University of Basel: Cold Showers Reduce the Number of Sick Days
19:50 2 November, 2026Regular cold showers may improve well-being and help people take fewer days off work or school due to illness. This is the conclusion reached by researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland. The findings were published on the university's website.
The experiment involved 719 healthy volunteers aged 18–65 who had not previously practiced cold showers. During the 12-week study, participants were instructed to shower using water as cold as possible.
By the end of the study, participants who adopted this habit were more likely to report improvements in their physical and psychological well-being. In addition, volunteers in this group took fewer sick days overall than those in the control group.
“Many participants also reported feeling more alert and energetic after taking a cold shower. The habit also had an environmental benefit: during the experiment, volunteers reduced their shower-related carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 15 kilograms per person. This was because less energy was needed to heat the water,” the scientists said.
The researchers advise people not to start with icy water immediately, but to gradually lower the shower temperature according to how they feel. They emphasize, however, that the findings do not prove that cold showers directly protect against infections.