Rubén Andrés
WriterWriter at Xataka. I've been working remotely for more than a decade and I'm a strong advocate of technology as a way to improve our lives. Full-time addict of black, sugar-free coffee.
In recent years, some wellness and productivity gurus seem to have set out to impose inhumane challenges on their followers. First, there was the trend of waking up at 5:00 a.m. to engage in a seemingly endless morning ritual. The latest craze is diving into ice-cold water every morning, supposedly to relieve stress, reduce inflammation, and strengthen the immune system.
However, scientists have already debunked the claimed benefits of waking up at 5:00 a.m., and now they’re applying the same scrutiny to ice water baths. Researchers at the University of South Australia found no evidence supporting the miraculous benefits often attributed to this practice.
Cold “influencers.” Ice baths have gained immense popularity in recent years. After competitions, elite athletes and professional players like LeBron James immerse themselves in ice water. Even actress Gwyneth Paltrow dedicated an episode of her series The Goop Lab to showcasing the supposed therapeutic benefits of cold-water immersion.
This trend has attracted a wide range of individuals seeking general wellness or simply looking to reduce stress levels. Social media and influencers have touted several physical and mental health benefits associated with these baths. However, scientists have begun to investigate whether ice baths are truly as beneficial as social media has led us to believe.
Bathing is fine. The temperature is up to you. Researchers conducted a scientific evaluation of the purported benefits of immersing yourself in ice water. They performed a meta-analysis of 11 worldwide studies and published the findings in PLOS One.
The team used data from immersions and cold showers with temperatures ranging from 45 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and durations from 30 seconds to two hours. While researchers identified some benefits of this practice, they noted that the existing evidence primarily focuses on athletes rather than the general population.
Not a stress reliever. The study reports that the benefits of cold-water immersion for stress relief aren’t as significant as previously claimed. “We found that cold-water immersion could reduce stress levels, but for only about 12 hours post-exposure,” author Tara Cain said. In other words, researchers found no evidence indicating that ice water immersion had an immediate effect on stress levels, nor did it show any notable long-term benefits.
“We also noted that participants who took 30, 60, or 90-second cold showers [for 30 days] reported slightly higher quality of life scores. But again, after three months these effects had faded,” Cain added.
Sweeter dreams? The study’s results regarding improved sleep quality were also inconclusive. Researchers found a link between better sleep quality and cold-water immersion. However, this conclusion was based solely on data from men, highlighting the need for further research in diverse population groups.
Notably, the team didn’t suggest that cold-water immersions could positively affect the immune system. Although there was a 29% reduction in illness-related absences from work among those who took cold showers, there was no significant improvement in the immediate immune response to cold exposure.
These findings indicate that while exposure to ice water may have some potential benefits, the effects are neither consistent nor long-lasting. This raises doubts about its widespread effectiveness, which several gurus have attributed to it.
Stiffness due to cold exposure. One of the most surprising findings from the Australian study was the body’s inflammatory response to cold-water immersion. Contrary to popular belief, cold plunges resulted in “significant increases in inflammation,” both immediately and one hour later.
According to researchers, this reflects an “acute inflammatory response” to cold stress. “The immediate spike in inflammation is the body’s reaction to the cold as a stressor. It helps the body adapt and recover and is similar to how exercise causes muscle damage before making muscles stronger,” study co-author Ben Singh explains. This adaptive effect may benefit high-performance athletes, but Singh cautioned that it could harm individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
Overall, unless you’ve just competed in an Olympic event, taking a cold shower will likely only improve your productivity by reducing the time spent showering, allowing you to dedicate that time to other tasks.
Image | Victor Furtuna
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