Taking a hot shower can be very relaxing. However, cold showers have also been proven to have a positive affect for your health. Water therapy helps the body adapt to harsh conditions and this way they become more resistant to stress. So in this article we’ll look into 10 cold shower benefits for your health and wellbeing.
It might feel uncomfortable under a stream of freezing cold water but the lower temperatures also causes the body to work harder in order to maintain normal body temperature. This makes our circulatory system more efficient. Improved circulation is great for cardiovascular health, healthier skin and better healing after an injury. It’s also beneficial for people with poor blood circulation, diabetes or high blood pressure.
Everyone is born with brown fat, which is important for adult health. It’s healthy levels indicate that the white fat is also at a healthy level. And it’s activated in low temperatures, which increases the metabolic rate. However, for overweight people it’s not enough to just start taking cold showers if they want to loose weight. They need to change other lifestyle habits as well, which include having a balanced diet and regularly exercising. But also including 2 or 3 cold showers a week will also contribute to becoming fitter and healthier.
One of the most important benefits is the increased immunity. Cold showers increase the amount of disease fighting white blood cells. This helps build resistance to common illnesses, such as cold and flu.
The feeling of cold water pouring over you sends the body into a response of deep breathing. This increases the overall oxygen intake. As a result, your heart rate increases, give you a boost of energy for the whole day.
Cold showers can also help to destress. Jumping into a cold shower, like jumping into the cold ocean without acclimating, helps to build tolerance to stress. So they train your nervous system to become more resilient to everyday stress.
A cold shower acts in a way as a form of oxidative stress. Your body will overtime adapt to this, making you calmer and increasing your tolerance to stress.
Moreover, cold showers reduce uric acid levels and the same time increase levels of glutathione. The latter is an antioxidant that maintains all the other antioxidants in your system at optimal levels.
Improved Skin and Hair
Cold water improves the health of your skin by preventing the loss of too many natural oils, tightening your cuticles and pores. The same goes for the hair. Hot water tends to make our skin fill dry, while cold water leaves our skin leaving looking healthy and rejuvenated. Cold showers will also make the hair appear shinier and stronger.
Speed Up Muscle Recovery
Athletes know that an ice bath can do wonders after an intense workout. It helps to remove some of the lactic acid, improves circulation, all contributing to faster recovery of your muscles. You can just make yourself an ice bath or take a cold shower.
A Good Way to Wake Up
If you have a hard time waking up in the morning, try taking a cold shower. You’ll be awake in a second. A cold shower in the morning will also give you alertness and will provide with energy for the rest of the day.
For the most invigorating shower experience, it’s to good to have a good shower with great flow. Shower Reports features great articles with reviews of shower heads and other shower fixtures and products.