Chillingly Good: 7 Surprising Health Benefits Of Cold Showers
Brrr! While most people aren’t a fan of cold showers, they actually do have their upsides. In reality, both warm and cold showers have their pros and cons. Warm showers, for example, help relax your muscles, while cold ones wake you up. But that is just one of many benefits of cooler showers. If you give these showers a fair chance, you might find out you even like taking them. And now when the weather is warmer, our bodies naturally crave the feeling of cold water hitting the skin. However, these types of showers aren’t just great for cooling you down or getting you alert. There are plenty of great benefits of cold showers you never knew about. today we will share with you some of the coolest benefits you can get by turning the shower knob to a cooler temperature. Let’s check them out.
There are plenty of great benefits of cold showers you never knew about
In this article
The Benefits Of Cold Showers
Who knew running out of hot water can be beneficial to your health? But seriously, choosing to take a cold shower even for just a few minutes has its upsides. Cold showers may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but if you can handle them and work your way slowly to getting used to them, it’s worth it. You can start slow and then before you even realize you might even start to enjoy taking a colder shower. But just wait till you hear all the benefits, both mental and physical, you will get by spending some extra time in the icy waters.
Who knew running out of hot water can be beneficial to your health?
#Boost alertness
One of the most instant benefits of taking a cold shower is the boost of alertness. The cool water stimulate the cold shock response of the body with release the hormone of stress and get the body ready for a “fight or flight” situation. So, if you have trouble waking up and getting yourself moving in the morning, jump in the shower. The cold water will help you feel more enthusiastic, active, and alert. Better than a cup of coffee!
One of the most instant benefits of taking a cold shower is the boost of alertness
#Increase blood flow circulation
As we mentioned, the cold water makes your body go into survival mode. Once it’s at that state it works had to maintain its core temperature. This process helps to stimulate the blood flow circulation in your body. Increasing the circulation helps to redistribute the blood within the body and deliver freshly oxygenated blood to areas of the body where they may be needed more. Over time the cold showers can help build a circulatory system that is way more efficient and quick at distributing blood where it is needed.
Increasing blood circulation helps to redistribute the blood within the body everywhere
#Improve mental health
Cryotherapy and cold showers can help out with certain mental health issues. While they should not be used as replacements for therapy or prescribed medications, they can be an additional way to help yourself out. Cold showers help to trigger the release of mood-regulating endorphins. Some studies show that cool showers act like an antidepressant and help with feelings of anxiety and depression.
Cold showers help to trigger the release of mood-regulating endorphins making you happier
#Reduce inflammation and pain
Cold showers are great at reducing inflammation in the body, especially after exercise or an injury. While inflammation can be good in some instances, the point of cold therapy is to reduce the amount of bad inflammation, so the good one can occur sooner. However, the earlier you apply cold therapy, the more likely it is to actually help. Cryotherapy is also a good way to ease chronic pain.
Cold showers are great at reducing inflammation in the body
#Help with weight loss
When your body is exposed to cold condition, like a cold shower, certain fat cells try to generate heat by burning off fat. So, cold showers can aid in weight loss. However, they can’t do wonders as many of these cells are situated around the neck and shoulder. But still – pretty cool!
Certain fat cells try to generate heat by burning off fat when exposed to cold conditions
#Great for hair and skin
We all know that warm shower help open up every pore in the body. However, did you know cold showers can help tighten your pores (for a bit) and help retain the natural oils in your skin and hair. This is especially helpful if you struggle with dry skin or brittle hair, as the cold water will not dry out the sebum layer the same way a warm shower usually will. Over time cold showers may help your hair become stronger and healthier and your skin glowier.
Cold showers can help tighten your pores and help retain the natural oils in your skin and hair.
#Immunity boost
Taking a cold shower, even just for a couple of minutes, might help you stay healthy. The shock of the water helps to stimulate the blood cells that are responsible for fighting off infections. This heightening of your immune system makes it much more likely for you to be resistant to illnesses. Mainly the common cold, but that is still quite the win!
The shock of the water helps to stimulate the blood cells that are responsible for fighting off infections
How To Take a Cold Shower?
There isn’t a specific guidebook on how to take cold showers. For example, there isn’t a number that has been defined on how many cold showers you need to take. It really depends on how your body tolerates them, if you’re active daily, and more. However, there are some things specialists agree on when it comes to taking cold showers. These guidelines ensure that you are taking cold showers safely and ensuring that they are actually useful.
There isn’t a specific guidebook on how to take cold showers
- Take to your doctor before embarking on a cold exposure journey. If you have any underlying cardiovascular issues, Reynaud’s syndrome, problems with your nervous system, cold urticaria and other, cold showers may cause problems.
- The water needs to be below 60 degrees F or 15 degrees C for it to be considered a cold shower.
- Hydrate before and after you take a cold shower.
- Take it slow and work your way up. Start with only 30 second cold showers, then work yourself up to 60 seconds, and so on.
- Try to regulate your breathing or try breathing exercises to help you with the initial discomfort related to the cold shower.
- If you are shivering, it means the temperature is way too cold for you to handle or you’ve been sitting for too long and it’s time to get out.
Hydrate before and after you take a cold shower
These are some benefits of cold showers you can enjoy if you start showering with cooler water. We hope you found this article useful. Now you start taking colder showers and reap all the amazing benefits!
These are some benefits of cold showers you can enjoy if you start showering with cooler water
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