How many of us can actually say that we take regular cold showers? If you’re from a colder climate, the number is likely to be even less. It used to be that I only took a cold shower if something was wrong with the water heater. Now, I generally end every shower with a cold rinse in winters; and shower entirely with cold water only in the summers!
Cold water can do more than just wash away sweat, dirt, old skin cells, bacteria, and viruses:
Cold showers increases alertness. The deep breathing in response to our body’s shock helps us keep warm, as it increases our overall oxygen intake. Thus, our heart rate will also increase, releasing a rush of blood through our entire body. This gives us a natural dose of energy for the day.
Hot water has the tendency to dry out our skin, so it’s best to use cold water to tighten your cuticles and pores, which will prevent them from getting clogged. Cold water can “seal” the pores in the skin and scalp too, preventing dirt from getting in.
Cold water can improve circulation by encouraging blood to surround our organs, which can then help combat some problems of the skin and heart. As cold water hits the body, its ability to get blood circulating leads the arteries to more efficiently pump blood, therefore boosting our overall heart health. It can also lower blood pressure, clear blocked arteries, and improve our immune system.
Cold showers can aid weight loss in an unexpected way. The human body contains two types of fat tissue, white fat and brown fat. White fat is accumulated when we consume more calories than our body needs to function, and we don’t burn these calories for energy. These body fat piles up at our waist, lower back, neck, and thighs, and is the one we all struggle to eliminate. Brown fat is the good fat, which generates heat to keep our bodies warm, and is activated when exposed to extreme cold. Thus, cold showers can promote brown fat activity.
A quick cold shower after breaking a sweat at the gym can be just as effective, especially in relieving delayed-onset muscle soreness.
Cold showers can Regulate body temperature, fighting chronically cold hands and cold feet and excessive sweating
Many cultures have traditions of using hot/cold cycles or cold immersion to clear the mind and body. A recent study has shown that cold showers may help alleviate depression by stimulating the brain’s “blue spot”, which is the brain’s primary source of noradrenaline.
One thing that a cold shower does that you might not expect – it increases testosterone and fertility levels in men.
Cold water showers have the ability to increase hormone production and activity by giving the body’s glands a boost.
Cold showers have unlimited benefits! So are you brave enough to ditch hot showers?