9 SCIENTIFICLY PROVEN BENEFITS OF COLD SHOWERS
The benefits and harms of a cold shower in the morning.
INNA CODRU , JANUARY 27, 2018
Some might say that a cold shower is a great way to get up early in the morning. Or that a cold shower after a workout is a great way to tone up. Let's see how a cold shower is useful for both men and women. What are the benefits and harms of a cold shower.
It turns out that a cold shower has some very valuable and useful properties. It helps to improve overall health and promotes recovery of the body. However, if you are too sensitive to cold, then such a procedure may not always be justified. Whether a cold shower is part of your daily or morning routine will only depend on which of its benefits you want to get.
So, what evidence is there for the benefits of cold showers? Will it be useful for you? If so, what is the correct way to take a cold shower? That's what we'll talk about today.
SHOWER IS MORE THAN JUST WASHING
Before moving on to the benefits of a cold shower, let me point out that simply taking a shower does more than just cleanse the body. You provide yourself with excellent relaxation, especially depending on the aromas that you use while doing this. But there are other benefits as well.
Showering helps improve the appearance of your skin. Water is great to support your weight loss efforts and hydrate your hair and skin cells. The shower, in principle, cheers up, and helps to tune in to the working day.
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Both warm and cold showers have their benefits. Chances are you're already taking a warm shower, but what about a cold one? Well, it's time to talk about those nine benefits of a cold shower that you can get. Close the hot water faucet the next time you take a shower and notice how your health improves 😉.
YOU DON'T JUST WAKE UP FASTER, YOU GET BIG ENERGY
You probably know that cold water is great for waking up your body. The lower temperature of the water puts your body into a state of mild shock, which instantly improves your tone and gives you an extraordinary feeling of cheerfulness.
When you initially get under cold water, it seems like you can't breathe. It's scary to try it, isn't it? 😃. However, in small doses it is very beneficial for the body (unless, of course, there are doctor's contraindications).
Although you may initially only be able to turn on the cold water for a very short period of time (to allow you to catch your breath), you will instinctively take deeper breaths. This way you breathe in more oxygen, which means your organs get exactly what they need. This gives an instant increase in tone throughout the body.
You will feel more energized after taking a cold shower. Your body is ready for any upcoming stress that it may face during the day, and your brain will work at its maximum pace. While all your co-workers need a coffee boost, you're already ready to go. Being more alert, you are also more productive, which is so good for business and remarkable for the boss. 😉
You only need one cold shower a day to get it all. It is better, of course, to do this in the morning to get in shape faster. Basically, you don't even have to do it every day. You can do this trick after a bad night's sleep for a quick bounce back, or when you know you're going to have a really tough day.
IT WILL BE EASIER TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS
If it is difficult to control your emotions, you should also pay attention to a cold shower. The use of a contrast shower will help to take control of your nervous system, making it much more resistant to many problems that arise during the day.
In fact, studies have shown that cold showers keep a small amount of oxidative stress in the human body. Whereas excessive amounts of oxidative stress have a bad effect on the body (and you will have to use antioxidants to reduce this process). However, a little oxidative stress on a regular basis is generally needed. Therefore, when you take a cold shower, your nervous system gets used to certain levels of such stress, which means that it can easily cope with such a small amount of it.
The next time you feel stressed, your body will naturally be able to deal with it. You won't be too nervous in a meeting, and it will be much easier for you to manage the anger and frustration you feel when something goes wrong. It will be easier for you to think clearly and keep the situation under control, instead of immediately rushing into battle or going into conflict mode.
For all this, you do not need to immediately switch to the coldest possible shower. Start with a warm, relaxing and end with a short icy burst. This will be a great way to get the most out of such a shower in one sitting. It's like what James Bond does, so it must be really, really good, right?
IT STRENGTHENS WILLPOWER
Who wants to be constantly used, sitting on the neck and hanging the legs? Many people want to have a strong will, but they are not born with such a quality. And a cold shower also helps in educating the will.
One of the biggest benefits of a cold shower, as noted in research, is how willpower begins to "pull into a fist", in particular thanks to an ice shower in the morning. However, this is, for some reason, often overlooked as an advantage.
Willpower, among other things, helps to make important decisions. It helps to stick to a diet, helps to continue training through "I can't." Need help getting into the habit of exercising regularly at the gym? A cold shower will help with this.
It is especially difficult to get used to taking a cold shower in the morning. This is discipline. And if you can stick to what may seem like torture at first, then you can bend anything to your will. Add a cold shower to your daily morning routine and you will see that your willpower will help you more and more in other areas of your life.
COLD SHOWER RELIEVES STRESS AND HELPS DEPRESSION
It may seem that this statement contradicts the previous one. After all, cold showers increase oxidative stress in your body. And, as it may seem, this leads to an increase in a certain level of general stress. But not everything is so simple.
In fact, due to a small increase in oxidative stress, you will end up with a reduction in overall stress. The nervous system has the ability to get used to the constant pressures you put on it, like taking a light "stressful" cold shower every morning. As a result of this "habit", your nervous system will no longer react strongly to similar minor irritations, so you will no longer feel nervous tension on yourself when something does not go according to plan.
At the same time, a cold shower will increase blood levels of glutathione, lowering uric acid levels. Glutathione is a hormone that controls the level of stress you feel. The level at which your body will experience stress increases over time. Later, you will notice that you have ceased to pay attention to what previously specifically unbalanced you.
