Cold Shower Vs. Cold Plunge; Which Is Better?

Deliberate cold-water exposure continues to increase in popularity. An exercise recovery protocol once reserved only for elite athletes, cold-water therapy continues to gain traction within the community at large. Individuals in all walks of life – amateur athletes, students, and corporate professionals alike are being drawn to the benefits of cold-water exposure.

However, the question that comes up time and again is whether there is a difference in cold-water exposure in the form of a cold plunge from that in the form of a cold shower.

Which is better – A cold plunge or a cold shower? Why? And what makes them similar and what makes them distinct.

In general, you’ll attain the lions share of cold-water exposure benefits through either a cold plunge or a cold shower. The mental benefits are nearly identical, however, there are some distinct differences in the physical benefits which may be meaningful, depending on what attributes you are seeking to optimize.

Mental Benefits

The mental benefits achieved through taking a cold shower are consistent with those achieved in full-body cold-water immersion and include:

1. Increased Mental Energy
2. Heightened Alertness
3. Increased Focus
4. Enhanced Mood
5. Increased Resilience and Grit
6. Improved Discipline

For a detailed look at the mental benefits of cold-water exposure, see our Cold Plunge for Beginners post.

The rapid increase in mental energy, alertness, focus and mood brought on by the initial shock of cold water is a great way to supercharge your morning routine or reset your mindset midday. The burst of adrenaline, dopamine, cortisol, and a host of other neurotransmitters released by the shock of the cold sharpens your focus and alertness, increases your awareness, and improves concentration in the short term and over time. Additionally, your elevation in mood, the result of an increase in dopamine levels flowing through your bloodstream, can last the entire day.

Cold showers can, at times, be even more mentally uncomfortable than a cold plunge. When you are get ready for a cold plunge, your mind and body have time to prepare for the inevitable cold. There is also no hot-water handle to turn if the water gets too cold – nothing for your mind to fight about other than getting out of the water. Whereas, when you turn on the cold water in the shower, the effects are immediate. Rather than preparing for the cold, all your brain has time to do is argue and make up excuses for why a warm shower is a better alternative. You have a constant easy way out – turning the handle – if things get too cold. As a result, it takes even more resilience and grit to get into and stay in a cold shower than it does a cold plunge. Similarly, if you have a routine cold-shower protocol, your discipline improves with every round of cold. By starting your day with a cold shower, you can be certain that everything else you encounter the rest of the day will feel easy compared to the icy stream of water in the morning.

While the mental benefits alone are enough to prompt adopting a cold-shower protocol, adopting a cold-shower practice has some lasting physical benefits that you don’t want to miss.

Physical Benefits

1. Surge in Physical Energy
2. Increase in Metabolism
3. Increased Circulation
4. Supports Immune Function

Cold-shower protocols offer some of the same benefits of full-body cold immersion – specifically, increased energy levels, improved circulation, increases in metabolic activity, and an increase in immune response over time.

As discussed in the Cold Plunge for Beginners post, during a cold shower (or cold-water exposure), your body releases large doses of healthy cortisol and adrenaline in response to the shock of the cold water. This dose of chemicals translates to immediate bursts of energy – which generally can be sustained throughout the day. Not to mention, there are few things that will clear away grogginess like a cold shower.

Additionally, when we get cold, our body ramps up thermogenesis (creates heat) to keep us warm – a process which requires enhanced metabolic activity and as a result, burns additional calories relative to our baseline. However, while the spike in metabolism and excess calorie burn is immediate, the effects are lasting – meaning that you’ll continue burning additional calories over the next few hours as your body works to restore its temperature to its baseline.

Cold showers can also help speed up recovery or reduce inflammation from soreness or injuries. When you get into cold water, blood vessels initially constrict to conserve heat. However, once your body adapts to the cold, your blood vessels naturally dilate to release heat. This constriction and dilation can happen continuously during a cold shower, and by stimulating blood flow throughout the body, your blood can shuttle nutrients and repair cells to the body and clear away dead or harmful cells.

Last, cold-water protocols have been shown to increase our body’s resilience to infection through the release of adrenaline and cortisol, which can boost immunity. As a result, individuals who have adopted a routine cold-water protocol may be more resilient to illness and have a more robust immune response to sickness and infections.

What are the Key Differences Between a Cold Plunge and a Cold Shower?

While there are a significant number of consistent mental and physical benefits to either type of practice, there are two specific physical benefits derived from cold plunges which are more challenging to realize through a cold shower – specifically, muscle recovery and inflammation reduction.

Muscle Recovery

Cold showers are likely to have less of an impact on muscle recovery than cold plunges. Because the body is not immersed in the water, cold showers are less likely to support reductions in muscle inflammation and swelling. The required vasoconstriction (blood vessel constriction), which can reduce inflammatory particles and reduce muscle swelling, doesn’t occur to the extent it does in cold plunges – leading to slower muscle recovery.

Inflammation Reduction

While circulation improves with both full-body cold water exposure and cold showers, the improvement in circulation is more pronounced in cold plunges, and the resulting benefits derived from showers are muted as compared to the circulation benefits achieved through full-body immersion.

However, there is considerably less research and data related to the benefits of cold showers, partially due to the challenges with controlling water placement and controlling for time under the water. So, while it is possible new research may emerge which shows a smaller gap in the muscle and inflammation recovery properties of cold plunges versus cold showers, if your number on priority is physical recovery, your best option is utilizing a cold plunge.

Bottom Line

Cold showers have several advantages over cold plunges, including:

• Accessibility – Cold showers are accessible to everyone, while cold plunges may not be practicable
• Degree of Control – Individuals can tailor their cold shower practice specific to their needs and tolerances, you can start warm and end cold, and you can control the temperature
• Ability to Start Immediately – You can start your practice at home, today
• Cost – Cold showers are (essentially) free
• Great Entry into Cold-Water Exposure – Cold Showers are a great way to get your feet wet in cold-water practices

But, the physical responses and adaptations will generally be suppressed as compared to full-body immersion.

Your overall goals should dictate which practice you adopt. If the mental benefits are what you are seeking, cold showers should work just fine. However, if you want enhanced physical benefits, you’ll likely need to opt for a cold plunge. Just remember that if part of your overall health plan includes strength or hypertrophy training, it is best to avoid the cold immediately after training, as discussed in the Cold Plunge for Beginners post.