Cold Water and Decision-Making

Launched by GERMAN INSTITUTE OF HUMAN NUTRITION · Mar 26, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The "Cold Water and Decision-Making" trial, also known as the CoVa study, is looking to understand how short-term immersion in cold water affects our choices, mental health, and body responses compared to being in warm water. Researchers want to see if a quick dip in cold water can make us feel better and help us make better decisions in daily life. This study is not yet recruiting participants, but when it starts, it will involve adults aged 18 to 40 who are healthy and can speak German.

To be eligible for this trial, participants must have a body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 30 and a normal sleep schedule. They should not have certain health conditions, like heart disease or allergies to medical supplies, and they should not use tobacco or drink excessive alcohol. Participants should expect to take part in different water immersion sessions and share their experiences. This study could be important for understanding how our environment, like temperature, affects our well-being and decisions.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 18-40 years of age
• • Consent to participate
• • Fluency in German
• • Physically and mentally healthy
• • BMI 18-30 kg/m2
• • Normal day-night rhythm
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Raynaud syndrome
• • Cold urticaria
• • High resting heart rate (\>160 beats per minute)
• • Acute infection
• • Diagnosed current or former illnesses of
• • Brain and mind
• • Heart and blood circulation
• • Gastrointestinal system
• • Endocrine system
• • Other serious past or present medical conditions
• • Wearing of medical devices (e.g., pacemaker)
• • Fear of blood, needles, or phlebotomy
• • Allergies to plasters, gels, and other medical equipment
• • Allergies to commercially available liquid meals (e.g., shakes, yfood Labs GmbH)
• • Recurrent intake of medication which affect metabolism
• • Regular nicotine consumption (e.g., vaping, cigarettes)
• • Excessive alcohol consumption (\>14 servings/week)
• • Recent illegal drug consumption (within 2 weeks prior)
• • Strong mental or physical stress
• • Excessive exercise (\>2 h high-intensity exercise/day)
• • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• • Inability to wear skin-exposing swimwear, e.g., for religious reasons
• • Affinity for winter swimming, cryotherapy, breathwork (\>3 times/year)