Some might say that a cold shower is a great way to wake up faster in the morning. Or that a cold shower after a workout is a great way to tone up. Let's look at the benefits of cold showers for both men and women. What are the benefits and harms of a cold shower?
It turns out that cold showers have several very valuable and beneficial properties. It helps 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 will be part of your daily or morning exercise will depend only on which of its beneficial properties you want to receive.
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? This is what we will talk about today.
Before we get into the benefits of cold showers, let me point out that simply taking a shower does more than just cleanse your body. You provide yourself with excellent relaxation, especially depending on the scents you use. But there are other benefits too.
Showering helps improve the appearance of your skin. Water will perfectly support your efforts in the fight against excess weight and saturate your hair and skin cells with moisture. A shower, in principle, lifts your spirits and helps you get ready for the work day.
Both warm and cold showers have their benefits. Chances are you already take a warm shower, but what about a cold one? Well, it's time to talk about the nine benefits of cold showers that you can get. Turn off the hot water tap the next time you shower and celebrate how your health improves đ.
You probably know that cold water is great for waking up your body. The lower water temperature puts your body into a state of mild shock, which instantly increases your tone and gives you an extraordinary feeling of vitality.
When you initially fall under cold water, it feels like you can't breathe. It's scary to try, isn't it? đ. However, in small doses it is very beneficial for the body (unless, of course, there are contraindications from a doctor).
Although you may initially only run the cold water for a very short period of time (to give you a chance 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 immediate increase in tone throughout the body.
You will feel more filled with vitality after receiving a cold shower. Your body is prepared for any upcoming stress that may be thrown at it during the day, and your brain will work at its maximum speed. While all your colleagues need a boost from coffee, you're ready to go. Being more alert means you're more productive, which is great for business and great for your boss. đ
You only need one cold shower a day to get it all. Itâs better, of course, to do this in the morning to get toned faster. In principle, you don't even need to do this every day. You can do this trick after a bad night's sleep to quickly get yourself back to normal, or when you know you have a very hard day ahead.
If you find it difficult to control your emotions, you may also want to consider taking cold showers. Using a contrast shower will help you 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 retain little oxidative stress in the human body. While an excess amount of oxidative stress has 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 necessary. Therefore, by taking a cold shower, your nervous system becomes accustomed to certain levels of this stress, meaning that it can easily cope with such small amounts of it.
The next time you feel stressed, your body will naturally be able to cope with it. You won't feel as stressed out in a meeting, and you'll have a much easier time managing the anger and frustration you feel when things don't go your way. It will be easier for you to think clearly and stay in control of the situation, rather than jumping straight into action 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 feeling and end with a short, icy blast. This will be a great way to get the most out of this shower in one sitting. It's similar to what James Bond does, so it must be really, really good, right?
Who wants to be constantly used, sat on the neck and dangling 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 developing the will.
One of the biggest benefits of cold showers noted in research is the way your willpower begins to âgather into a fistâ, in particular thanks to an ice-cold shower in the morning. However, this is somehow often overlooked as an advantage.
Willpower, among other things, helps make important decisions. It helps you stick to your diet, helps you continue training through âI canâtâ. Need help getting into the habit of working out consistently 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 at first seem like torture, then you can bend anything to your will. Add a cold shower to your daily morning exercise routine, and you will see that your willpower in other areas of your life will help more and more.
This statement may seem to contradict 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 overall stress. But it's not that simple.
In fact, due to the slight increase in oxidative stress, you will end up with decline general stress. The nervous system has the ability to get used to the constant stress you put on it, like taking a mild âstressfulâ cold shower every morning. As a result of this âhabitâ, your nervous system will no longer react strongly to similar small irritations, so you will no longer feel nervous tension when something does not go according to plan.
At the same time, cold showers will increase glutathione levels in the blood, reducing 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. Subsequently, you will notice that you have stopped paying attention to what previously unbalanced you.
Meanwhile, cold showers will also help improve the level norepinephrine in the body. This is because the temperature of the water stimulates a part of the brain called the locus blue. By receiving more norepinephrine, your brain releases more âhappy hormonesâ into the body.
The gentle electroshock therapy your body receives during a cold shower can 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, low winter temperatures will have much less impact on your physical and mental health.
Yes, it is the latest research in this area that confirms that taking a cold shower at the end of your regular shower actually helps to achieve all of these positive effects described above.
Did you know that cold is great for weight loss? It promotes the loss of body fat, not the loss of muscle mass, so such weight loss will only make you healthier.
