Explore the benefits of using cold showers for anxiety and stress. Learn how incorporating this simple practice into your routine can help calm your mind and improve your overall well-being.
Cold Showers For Anxiety: What Evidence Do We Have?
Limited Evidence for Cold Showers for Anxiety
According to a study (1), Adapted Cold Showers were able to lower anxiety symptoms. However, more research is needed.
Cold showers as a Grounding Technique
Grounding Techniques are techniques that help you lower your anxiety by bringing your focus and awareness to the present moment. They are effective because they also help reduce intrusive thoughts by making you focus on the present moment, with physical sensations or mental distractions.
Cold showers can act as a physical grounding technique. For example, you can take a cold shower, and concentrate on the feelings the cold water in your skin is making you feel.
Check out our grounding techniques for anxiety toolkit.
Other Benefits of Cold Showers
Cold showers were shown to increase endorphins (2). Cold showers also reduced depression symptoms (2).
Other Types of Bathing For Anxiety
Hot Immersion Baths
There is evidence that hot immersion baths might be good for mental health, reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression (3). Check out our in-depth article on hot immersion baths for anxiety.
Hot Showers
There is currently a lack of research to support the claim that hot showers reduce anxiety symptoms. However, hot showers can improve your sleep quality, reducing anxiety symptoms. Hot showers can also be used as a distraction or grounding technique for anxiety. Check out our in-depth study of hot showers for anxiety.
Sauna
According to a study, patients had reduced anxiety and depression symptoms after repeated sauna sessions (4).
Sources
(1) Siemieniec, S. (2020). Keep it Cool – Adapted Cold Showers for Anxiety (MSci Advanced Applied Psychology thesis). University of Chichester. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19654.50240/1
(2) Shevchuk, N. A. (2008). Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression. Medical Hypotheses, 70(5), 995-1001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2007.04.052
(3) Goto, Y., Hayasaka, S., Kurihara, S., & Nakamura, Y. (2018). Physical and Mental Effects of Bathing: A Randomized Intervention Study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, 9521086. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9521086
(4) Hussain, J., & Cohen, M. (2018). Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, 1857413. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1857413
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