Feeling unwell? Here’s why you should skip the dip.
Your throat feels scratchy. Maybe there's a slight fever brewing. The morning ice bath routine you've built over weeks suddenly feels less appealing. Should you push through or take a break?
The answer lies in understanding how cold water immersion affects your body's readiness when your immune system is already working overtime.
Already keen on the cold? Don’t forget to browse our range of ice baths and bundles here for home.
What your body's actually doing when fighting illness
When you catch a cold or flu, your immune system shifts into high gear. Your blood vessels will dilate to allow infection-fighting white blood cells to get to where they need to be, and inflammation happens.
This requires significant power from our bodies to help us fight infection and feel better.
This needed power matters because cold water immersion is fundamentally a controlled stressor. When you're healthy, this stress builds capacity. When you're sick, it competes for the same resources your immune system needs.
The stress competition problem
Cold water exposure triggers immediate physiological demands. In a healthy state, these responses drive adaptation. Your body learns to regulate temperature more efficiently, manage stress better, and build that mental resilience.
But during illness, adding cold water immersion (a horemetic stressor) can overwhelm your system's capacity whilst trying to fight infection. While rest is the most important factor for feeling better, ice baths are best received when feeling well.
Building a better immune system
Although ice baths may not be the key to shifting your illness, they’re a great resource for building your immune system up to prevent sickness. Those who are avid cold water immersion users often say, “I can’t remember when I last had a cold”.
Some studies suggest cold water exposure might stimulate the production of white blood cells, which fight infection. An example of this is a study comparing 6 healthy adults taking hot or cold showers daily for 90 days. The results showed that the cold shower group indicated enhanced T-cell proliferation and humoral immunity.
Regular cold water immersion, when you're healthy, appears to support immune function. Studies show cold-adapted individuals report fewer sick days and less severe symptoms when they do get ill. The keyword: regular.
The comeback protocol
After illness, don't jump straight back to your previous routine. You may need time to re-adjust.
A graduated return prevents setbacks while rebuilding your cold tolerance safely. This may consist of: your temperature not being as cold as previously, and your dips being a little shorter.
The bottom line
Cold water immersion builds resilience through consistent, appropriate challenge. When you're sick, your body is already challenged. Adding more stress doesn't build capacity. It depletes reserves needed for recovery.
Listen to your readiness signals. Track your metrics from a wearable device if necessary. When in doubt, skip the dip. The ice bath will be there tomorrow, and approaching it with full capacity ensures you get the adaptation benefits you're after.
Ready to dive deeper?
Whether it’s sport recovery, building resilience, or that feel-good mental boost, cold water immersion is a useful tool for everyone. If you’re looking to dive deeper, make sure to download the deliberate cold exposure guide here.