There are several scientifically proven reasons for taking cold showers when you are actively fighting excess weight. First, your body will be forced to burn more calories to get warm 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 helps produce heat in the body. Of course, by using it to warm your body, the body uses the calories stored in it. As a result, you lose more body fat throughout the day. You can lose an extra 10 to 10 pounds of fat over the course of a year simply by adding cold showers to your daily routine. Maybe âa whole yearâ doesnât sound so promising, but itâs worth it because you donât have to do anything special đ.
By the way, shaking is also good for burning calories. Almost every muscle is used as your body tries to warm itself up. This helps the body use your fat deposits to âheatâ your body.
What is usually 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 this so important?
The first thing doctors say is that the lymphatic system helps remove cellular waste. Thus, it helps 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, which increases their activity levels. Researchers have found that blood vessels will contract when cold, but then relax when warmed up. Constant movement helps flush away cellular waste and improves a person's overall health.
Your immune system is also well supported. Research has shown that the body's immune system is activated when it tries to warm itself up. And it is ready to reflect more harmful effects on our body.
The reduction in stress levels that comes with taking a cold shower will also help your immune system. Stress hormones affect the body's ability to create 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 ready to fight.
Showers, of course, are 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 to use additional cosmetic products.
Cold water will help reduce 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 the hair, which means you will lose less hair. Plus, you'll get stronger, more luscious curls.
If you've recently dyed your hair, you should definitely think about a cold shower. The warmth of the water affects the hair in such a way that the hair color quickly becomes faded. You'll end up needing more coloring treatments, especially if you like to keep the color consistent. Cold water helps lock hair color so it stays bright and shiny for much longer.
You will have a complete feeling that blood has begun 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 must increase to cope with the slight increase in stress hormones.
As your heart rate increases, blood will circulate throughout your body faster. Accordingly, you begin to take in more oxygen, so increased circulation helps distribute more oxygen to the cells of your body.
Not only do you get that amazing feeling of vitality, but you also get maximum benefits 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 correctly in the morning.
Cold showers help speed up the muscle recovery process. The muscles receive more oxygen and more blood so that the cells can repair themselves faster and more efficiently. You get rid of accumulated lactic acid in the body, helping your muscles 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.
Ready for an icy blast? You don't have to use cold water exclusively to get all the benefits listed above. Start with a regular, warm shower and then switch to cold water at the end. Give your body a chance to gradually acclimate to the cold and take deep breaths to increase the amount of oxygen circulating through your body's vessels.
Cold showers are very beneficial. Itâs easy enough to add to your morning routine (though following this routine is a little more difficult đ). It's time to get to work to deal with all those hassles, stress, noisy kids, prickly colleagues, your boss or any other problems that life so often throws at us.
When you are asked for advice on how to wake up refreshed, or how to cheer up in the morning, the first thing that comes to your mind is, of course, a cold shower. Few people know that a cold shower can either invigorate you or make you half-asleep and comatose. Not enough, because many people talk about it, sometimes do it, and almost no one does it systematically.
And in order not to feel dull in the morning after taking a cold shower, when you actually take it regularly, you need to know how to do it correctly. I wonât say that my option is the only correct and unique one.
I wonât say that it was developed in Antarctica in a secret laboratory by a group of advanced Soviet-Chinese scientists together with penguins. But my option is correct, and I do not exclude that there are other correct options.
Cold showers are a great way to wake up
Nothing is more refreshing and invigorating in the morning than... a cold shower. Moreover, health experts claim that such water procedures also have a positive effect on our health and have the ability to motivate us to achieve high goals. True, on the other hand, there are a number of scientific facts, supported by medical arguments, which claim that such cold water is like a stress-provoker for a barely awakened body, and nothing good should be expected from such a cold shower. So, where is the truth and who is right - supporters of this method of awakening or those who prefer to avoid such water procedures - we invite you to find the answer with us...
On the pages of our website, we have repeatedly discussed... Today itâs our turn to talk about the benefits of the cold streams of water that fall on us from the shower. Is it worth exposing your barely awakened body to such stress? In fact, if you break down how such cold jets of water affect different organs and systems of our body, then you can come to the conclusion that the effect of such a shower is more positive than negative. But, so that we are not unfounded, we offer you the facts...
Not only does a comfortable environment help improve our bodyâs defenses, but also an extreme one, such as a cold shower, has a strengthening effect on it. So, for example, if you immerse a personâs body in cool water, the person will begin to experience a slight chill. And, at this time, metabolic processes in his body will accelerate and the immune system itself will be activated. If you repeat this procedure every day for just a few minutes for 6 weeks, then the results will tell you about an increase in the number of lymphocytes and T-helper cells.
