The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Weight Loss
Posted by Lana (Des Plaines, IL) on 06/02/2009
★★★★★
I've been doing cold showers for 2 weeks, and my appetite significantly decreased, and i lost 4 pounds already. Amazing! ACV helps too, but it doesn't decrease appetite as cold showers do, at least for me.
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Paul (Uxbridge, MA) on 12/01/2008
★★★★★
1. Not sure. I take mine in a regular shower with a normal shower curtain. I don't think it would matter to be honest.
2. Fixed shower heads probably work better b/c you need to force yourself under the cold water. A moveable head doesn't give you the full affect of the refreshing blast of cold water coming at you.
3. I used to take hot showers for a good 15 minutes. I've been able to cut my showers down to 5 minutes while fully cleaning myself. Cold showers are extremely environmental friendly in that respect.
4. Dry off. I don't feel the need to shiver in the bathroom and try to warm myself up. My body temp has risen to the point where I can get out of the shower and not reach for the towel to warm up but rather dry off.
5. Not at all. I thought it would when I first started but it really isn't. The shampoo and soap come off just as if it was warm water.
6. Dimensions... I don't think it matters. One thing I do is run in place as soon as that cold blast hits me. You do feel a good shock to the body but compose yourself and run in place for 30 seconds and you will notice that you can handle the cold water better.
7. Not that I can think of.
The best way to promote cold showers would be to talk about how healthy cold showers are. My moods have improved, Headaches are limited, I almost never get sick, I can handle sleeping in a cold basement now, my hair is thicker and stronger, my skin is smoother, I have much better circulation. To be honest, I didn't even think of the environmental effect cold showers would have, but it certainly has cut my oil and water bill drastically.
Best of Luck!!!
Cold Baths
Posted by Kenneth (Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire UK) on 02/22/2008
★★★★★
Forget all about cold showers! Much too brutal. Cold water baths are the thing but then only early in the morning and before the brain is in gear & knows what is happening. You run the cold water bath tap whilst brushing your teeth & washing your face.This gives you a perfect 12 inches of water to which you add some good quality lavender lotion. Then it's in you go, feet first folloiwed by the bottom. A good sponge down of the torso follows. Then stand up & soap the forked bit. After this lie down slowish until everything but the head is submerged. ( At this point I say my morning prayers). A final sponge down completes the process & you step out of the tub feeling taut, fit & very self-righteous having been no more than about 3 minutes in the bath. I've been doing this for nearly 25 years now & am healthy & fit as a fiddle.
Skin Care
Posted by Kenny (Strathclyde, Scotland) on 02/19/2008
★★★★★
For some time now (since before I started ACV), I've suffered red SPOTS/PIMPLES on the face/cheeks and on my head, and since I have little hair, it's particularly unsightly, I also had kind of FLAKEY SKIN on these areas, both would normally be quite itchy.
I have recently taken to the topical application of ACV on these areas, speculatively. I have to say, in just a couple of days, the results are dramatic... I tilt the bottle onto a cotton pad a couple of times to saturate it, about the same size as a cosmetic make-up remover and wipe all over my face and head liberally, avoiding the eyes (cos it stings). I leave it on and repeat several times a day (just remember to wash the face with clean lukewarm water before you go out and pat it dry). The resulting effect is no redness, no flakey skin, just a taught, fresh-faced complexion.
To compliment that, I have been taking daily sauna and steam bath treatments, interspersed with cold showers,excellent for a variety of conditions I'm sure, marvellous for the circulation, very invigorating and great for the skin, which I read here somewhere - is like the body's third kidney, and when in tip-top working condition, serves the body well to flush-out and detox the system. Try it!
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Alexa Fleckenstein M.D. (Brookline, MA) on 11/07/2007
★★★★★
I am fascinated how people stay under an ice-cold shower for a prolonged time. But as a physician and somebody who is using cold water for all of her life, I want to say that one can reap the benefits of cold water also in a shorter time: Just ending a hot shower with a few seconds improves immunity, heart and lung health, boosts the mood. Ultimately about 20 to 30, but depending very much on age, fitness, body mass, time of the day, health status. We don't all have to be winter swimmers - but our modern life lacks the stimuli of the natural world we experienced in prehistoric times, and a short cold shower can restore some of our birthright. My new book "Health20" may help you and Mother Earth to better health (McGraw Hill, February 2007). No, it's not "Health Twenty" but "Health Two O" like in "H20" (water), and it tells you about the myriad health benefits of water - inside and outside, warm and cold. Because we haven't even dipped into the healing power in water! Water greetings! Alexa Fleckenstein M.D.
Best Sleep Ever
Posted by John (Virginia, USA) on 10/16/2007
★★★★★
I have been taking cold showers for the past 3 days at night and I can greatly tell the difference. If I lay down to sleep right after I take a shower, I usually fall asleep within 15 minutes, which is a miracle since it usually took me about an hour or more. I didnt even bother trying to take them over the summer as the water wasnt cold enough, but now that fall is coming and temperatures are getting in the 40's the water is freezing. I cant wait until snow comes so the water is even colder. I havent tried them in the morning as I get out of bed and go in the shower and usually dont feel like getting real cold but I will tomorrow to see if it effects my day. The only side effect is when I was in the shower for the first 5 seconds I started panting and almost became dilusional because it was shocking. Nothing bad about them though. I do have to go from medium to cold back to the middle of the both then cold in order to survive it. Would reccomend it to anyone!
