Cold water immersion reduces anxiety and improves mood shortly afterward.

Is it true that cold water immersion reduces anxiety and improves mood shortly afterward?

Partly. Several small studies and a review report improved mood after a single cold-water immersion, but a 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis found no mood improvement, and none of the placed items directly measured anxiety reduction. The evidence covers mood partially and leaves the anxiety half of the claim unsettled.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 4 sources for, 1 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

How to Reduce Anxiety Immediately. (n.d.). simplypsychology.org. https://www.simplypsychology.org/how-to-reduce-anxiety-immediately.html

Cain, T., Brinsley, J., Bennett, H., Nelson, M., Maher, C., & Singh, B. (2025). Effects of cold-water immersion on health and wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317615

Kelly, J. S. & Bird, E. (2021). Improved mood following a single immersion in cold water. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/lim2.53

Kelly, J. S., Davidson, N., & Delaney, J. P. (2026). Improved Mood Following Cold‐Water Immersion: A Comparison of Differing Exposure Durations. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/lim2.70048

Short-Term Head-Out Whole-Body Cold-Water Immersion Facilitates Positive Affect and Increases Interaction between Large-Scale Brain Networks - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12020211