regular cold showers can have a significant impact on both physical and mental health. The study, conducted by psychologist Lena Glaser as part of her doctoral dissertation at the University of Basel in Switzerland, discovered that participants who took cold showers reported 31% fewer days off work due to illness compared to those who didn't take cold showers.

The cold shower group also saw a 26% reduction in reported illness days compared to the warm shower group. This is not the first time that cold showers have been linked to improved health, as a 2016 study found a 29% reduction in absence from work due to illness among people who took cold showers.

In addition to the physical health benefits, participants who took cold showers also reported improved psychological well-being in questionnaires during the experiment. The study's findings have been submitted to the Journal of Health Psychology.

## What happened in the study The study involved a pooled analysis of three randomized controlled trials, with participants taking cold showers and reporting their experiences. Among participants who stuck with the cold shower routine at least 70% of the time, 77.3 to 90% reported taking cold showers in any given week. This suggests that people can gradually get used to taking cold showers, even if it's challenging at first.

## Why it matters The study's findings have significant implications for public health, as they suggest that taking regular cold showers could be a simple and effective way to reduce illness and improve well-being. With many people looking for ways to improve their health and reduce their risk of illness, the study's results could be an important breakthrough.

The fact that participants who took cold showers reported improved psychological well-being is also noteworthy, as mental health is a growing concern in many parts of the world. By providing a simple and accessible way to improve mental health, the study's findings could have a major impact on public health policy and practice.