PHAM NEWS | MAY 2025 30 Showers& Enclosures Taking a cold shower


Taking a regular cold shower can help save on energy and also provide many health benefi ts. Suzannah Adey from Mira Showers looks at the increasing popularity of cold showering and explains why Mira has launched the UK’s fi rst cold water experience digital shower.


M


any people often take showers for granted – seeing them as purely a place


in which to unwind after a long day or prepare for the busy day ahead. However, showering is increasingly being seen as a platform for not only better health but lower energy consumption, too.


Indeed, current estimates suggest that around 28% of the UK population are incorporating cold showers into their daily showering routine as a result of the wellbeing and health benefi ts. And less hot water means less energy used for heating


Heating water in homes contributes substantially to national carbon emissions, accounting for around 5% of the UK’s total emissions, and of course water heaters and gas boilers will use energy every time someone takes a hot shower.


Lowering the temperature of a shower will reduce the energy required to heat the water, while shorter and cooler showers tend to use less water overall. People don’t tend to linger under cold water. Consequently, cold showers are generally quicker, reducing overall water use and any energy required to heat it. Conserving water is


absolutely imperative to help protect the planet’s limited fresh water supplies. So, when someone takes shorter, cooler showers, they are actively reducing their water wastage and helping to preserve precious resources.


Spray technology research takes care of every drop


Following six years of intensive research in its in-house spray laboratory, Hansgrohe has unveiled a new spray nozzle that is said to deliver a new level of shower spray consistency and quality. “Using less water is simple –


you just turn off the tap. The real challenge lies in using intelligent technology to create an exceptional shower experience,” explains Markus Woehrle, head of shower research at Hansgrohe Group. The heart of the innovation is


the newly developed, adaptive spray nozzle. Flexible, elastic and adapting dynamically to different


water pressure conditions, the new innovation has been designed to guarantee optimum spray quality consistently - regardless of the local water conditions. The flexible nozzle automatically


enlarges when the pressure increases and closes when the pressure drops. This interaction prevents limescale deposits and reduces the amount of cleaning required, which is especially good news for areas with hard water. The company’s own laboratories


analyse every aspect of the showering process – from spray formation and water droplet size


Health benefi ts


By stimulating the body, cold water exposure has been shown to increase blood fl ow to vital organs in order to maintain core temperature. The vascular response may


cause blood vessels to constrict and then dilate, promoting better circulation over time – ensuring more oxygen and nutrients are delivered throughout the body to enhance cardiovascular performance and lower blood pressure. Regular cold exposure has also


Suzannah Adey Product marketing manager at Mira Showers


been shown to increase white blood cell count and lymphatic activity, potentially improving the human body’s ability to fend off infections. This is supported by research


Cold water immersion is gaining popularity across the UK, with advocates noticing a significant


improvement in their physical and mental wellbeing


in 2016 that revealed individuals who took daily cold showers had a 29% reduction in self-reported sickness absence from work compared to those who didn’t. Cold water exposure has been shown to activate the sympathetic nervous system and trigger a surge of norepinephrine and endorphins – the human body’s natural ‘feel good’ chemicals. Over a prolonged period of time, this exposure can help increase tolerance to stress, elevate mood and build mental toughness. For many years, athletes have utilised cold water immersion – otherwise known as ice baths – to speed up recovery. Cold showering technology has been known to provide similar, albeit milder, anti- infl ammatory eff ects, with lower temperatures helping to reduce lactic acid buildup, minimise infl ammation, and shorten


recovery time after physical exertion. In fact, cold showers and ice baths may help to reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) post-workout.


Customised settings Responding to the increasing interest in cold showering, we recently launched the Mira Activate, featuring ColdBoost – the latest in cold showering technology.


Utilising an intuitive in- shower digital display, the ColdBoost makes the adjustment of water temperature quick, safe, and easy – with each of the four curated presets safely lowering the temperature at the pace, and duration, the user needs. Entirely customisable for each user and lasting up to three minutes in duration, the ColdBoost cold water therapy experiences make timing showers incredibly simple and enable users to gradually build up their time by selecting more advanced presets.


In addition to the functional


digital display, users can also control and confi gure the shower in advance using the Mira Showers app – adding further usability and functionality. Featuring precision


engineered, high quality bezels, a pre-assembled fi ttings kit and an external power supply unit with 3m cable for diffi cult- to-reach power sources, the Mira Activate ColdBoost is designed to work alongside a combination boiler system, a mains pressurised instantaneous hot water heater, or an unvented mains pressurised system. Cold water immersion is gaining popularity across the UK, with advocates noticing a signifi cant improvement in their physical and mental wellbeing. Combining cold showering with the smart and innovative Mira Activate ColdBoost – that enables customised exposure, guided routines, and safety features – will ensure these benefi ts are more accessible to an even wider audience. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/525/46


to the acoustic signature of the impinging water. Generating an optimum spray angle was the biggest challenge. With the new FlexPower technology nozzles, the angle of the water is guided by the interaction between deformation and flow. Water conservation is another


key focus of all the company’s research. With a water consumption rate of just 6 litres per minute for EcoSmart+ products with flow restrictors, every single drop of water is used optimally – without compromising on showering pleasure.


“Each water spray is controlled


so precisely that we achieve a very high level of showering comfort with minimal consumption of resources,” adds Woehrle. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/525/47


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