News

Love Cold Showers On A Sizzlin Summer Day? Think Again

Find Karma

by Find Karma

29 Jul

When summer heat feels like a personal attack and your shirt’s already soaked by 9 a.m., it’s natural to sprint toward the coldest shower your plumbing can produce. It feels like the right move. Refreshing. Rejuvenating. Rational.

But according to scientists and thermoregulation experts, that icy blast might be doing the exact opposite.

Wait — Cold Showers Make You Hotter?

Yep. Wild, right? But here’s how it works: when you hit your hot, sweaty skin with cold water, your body’s first response is to trap heat — not release it. That’s your internal systems trying to protect your core temperature.

Articles from Vice and Yahoo News explain how blood vessels constrict under cold exposure. This reduces heat loss and keeps your core heat right where it is — inside you.

So while the cold feels incredible on your skin in the moment, your body reacts by preserving heat, not cooling down. The result? You might end up sweating more than before, just moments after toweling off.

What To Do Instead

Here’s the curveball: experts recommend lukewarm or mildly warm showers on hot days. We know — sounds insane. But hear us out.

A warm shower helps your blood vessels dilate (vasodilation), which allows heat to move out of your body more efficiently. You may not feel that instant ice-cold relief, but your body will cool itself properly over the long run.

According to this deep dive on shower timing, shower temperature plays a bigger role in regulating your body’s systems than you might think. Think of a warm shower as syncing your body with the climate — not fighting it.

But . . . Cold Showers Aren’t Useless

Don’t panic — cold showers can be terrific for you when used at the right time.

According to UCLA Health, cold showers can:

So when should you go cold? Mornings, after workouts, or when you’re feeling mentally foggy. Just not when your body is already heat-saturated and desperately trying to cool itself.

TL;DR — Timing > Temperature

  • Cold shower on a hot day? Feels good, but keeps body heat locked in
  • Warm or lukewarm shower? Feels weird, but actually helps your body cool down
  • Cold showers still have health perks — just use them when your body’s not already on fire

If you’re sweating through summer and trying to avoid a personal heatwave meltdown, remember: your body is already working hard to regulate itself. Help it out. Don’t shock it. Shower smart.