# Would you get an ice-cream headache from drinking a cold bottle of booze in a sauna? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 24, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220 "2021-07-24T20:30:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/1 "2021-07-24T20:30:27Z")
Would the dramatic temperature difference between what you’re drinking and the temperature of your skin, cause an ice-cream headache or any unusual side effects? ---
**Author:** ![CorpusNeptune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corpusneptune/32/17561_2.png) [@CorpusNeptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CorpusNeptune)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2021, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/2 "2021-07-24T20:56:44Z")
You would probably only get a “brain-freeze” if you drank a lot of it within a short span of time, similar to ice cream. Otherwise, it would probably only leave a slight shock inside your mouth due to the sudden coldness, much like getting into a pool when it’s 90°F outside. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/3 "2021-07-24T21:13:13Z")
I’ve had many sauna beers. No ice cream headaches to report. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/4 "2021-07-24T21:26:27Z")
Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/5 "2021-07-24T21:31:58Z")
Actually, yes; I’m currently roleplaying someone who’s brought a beer with her into a sauna. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2021, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/6 "2021-07-25T08:49:47Z")
Does your core temperature significantly rise when you’re in a sauna? I would have thought the ice cream brain freeze thing is more to do with the cold substance vs your body temperature, not ambient. ---
**Author:** ![tavaritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@tavaritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavaritz)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/7 "2021-07-26T06:58:00Z")
Hope it’s plastic bottle. Anyways, I personally think that all beweridges should by drank outside the sauna and washingroom. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/8 "2021-07-26T11:04:38Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Would the dramatic temperature difference between what you’re drinking and the temperature of your skin, cause an ice-cream headache or any unusual side effects? Brain freeze is unrelated to the temperature of your skin. It’s about the wild temperature swings your palate experiences when you drink/eat something cold and then let your palate rapidly warm up again: > **[Cold-stimulus headache | Cause and frequency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold-stimulus_headache#Cause_and_frequency)** > > A cold-stimulus headache is thought to be the direct result of the rapid cooling and rewarming of the capillaries in the sinuses leading to periods of vasoconstriction and vasodilation. A similar, but painless, blood vessel response causes the face to appear "flushed" after being outside on a cold day. In both instances, the low temperature causes the capillaries in the sinuses to constrict and then experience extreme rebound dilation as they warm up again. > In the palate, this dilation is sensed... As such, problems with drinking very cold beverages while in a sauna are no more likely than while ice fishing. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/9 "2021-07-26T11:50:06Z")
If you did get brain freeze in a sauna it would quickly and easily be solved by opening your mouth and breathing in the warm air. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/10 "2021-07-26T14:17:54Z")
If the Wikipedia article is to be believed, it is the rapid re-warming (after the cooling event) which is responsible for capillary dilation and the associated sensation of pain. IOW, re-warming your palate rapidly is likely to cause worse pain than re-warming your palate slowly. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220/11 "2021-07-26T14:54:59Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > If the Wikipedia article is to be believed, it is the rapid re-warming (after the cooling event) which is responsible for capillary dilation and the associated sensation of pain. I believe that. I’ve found the best cure for brain freeze is actually to drink a cool (but not ice-cold) drink.