Why Short Bursts of Cold Showers Are Good for You

Pairing short cold showers with breathwork helps in post-exercise recovery, mental clarity and metabolic resilience

- Tanisha Saxena

Long before Wim Hof turned ice baths into an internet spectacle, ancient Greeks bathed in cold water to rouse the senses. Romans built entire chambers—the frigidarium—around the idea. In Victorian asylums, cold dousing was used to "correct" unruly behavior. After a century of hot-water comfort, the pendulum is swinging back. Today, cold showers are touted for sharper focus, reduced inflammation, and mood boosts. Silicon Valley CEOs swear by them. Fitness influencers frame them as proof of grit. But beyond the invigorating jolt, what does science really say?

"Pairing short cold showers with breathwork or post-exercise recovery can significantly amplify the benefits," says Asad Hussain, founder and CEO of OddsFitness. "When practiced mindfully, cold exposure taps into the body's natural stress adaptation systems that not only boost circulation and metabolism, but also train the nervous system to better handle real-life stress."

The term for this mild, beneficial stress is 'hormesis'—a biological phenomenon where small doses of a stressor (in this case, cold) trigger adaptive benefits in the body. Cold exposure, Hussain explains, reduces systemic inflammation, enhances immune response, and activates brown fat—a metabolically active fat tissue known for burning energy to generate heat. From a cardiovascular standpoint, the body's reaction is swift and pronounced. "Cold water exposure has an immediate impact on the cardiovascular system," explains Dr. Sukriti Bhalla, senior consultant & unit head, cardiology, Aakash Healthcare, Delhi. "The body perceives it as a stressor, which causes blood vessels to constrict and the heart rate to rise. In healthy individuals, this can actually be beneficial over time—it trains the vascular system to become more adaptable and resilient."