Look, we'd be the first to admit that the merest hint of a headcold has us wheeling out age-old remedies before diving beneath a duvet.

But much and all as we loathe our bi-annual dose, we don't think we'd have the courage to prevent their emergence with a cold shower…. on the daily.

Oh, that's right ladies, according to recent research, braving a cold shower helps ward off the common cold by boosting your immune system.

In a study conducted by Dutch researchers, more than 3,000 individuals aged between 18 and 65 were encouraged to take short, cold showers every single day for a month.

Interestingly, the participants who took cold showers on the daily took 29% fewer days sick leave than the control group who languished in long, hot showers every morning.

"The most commonly reported beneficial effect was an increase in perceived energy levels, including many reported comparisons to the effect of caffeine," researchers confirmed.

Explaining the motivation behind the study, researchers explained: "Cold water has been used therapeutically for many centuries and continues using modern technology."

"Hippocrates, the father of medicine, who added rubbing to cold bathing, was accustomed to use cold water in his treatment of the most serious illnesses."

And nope, we won't be trying it.