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Jennifer (Chicago, Illinois) on 08/15/2007
★★★★★
I started taking cold showers only a few days ago and I'm already addicted!! I used to LOVE a hot shower- but I will never go back. In just a few short days, I've noticed a drastic energy boost, better overall mood/spirits and improved skin and muscle tone. I feel like I'm able to concentrate better at work and my energy seems to last all day. I start out lukewarm and gradually turn colder - until the last few minutes are as cold as I can stand. It gets a little longer each day!! I take one in the morning and am finding that I'm now craving a second one at night. Only question is - why shouldn't women take cold showers during menstration? Is this harmful?
Best Sleep Ever
Posted by Leon (Wichita, KS) on 08/11/2007
★★★★★
I like taking cold showers at night. It helps to sleep and I feel confident getting up in the morning. I encourage everybody to take a cold shower at night. It really helps with insomnia.
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Leon (Wichita, KS) on 07/28/2007
★★★★★
I started taking cold showers on July 23 and felt very confident and able to get thru one day with little sleep, but then I felt used to taking cold showers that I sleep better. My body is softer and my mind is clearer. I spoke with several people about it and they were surprised and couldn't do something like that.
Anxiety
Posted by JJ (VA) on 08/01/2023
But we are not talking about some situations that are life threatening. Just routine, daily activities that can avoid Tylenol, Advil and depressants etc. Are we going to compare post-heart surgery medicines or anethestics for surgery to Tylenol avoiding medicines and other over the counter medicines that can be easily avoided...not prescribed for cures but symptoms? Let's be serious again!
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Craig (Fredericksburg, Virginia) on 06/28/2007
★★★★★
Cold showers have been working wonderfully for me. No longer do I feel sluggish in the morning. It gives me energy throughout the day and makes my body feel (and look) HEALTHY! I'd recommend them for anyone. It does take a little while to get used to it, but be brave and do it. One thing I like to do while being under the ice cold for a couple minutes is turn the knob to warm for a few seconds.
WARNING - This might make you giggle uncontrollably for a few seconds and feel semi-orgasmic! After doing cold showers, I don't get rashes, my hair and skin looks healthy and I feel energetic. Have fun with your cold showers, it really does change you for the better.
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Matt (Derby, UK) on 03/28/2007
★★★★★
Been taking cold showers for a few about two weeks, I'm finding i'm warm all day, when my friends say "ohh there's a bit of a chill in the air" Is there!!! , feeling good my muscles and skin feel toned like I've been to the gym, i sleep like a baby when i get in the bed after a cold shower, i get that massive shock n rush when i have one in the morning. i also feel more alert and am getting more sex drive and stronger erections.. ok, take cold showers, they are great fun....
Anxiety
Posted by Jared (Melbourne, Austrailia) on 10/06/2009
If you need to keep water cool, you could use an aquarium cooler in the bath. Its used to keep water temperature low for cold water fish.
Beautiful Skin
Posted by Stan (Cleveland, OH) on 10/31/2006
★★★★★
Cold showers cured my dry skin and poor circulation. Wow! Just found this site after having tried this the past few weeks. Usually, I alternate between cold and hot -- always finishing my shower with at least 1 minute of ICE COLD water. My skin feels great when I get done. I feel energized, and often aroused after my shower! I'm totally hooked! TRY IT!!
Cold Shower Tips
Posted by Emrah (Turkey-Ankara) on 09/25/2006
★★★★★
For 3 months i've been taking cold showers once in a day. My dad taught me that if you keep some water in your mouth while taking cold shower, you will avoid the trembling. Cold showers helps you learn faster. Look after yourself, you super human being.
Fountain of Youth
Posted by Jameson (Costa Rica) on 05/30/2006
★★★★★
OMG, I feel like I've discovered the HOLY GRAIL! I'm taking 5 cold showers a day, sometimes 4. I didn't expect to be in the city again and have temporarily ended up in San Jose, Costa Rica, after having been in the country near Nicaragua for 3 months chillin' in nature. It's an armpit of a city and very noisy and my nervous system goes into overdrive in this kind of environment and I get rashes! Anyway, I know 5 cold showers might seems excessive but it totally calms me down, brings me to life, washes away a lot of the over stimulation feeling (which can drive a person mad with hyperactivity) and keeps the rashes down to ZERO! WOOHOO! Whenever I start to feel messed up, i just hop in the shower and zZIP, I've got a whole new body and outlook!
Eliminates Body Odor
Posted by B C (Willow, AK) on 02/04/2006
★★★★★
Another factor that you may not realize is that
cold showers reduce, if not stop, the vaporization of chlorinated water that is in most municipal water systems.
I have for years now taken luke warm showers at the start and after rinsing off soap I end the shower with a cold rinse. In the summer up here in the last frontier I bath in the creek behind my cabin with just the sand gravel from the bank while using baking soda for washing my hair. I have noticed that I have no B O even without any soaps or deodorants.
Invigorates Mind and Body
Posted by Cas (Windermere, FL) on 01/14/2006
★★★★★
Cold Shower is the only type of shower there is!
I started taking cold showers in the mid eighties as a method of punishment for partying too much. One day, my Chinese landlord got fed up with the comings and goings out of my place and turned off my water heater. I figured that IF I did not confront him about it he would not gimme any lecture. So... I continued taking freezing showers and I LOVED IT!!! While in the shower I used to shout - I LOVE ICE COLD SHOWERS...
Many years and dollars later, I concluded that there is no question in my mind that it was one of the best discovers I ever made. Everyday I feel vibrant and alive.
