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Many people believe that a cold shower will make them ill; in particular, it “can cause” a cold or the flu. Numerous studies of moderate cooling show that it does not cause respiratory illnesses, yet the notion about the dangers of cooling persists among the populace. This belief is in part correct in that severe cooling, which lowers core body temperature below 35°C (95°F), the state known as hypothermia, can indeed have adverse health effects. Hypothermia can develop as a result of immersion in ice-cold water or administration of certain drugs. In the vast majority of people, cold showers at 20°C (68°F) cannot lower core body temperature below 37°C (98.6°F) and therefore will not have adverse effects on health.

Statisticians know that respiratory infections occur predominantly, though not exclusively, during the cold time of the year. The mechanism underlying this phenomenon is unknown, although two recent studies provide a possible explanation. The first showed that inhalation of cold air by horses during exercise suppresses immunity in the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. This immunosuppressive effect of cold air can predispose a person to the flu or a cold. The other study showed that cold dry air improves transmission and survival of the influenza virus. Cold air contains much less moisture than warm air does. Transmission and survival of the influenza virus in moist, warm air are much lower. The folk wisdom of keeping a boiling kettle in the house to prevent the spread of influenza among family members should be effective. Therefore, it is possible that the predominant occurrence of flu epidemics during the colder seasons is a result of the above effects.

Cold showers in the atmosphere of room-temperature air will not predispose a person to influenza. My experience and the experience of many other fans of cold water show that cold showers cannot cause respiratory infections. Rare side effects exist, as you will see in a later chapter.

Although moderate cooling is safe, winter swimming is not. Winter swimming is sudden immersion in ice-cold water, and it is a highly stressful and unsafe procedure that you will do well to avoid.