Feasibility and Effects of Taking Cold Showers: A Randomized Controlled Study

NCT04130126 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: eknz2019-00529
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 350
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Considering the beneficial individual and environmental effects, investigators set out to replicate the recent study on the effects of taking cold showers on sickness absence, illness days and subjective well-being and to assess both the acceptability of taking cold showers as well as its effects on sickness absence and illness days as well as well-being, sleep quality, skin and hair appearance for a period of 3 months in a population of healthy and volunteering participants.

Conditions

Sick Leave

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change of sickness absence

  Sickness absence will be assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months. Participants are asked to retrospectively indicate the total number of days of absence from their work due to sickness. If participants indicate sickness absence over five days, they are asked for the reason.

  Assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months

• Change in number of illness days

  Illness days will be assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months. Participants are asked to retrospectively indicate the number of days that they have had symptoms of illness, cold or flu during the last month. If participants indicate illness over five days, they are asked for the reason.

  Assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• World Health Organization (WHO) Five Well-Being Index

  Assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months

• Questionnaire for positive aspects of well-being in adults

  Assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months

• International Physical Activity Questionnaire

  Assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months

• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

  Assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months

• Skin quality questionnaire

  Assessed at baseline and then monthly for 3 months

Study Arms (2)

Warm showers

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the warm showers condition are instructed to continue their normal warm showers throughout the study

Cold showers

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the cold showers condition will be asked to take cold showers over a time period of 3 months

Behavioral: Taking cold showers

Interventions

Taking cold showers BEHAVIORAL

Showering behaviour

Cold showers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• healthy participants between 18 and 65 years of age
• no cold shower taken on a regular basis by participants

You may not qualify if:

• pregnant or lactating women
• subjects with cardiac, pulmonary or any other severe disease by self-report.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Basel

Basel, Switzerland

Location

Study Officials

• Jens Gaab, Prof. Dr.

  Faculty for Psychology at the University of Basel

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 24, 2019
• First Posted: October 17, 2019
• Study Start: October 26, 2021
• Primary Completion: March 17, 2023
• Study Completion: December 31, 2023
• Last Updated: May 8, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CH (1)