Meanwhile, cold showers will also help increase the levels of norepinephrine in the body. This is because the temperature of the water stimulates a part of the brain called the blue spot. By getting more norepinephrine, your brain releases more “happiness hormones” into the body.
The mild electroshock therapy your body receives during a cold shower will also help keep depression at bay. Your nerve endings receive more electrical impulses, keeping them active and positive. You will also be able to develop a kind of injection against the cold, that is, winter low temperatures will have a much less impact on your physical and mental health.
Yes, it is the latest research in this area that confirms that a cold shower at the end of your regular shower really helps to get all these positive effects described above.
HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT
Did you know that cold weather is great for weight loss? It promotes the loss of body fat, and not the loss of muscle mass, so this weight loss will only make you healthier.
There are several scientifically proven reasons to take cold showers when you are actively losing weight. First, your body will be forced to burn more calories to warm up again. And secondly, your metabolism gets an extra boost, so it will be easier for you to create a calorie deficit.
By increasing your metabolism, your brown adipose tissue or brown fat is activated. It is a good fat that promotes the release of heat in the body. Of course, by using it to warm your body, the body uses the calories in it. As a result, you lose more body fat throughout the day. You can lose an extra 4-5 kilos of fat in a year just by adding cold showers to your daily routine. Perhaps "a whole year" does not sound so promising, but it's worth it, because nothing special needs to be done 😊.
By the way, shivering is also good for burning calories. Almost all muscles are involved, because your body is trying to warm itself. This helps the body use your body fat to "heat" your body.
THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM OF THE BODY IS CLEARED
What is commonly overlooked when it comes to your immune system is the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system directly depends on how to properly take a cold shower. But why is it so important?
The first thing doctors say is that the lymphatic system helps remove cellular waste. Thus, it helps to protect your body from infections. However, this system is regularly blocked by toxins, various chemicals and environmental influences. And when your lymphatic system is blocked, dead cells and cellular waste accumulate in the body. The immune system, in turn, cannot work effectively, and you most often begin to suffer from colds.
During a cold shower, the lymph nodes are directly exposed to cold water, and this helps to increase their level of activity. The researchers found that the vessels will contract when cold, but then relax after warming up. Constant movement helps flush out cellular waste and improves a person's overall health.
Your immune system is also well supported. Studies have shown that when the body is trying to keep warm, the immune system is activated. And he is ready to reflect more harmful effects on our body.
The reduction in stress levels that occurs after taking a cold shower will also help your immune system. Stress hormones affect the body's ability to make white blood cells and fight disease. By simply reducing the amount of stress hormones in your body, you will find that your entire immune system is healthier and more ready to fight.
YOUR HAIR AND SKIN WILL LOOK BETTER
Showers are, of course, primarily intended for personal hygiene. You use them to get rid of dead skin cells and remove excess oils from your skin and hair. Well, it's time to stop using only warm water! You can quickly improve the health of your skin and hair, without the need for additional cosmetic products.
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Cold water will help shrink the size of your pores as your skin tightens in cold temperatures. Your body will not produce any excess fat, so there will be no oily skin or oily hair. If you have dry skin, essential natural oils are also not lost, which helps maintain healthier skin.
Skin and hair follicles will also show increased activity. Your skin is strengthened at the base of your hair, which means you'll lose less hair. In addition, you will get stronger, more luxurious curls.
If you recently dyed your hair, then you should definitely think about a cold shower. The heat of the water affects the hair in such a way that the color of the hair becomes faded fairly quickly. You will eventually need more coloring procedures, especially if you like to keep the color consistent. Cold water helps set the color of the hair, so it will stay bright and shiny for much longer.
CIRCULATION IS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED
You will have a complete feeling that the blood began to flow through the vessels faster and easier. Remember that cold water perfectly invigorates the body. Not only does your breathing speed up in cold water, but so does your heart rate. This is partly due to increased oxidative stress in your body. Your heart rate needs to pick up to keep up with the slight increase in stress hormones.
As the heart rate increases, blood will circulate throughout the body faster. Accordingly, you begin to take in more oxygen, so increased circulation helps distribute more oxygen to your body cells.
Not only do you get that amazing feeling of invigoration, but you get the maximum benefit for your entire body. Each organ receives more oxygen, and this is very important. Now you can imagine how much benefit your health will have if you just take a cold shower in the morning correctly.
A COLD SHOWER AFTER A WORKOUT HELPS YOUR MUSCLE RECOVERY FASTER
Cold showers help speed up the muscle recovery process. Muscles receive more oxygen and more blood, so cells can repair themselves faster and more efficiently. You get rid of accumulated lactic acid in the body, helping your muscles to relax and recover.
You may find that you need a mixture of hot and cold water. The benefits of a contrast shower are well known. In some cases, too much cold can be harmful. Warm water helps you relax more, as your heart rate slows down and your brain releases happy hormones. Try alternating between different temperatures to get the best results.
It's time to add a cold shower to your morning routine.
Ready for an ice blast? It is not necessary to use exclusively cold water to get all the benefits listed above. Start with a normal, warm shower and then switch to cold water at the end. Give your body a chance to gradually adjust to the cold and take deep breaths to increase the amount of oxygen circulating through your body.
Cold showers are very helpful. It’s easy enough to add to your morning routine (although it’s a bit more difficult to follow this routine 😄). It's time to get to work to deal with all the mess, stress, screaming kids, prickly co-workers, your boss, or whatever else life throws at us so often.