So, for example, in many European countries it is customary to bathe newborn children in cool water. From an early age, a childâs body gets used to low temperatures, and as a result, such children get sick less and are calmer than their peers. But in Siberia, no one is surprised when children are doused with ice water. And, although it seems to you and me that this is a mockery of the childâs body - during the period when the influenza epidemic reaches its peak, the incidence of influenza among such children is only 5%, while those whose parents wrap them in warm clothes get sick 5 times more often.
So, we can conclude that, if you want to strengthen your immunity, you should definitely use such an affordable remedy as a cold shower.
It is enough to use a little logic in order to understand that in order to warm up under the streams of a cold shower, our body needs more heat. The production of such heat itself is a fairly energy-intensive process, therefore, your body has to use fat reserves for this, which were not previously reached. In turn, all this contributes to the production of âbrown fatâ - unlike other types of fat deposits, such as, for example, such brown fat, on the contrary, helps the processes of energy generation and speeds up metabolism in the body.
That's why, if you want to get rid of extra pounds and are ready to make any âsacrificesâ for this goal, start by taking a cold shower in the morning...
The longer you are under the stream of a cold shower (of course, within reason - we are not talking about hours, but about minutes and seconds) - the better the blood circulates in your body. And, in the process of such effective and complete circulation, blood reaches all vital organs, accordingly, they begin to work better and cope better with their functions. You literally feel how every cell of your body is filled with life, strength and energy. By the way, this a cold shower prevents blood stagnation.
Cold shower is a cure for stress
Many of us have heard that a huge number of different receptors can be found on the surface of human skin. Exposure to cold water generates peculiar electrical impulses that are sent from peripheral nerve endings directly to the brain. And, your nervous system begins to work smoothly and harmoniously, like a precise clockwork. Therefore, you are no longer afraid of depression, stress, or nervous breakdowns. It is noteworthy that this effect of a cold shower not only has an accumulation effect, but can be used as an âambulanceâ. So, for example, if you feel that you need to pull yourself together, otherwise you will simply flare up like a match, say stupid things that you will later regret - go to the shower, turn on the cool water at full power and... wash away all the negativity .
By the way, since the effect of cold water on your body is a mini-stressful situation simulated by you, then by taking such a cold shower every day, you can increase the threshold of your resistance to stress and ultimately become more restrained in terms of nervous shocks and experiences.
The effect of cold water on the skin helps to close enlarged pores, which, in turn, helps soften your skin, it becomes soft and tender to the touch. Whereas after a hot shower, the skin is steamed and the pores are open. By the way, Abuse of hot showers leads to this - American cosmetologists recently came to this conclusion.
It would seem that a cold shower should cool down in every sense of the word, however... Studies conducted by a scientific research center in England in 1993 proved that taking cold baths in the body of men. And, as you know, testosterone is the male hormone. Therefore, for those men who not only want to look manly, but to be so, we can recommend starting their morning with a cold shower.
Besides the fact that nothing invigorates you like cold water, taking a cold shower to start your day off right helps boost your energy levels throughout the day. After all, when streams of cold water fall on your body, the nerve endings immediately wake up, and your entire body perceives this as a signal to awaken. Your body also reacts to what is happening accordingly - your heart beats faster, your blood circulates more intensely, and you begin to reflexively, as during exercise, hold it in, thereby your lungs begin to consume more oxygen.
If you are tormented by insomnia, you are tired of tossing and turning from side to side - take a cold shower. There will be a sharp activation of all receptors in your body - and such a complex effect on the nervous system will help it calm down and relax. And, after all, it is the lack of relaxation, stiffness, both psychological and physical, that very often prevents us from falling asleep. This way you simply ârebootâ your body.
Hardening children - strengthens their immunity
Well, if what was written above impressed you and struck you to the core, and you now want to see from your own experience that a cold shower has such beneficial properties, do not rush to immediately rush into the bath, open the tap with cold water, stand under the ice stream and test your endurance. Thus, you are more likely to get pneumonia rather than benefit. After all, it is very important to properly prepare yourself for this procedure and follow a number of specific tips:
Take a cold shower is probably not the most inspiring thing for most people. On the contrary, just the thought of it can send shivers down your spine.
However, if you learn about the enormous benefits that cold shower brings to the body, you will definitely want to try this simple and affordable home therapy.
Cold water helps constriction of blood vessels, which speeds up blood flow throughout the body.
This, in turn, helps cleanse the internal organs. Helps remove toxins through the blood and pores on the skin.
When you take a cold shower, your body temperature drops. As a result, the body begins to spend more energy to restore it. This way, you naturally speed up your metabolism and burn more calories.
