Cold water bathing or immersion activates the body’s natural healing powers that can relieve the symptoms of some medical conditions and promotes a sense of well being. When practiced on a regular basis cold water immersion can even strengthen our body’s immune, lymphatic, circulatory and digestive systems that enhance the overall quality of our life.
HOW TO TAKE A COLD SHOWER
When you first get started with reaping the health benefits of cold showers, you may want to begin slowly. You can slowly decrease the amount of hot water you use and ease yourself into cooler showers. Of course, you can also jump right into it by not using hot water at all, but this could be a bit of a shock to the system. Once you’ve got the temperature that’s right for you, enter the shower slowly and take a few deep breaths. Then start getting wet slowly with your hands, then feet, then the rest of your body. Progress through your normal routine of hair and body washing, getting out as soon as you feel you’re getting too chilled. As time progresses and you get used to cold showers, you’ll be able to spend more time in the shower and lower the temperature of the water even more.
THE BENEFITS OF COLD SHOWERS
1. IMPROVES LYMPHATIC CIRCULATION
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels that run throughout the body, clearing out waste, bacteria and microbes from your cells. The lymphatic system essentially helps your body cleanse itself.
Lymphatic system relies on muscle contraction to pump the lymph fluid through the vessels. So if you don’t exercise or your lymphatic system itself becomes slow or inefficient, the fluid stagnates and toxins build up, manifesting in colds, joint pain, infection and even disease.
Cold water immersion causes your lymph vessels to contract, forcing your lymphatic system to pump lymph fluids throughout your body, flushing the waste out of the area. It’s sort of a domino effect – the cold water affects the lymphatic system, which in turn affects the immune system, which ultimately keeps you feeling happy and healthy.
2. IMPROVES CARDIOVASCULAR CIRCULATION
Poor cardiovascular circulation compromises blood flow, thus stressing the heart. This can ultimately lead to health problems like fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, muscle cramping or even heart attack and stroke.
With improved circulation, on the other hand, we can improve heart health, enhance mental performance, boost the immune system and the body’s metabolism, and simply give ourselves more strength and energy to live our lives the way we want.
Exercise and diet are two well-known factors in better cardiovascular circulation. But among the health benefits of cold showers is the stimulation of blood flow. When you immerse your body in cold water, the blood rushes to surround your vital organs. Your heart is then forced to pump more efficiently, pushing blood through all your vessels and supplying every part of your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs.
3. REDUCES MUSCLE INFLAMMATION
Have you ever participated in a high-intensity workout and woken up sore the next morning? How about trying a new type of physical activity that left your muscles throbbing? This physical discomfort is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
The pain of DOMS can be explained this way: any activity that pushes your muscles beyond the limits they are accustomed to – even common household chores, if you’re largely sedentary – can lead to microscopic tears in the fibers and inflammation in the tissue. The tears and inflammation are the cause of the pain you’re feeling.
But cold water immersion – along with an alkaline-based diet – has been scientifically proven to help counteract these side effects. One of the top cold shower or cold bath benefits is the fact that they lower the damaged tissue’s temperature and constricts the blood vessels.
By incorporating cold water immersion into your daily routine and reaping the benefits of cold showers, you may find that you don’t need to reach for the pills, because you’ve found an easy, natural way of expediting recovery and comfort.
4. BOOSTS HAPPINESS LEVELS
Benefits of cold showers actually run deeper than you think when it comes to boosting your mood. A 2007 research study found that cold showers can help treat depression symptoms, and if used on a routine basis, may be more beneficial than prescription medications in lifting moods.
The cold water triggers a flood of mood-boosting neurotransmitters, which make you feel happy. A separate study that analyzed the effects of regular winter swimming on the mood of swimmers showed that after four months of routine cold water swimming, the subjects felt more energetic and active than the control group.
5. AIDS WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS
When practiced routinely, cold water immersion can boost your metabolism. Not only does cold water force your body to work harder to keep you warm – burning calories in the process – it also has an unexpected impact on the type of fat we produce.
According to a 2009 study, researchers found that cold water can promote healthy brown fat, which is the good fat our bodies generate to keep us warm. Brown fat is activated when exposed to extreme cold, and helps eliminate white fat, which is the body fat that piles up around our waistlines and thighs when we consume too many calories.
6. IMPROVES HAIR AND SKIN
Cold water helps to reduce the size of your pores and tightens your skin. You’ll retain those oils to keep your skin adequately moisturized, leaving skin and hair balanced and healthy. The cold water also stimulates hair follicles, increasing its thickness and length.
*Do read the Disclaimer
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-shower-benefits