Cold showers are not only better for the environment, but they also have a number of health benefits. Cold is a physical stressor to our bodies. If we can manage the cold, we can also manage other types of stressors. And the good news is: many people may fear the cold water, but anyone can learn how to do it!
7 good reasons to take cold showers
- More alertness and better focus
- Skin and hair health boost
- Improvement of your immune system
- You can lose weight
- Faster muscle recovery after a hard workout
- Stress relief
- Reduction of negative thoughts and relief of depression
1. It makes you more alert
A cold shower in the early morning may not really sound inviting. Still, it’s not a bad or crazy idea to simply turn the tap to cold. After the initial shock which may make you gasp for air, try to focus on getting your breathing under control again. Slow it down and extend your exhalations. This will help optimize your oxygen uptake and handle the temperature. An improved blood flow to your brain will make you more alert and provide you with an energy boost. Now that’s a fresh start to the day!
2. It improves the quality of skin and hair
The best natural way to keep your hair and skin healthy is to take a cold shower. Hot water can dry out your skin. When your skin comes into contact with cold water, your muscles, and blood vessels contract. Your pores will also close better, keeping dirt at bay.
3. It improves the immune system
When the body comes into contact with cold water, our blood is pumped more effectively to important organs. This reaction is a primal instinct of the human body. It prevents your heart and other major organs from becoming hypothermic. The blood pressure will go down and the metabolism increases. Because our body is suddenly exposed to ‘extreme’ cold, it has to prepare to defend itself.; the immune system gets a boost. The results of various studies even show that more white blood cells are produced when the body is regularly exposed to cold showers – these are our body’s fighters against viruses.
4. It can help you lose weight
Cold shower stimulates your metabolism in a special way. Our body has two types of fat tissue: white fat and brown fat. White fat is the kind of fat we store when we eat more calories than we burn. This fat will usually be stored in our waist, back, neck, and thighs.
Brown fat, on the other hand, is very important for our bodies. It will be activated in (extremely) cold circumstances to keep us warm. Taking a cold shower promotes the production of brown fat, research has shown. In addition, brown fat will give your metabolism a big boost, so you’ll burn more of the stored white fat while at rest.
5. It speeds up muscle recovery after a hard workout
Many top athletes immerse themselves in an ice bath after strenuous exercise. It is said to be a very effective way to reduce muscle pain and prevent the onset of muscle pain. A cold shower after a tough workout at the gym could have the same effect.
6. It relieves stress
Taking cold showers can lower stress levels and it can even help prevent illness. It can increase glutathione, one of the body’s most powerful antioxidants, which protects our body against free radicals and decreases the levels of stress.
7. It can reduce negative thoughts and relieve depression
A cold shower improves our mood as it provides a boost of adrenaline and endorphins. These hormones give us uplifting feelings. Scientists even claim that your senses are suddenly so extremely stimulated by the cold that they can help fight depression.
How to start taking cold showers
Simply decide to do it! Two minutes per day will already offer you the benefits. Just start with a few seconds and build up gradually to approximately 2 minutes after a week or three.
Increase the duration day by day. Start with a quick jump under the cold water, scream for help (if you like), and then get out of the shower again. The next day, try again. Now focus on slowing down your breath by extending your exhalation. Try to stay under the cold shower for 2 breathings (2 inhalations and 2 exhalations). On day three try to breathe three times. Again: extend your exhalation. And so forth until you manage to stay approx 20 breathings under a cold shower. You’ll notice that once you manage your breathing to be slow and with extended exhalations, the sensations of the cold are not so intense anymore. Good luck! Please let me know how things are going.
I hope this article will help you to discover the benefits of cold showers yourself. I’d be happy if you’d share this blog post on your social media. 😉 Thank you! If you have any remarks or questions, please contact me by EMAIL or leave your comment below.