This is especially true for people with a slow metabolism, such as that caused by hypothyroidism.
When our metabolism increases, our body activates its natural temperature regulation function.
This, in particular, is very good for health. After all, we are used to always being at a comfortable temperature, controlled externally (heating, air conditioning).
The effect that cold water has on the circulatory system is - improving blood circulation and lymphatic drainage of the body. This helps fight swelling.
It is useful both for those who suffer from fluid retention and heaviness in the legs, and for those who have problems with the joints.
A cold shower is the best spa treatment. It has a positive effect on the skin and also helps fight wrinkles.
In addition, cold water helps remove dead cells from the surface of the skin, and also prevents the appearance of stretch marks and.
Apart from the health and skin benefits, cold showers can also transform your hair. You will achieve this effect if you rinse the back of your head with cold water. As a result, your hair will gain shine and stop falling out.
Just keep in mind: water when rinsing should be cool, but not icy.
Cold showers speed up the heartbeat and cause muscle contraction, which accelerates throughout the body.
Firstly, it immediately makes you feel great, and secondly, it is good for health.
By improving the functioning of the lymphatic system, cold water also has a beneficial effect on the immune system. It's safe to say that A cold shower in the morning strengthens the immune system.
Always start with your feet. Since a sharp drop can be dangerous for the health of the heart and lungs.
Hot water will be more appropriate in the evening. It helps us relax and fall asleep faster.
Note: People with heart disease or hyperthyroidism should not shower with water that is too cold. You can combine hot water with cool water, or, for example, take a shower with warm water.
Content
The benefits of hardening have been proven for a long time: the procedure helps strengthen the immune system, improve the condition of the skin and blood vessels. Experienced experts advise taking a cold shower even in winter, and it is better to do it in the morning, then the benefits will be maximum: the invigorating procedure activates metabolic processes and tones the entire body before the working day. However, you should first learn about possible contraindications and rules for hardening.
This useful procedure is widely used in spa salons to activate blood circulation. At the same time, a cool shower helps saturate skin cells with water and oxygen, which improves the appearance of the skin. In addition, ice water helps fight cellulite, varicose veins, relaxes muscles, and stimulates skin renewal. In addition, cold showers are very beneficial for hair, as it strengthens it, makes it shinier, and prevents the formation of dandruff and the development of alopecia. Cool water reduces sebum production, making your hair less oily.
An invigorating ice shower provokes the production of red blood cells and increases the body's resistance to any infections/viruses. The procedure is ideal for the prevention of colds and flu, helps tone the body and stimulate mental activity. Cold water is an excellent remedy against depression, as it stimulates the production of happiness hormones.
Ice water treatments are especially beneficial for men, as they increase physical strength and activate mental capacity, which occurs due to a surge of adrenaline in the blood. As a result of regular procedures, the following changes occur in the male body:
An invigorating cool shower stimulates the removal of waste products from the body, which can slow down metabolism. In addition, for women, the procedure is especially useful because it helps fight fatty nodules under the skin (cellulite). The effect of ice water on the skin is invaluable; it provides a rejuvenating effect, tones the skin, smoothing out wrinkles, making stretch marks less noticeable. In addition, it is important for womenâs health to take contrast showers to avoid the development of gynecological diseases.
To prevent the procedure from causing harm, you should not immediately start doing long water procedures, standing under an icy stream for 10-15 minutes. It is very important to prepare your body for douches. To do this, use the following tips:
If it is better to take a warm shower before bed, then cool, invigorating water procedures are best done in the morning. How to take a cold shower in the morning? Immediately after sleep, it is ideal to do exercises to warm up the muscles, and only then do a douche. The total procedure time should be 5-8 minutes, but it is better to start hardening from 1-2 minutes. You can put your head under cool water only when you get used to the procedure. After dousing, the skin should be rubbed until slightly red with a clean towel made of natural fabric.
When the skin comes into contact with cold water, small blood vessels contract. The body protects itself from freezing by activating blood flow, causing blood pressure to rise slightly. This activates metabolism and the process of burning calories. It is optimal to use a contrast shower for weight loss, in which the water switches from hot to cold every 1-2 minutes. It is worth conducting such sessions 1-2 times a day, starting from an early age.
If you often get colds accompanied by a runny nose, then you should lower your temperature slowly. Choose the optimal water temperature for yourself within 12-4 degrees. You need to pour the body from head to toe. If you shower after exercise, it is important to let your body cool down and dry off sweat. You cannot stay under a cold stream for a long time after physical activity, as this can lead to hypothermia and a cold.
