Skip to content
You may want to end a long tiring day by taking a hot shower. But many of us are not aware of the health and beauty benefits of taking a cold shower. Starting your day by taking a cold shower may not seem to be appealing at all, but a recent study shows how taking a cold shower can prove to be beneficial for your general well-being. You may be inquisitive to know about the key benefits of taking a cold shower daily. In this article, you will get to know everything about cold showers and how to get started with them.
1. Cold Showers
Cold showers have seen a surge in popularity in the past few years. This is because it helps to keep your body and mind relaxed, improve your skin and is good for your overall well-being.
When you are taking shower with the temperature of the water below 70 degrees F or below the room temperature then it is a cold shower. Cold showers are considered to be a part of water therapy or hydrotherapy which has been practised for centuries to train our body to adapt to severe conditions. As the result, our body can withstand stress, anxiety and depression. Taking a cold shower also helps to increase your energy levels, keeping your mind and body rejuvenated the whole day.
2. Benefits Of Taking Cold Showers
There are numerous benefits of a cold shower for your physical, mental health and well-being. Many people may not like the idea of taking cold showers, but once you become aware of the beneficial properties, you may not be hesitant to include a cold shower in your daily health routine.
3. Improves Your Emotional Resilience And Reduces Stress
A cold shower sends a signal to your nervous system to be more resilient to stress. In a recent study, it has been demonstrated that cold showers put oxidative stress on your nervous system to which your body gets adjusted over a period of time. Moreover, cold showers improve the level of glutathione in the blood and decrease the level of uric acid, thus reducing stress in general.
Also Read : How to Reduce Stress - Simple Ways to Overcome Stress in Life
4. Increases Alertness
A cold shower stimulates your body to take deep breaths. This process increases the level of oxygen in the blood, at the same time reduces the level of carbon dioxide, thus waking up your body and inducing alertness. It makes you feel more focused and more energetic throughout the day.
5. Helps In Weight Loss
In a recent study, it has been shown that cold water immersion induces weight loss. Cold showers stimulate the production of brown fat (fat that gives you energy by burning calories). Brown fat is mostly found in areas like the chest, spine and is present even in newborn babies. Unlike white fat, linked with obesity, brown fat is considered healthy fat in the body. Along with proper diet and exercise, a cold shower can prove to be an effective weight-loss tool.
6. Boosts Your Immune System
In a study, it has been shown that cold showers boost your immune system by increasing the production of white blood cells. WBC or white blood cells are responsible for protecting your body against diseases and infections. An increased metabolic rate also helps to boost your immune system.
Also Read : How to Boost Immune System Naturally - Home Remedies
7. Improves Blood Circulation
Cold showers increase blood circulation by sending blood to every organ to keep them warm. Improved blood circulation is beneficial for maintaining cardiovascular health.
8. Improves Your Skin
Hot showers strip the natural oil from your skin, making it dry and dull. Contrary to this, cold showers retain the natural oil of your skin, making your skin soft and smooth. It increases blood circulation, regulating the sebum level, reducing skin dryness, thus has proved to be effective in reducing acne. Thus, it is also helpful in treating dry skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema.
9. Improves Your Hair
Unlike hot showers which strips the natural oil from your strands making it look dry, dull and brittle, cold showers helps to retain the natural oil making your hair soft, shiny. It makes your hair healthy and strong by keeping the hair follicles flat and increasing their grip on the scalp, thus preventing hair loss.
Also Read : The Best Times To Oil Your Hair
10. Drains The Lymphatic System
Another important benefit of taking a cold shower is that it affects your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system carries out waste from the cells, thus protecting your body from diseases and infections. Alternating between hot and cold showers is beneficial for your lymphatic system. Usually, when your body is exposed to hot showers lymph vessels relax and when exposed to a cold shower the lymph vessels contract. This process of contraction and relaxation of the lymph vessels helps in pumping out the stagnated fluid, resulting in a stronger immune system.
11. Speeds Up Recovery of Muscles
Taking cold showers is especially beneficial for a sports person as it helps in muscle recovery. After intense training or workout, the best thing to do to your body is taking a cold shower. Your muscles will be thankful to you. Taking a cold shower helps to improve blood circulation and get rid of lactic acid from the body, thus speeding up muscle recovery.
When Should You Take Cold Shower?
Cold showers help to refresh and rejuvenate your mind and body. Many of us might be wondering when is the right time to take a cold shower.
In The Morning
As per experts, the best time to take a cold shower is in the morning because it increases your energy levels, refreshes your mind and body, helps you stay focused and alert all day. It helps to start your day on a good note. Building a habit of taking a cold shower in the morning is a time taking process,
After Workout
You can take a cold shower after a workout as well as it helps blood circulation and speeds up muscle recovery. Taking cold showers after a workout is the best method to relax your muscles and body after an intense training session and a go-to recovery method for many sports’ person.
Before Going To Bed
If you feel difficulty falling asleep at night, take a cold shower. It helps you to relax and is beneficial for a peaceful and sound sleep at night.
Hydrotherapy is one of the integrated treatment methods that is gaining popularity. Taking cold showers 3-4 times a week for 5 minutes has proved to be beneficial in treating signs of depression.
How To Start With Cold Showers?
Initially, it will be difficult to start with cold showers. Basic 3 factors that will make your transition from hot to cold shower easy is determination, controlled exposure to cold and breathing technique.
You can start with a hot shower and end with a cold shower for 1-2 minutes. See, how you feel. Do it again the next day and repeat the same process for a few days (at least 30 days). Once you feel that you are comfortable with the cold shower, you can start taking a cold shower.
The main idea behind hydrotherapy or taking a cold shower is to maintain your overall health.
Word Of Caution
People suffering from cardiovascular disorders, heart diseases must avoid taking a cold shower. It can cause the blood vessels to constrict which leads to increased heart rate and blood pressure that can put stress on your heart.
Disclaimer: All the content on anveya.com/blogs is solely for information. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified health care provider. The information, suggestion or remedies mentioned on this site are provided without warranty of any kind, whether express or implied.
