For all of us who prize good health but also enjoy our creature comforts, I have bad news – cold showers are on the menu.

Our source is none other than Switched ON Living favourite, Dr Michael Mosley. In a recent podcast for his great Just One Thing series for the BBC, Michael talks about how regular cold-water showers or cold-water swims can boost our immune systems, improve our mood and reduce our stress.

Michael says that while the evidence to support cold-water showers and swims is more anecdotal at present, there’s growing research behind it. He explains that when the cold water first hits our bodies, we start to hyperventilate and our brains release adrenaline. Over time, as we get used to the shock of the cold water, the discomfort becomes less difficult to accept.

It’s thought that small, controlled exposures to stress such as cold-water showers and swims help to build our immune system. A study in the Netherlands found a 30% reduction in people who had to take time off work because of illness.

Fortunately, Professor Mike Tipton from Portsmouth University tells us that the benefits of cold-water exposure occur over a short time, such as a quick shower, rather than a long exposure which could induce hypothermia.

And it’s not just our immune systems that seem to benefit from the cold-water immersion. There’s anecdotal evidence that our moods improve. Professor Tipton talks about a woman suffering from depression and addition who is now happier than she has been in years after going for a daily cold-water swim for the past year.

Michael Mosley never disappoints and he’s come up trumps again with his Just One Thing podcast series. If even half of his suggestions work, we’ll be busting down the door of traditional retirement, full of the energy and vitality we’ve earned from following Michael’s advice.

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Listen to Could a cold shower be the answer to reducing stress and boosting your immune system? | BBC | Michael Mosley