“While cold showers reduce inflammation and decrease swelling, warm showers can really relax your muscles.” Science confirms that one of the benefits of warm showers is helping dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow and soothing stiff joints and tired muscles.
Cold showers can help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, improve circulation, lower stress levels, and reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Hot showers, meanwhile, can improve cardiovascular health, soothe stiff joints, and improve sleep. Understanding when to take a hot or cold shower is essential.
Going from a hot to cold shower — even for a couple of minutes — might protect you from circulating viruses. The shock of cold water can stimulate the blood cells that fight off infection (leukocytes).
Cold water can help close pores, preventing dirt and bacteria from getting into the skin. Cold water can also help to reduce inflammation and redness in the skin. Cold showers can increase circulation, which gives your skin a healthy glow.
The main disadvantage of cold showers is that many people consider them uncomfortable. Cold showers can also be dangerous for those with certain heart or lung conditions. Hot and cold showers have different benefits, so one is not better than the other.
Increased Alertness and Energy
Cold showers can help wake you up and increase your mental alertness, making you feel more energised throughout the day. If you're struggling with morning fatigue or need an energy boost to begin your day, a cold shower may be just what you need.
Additionally, cold showers might help manage inflammation, a significant factor in acne.
Cold Showers... Build Resilience
You're training your body and mind to go out of your comfort zone, which makes you stronger and more resilient. Things that once felt really tough can suddenly feel a lot less tough as you can tolerate more physical and mental discomfort. '
The shock brought by cold water puts your circulatory system into overdrive. Your body increases blood flow to warm your core and protect vital organs. At the same time, it constricts circulation near your skin. This process stimulates blood flow, which – on the whole – is a good thing for your overall health.
In a clinical trial, researchers found that taking a cold shower for up to five minutes once or twice daily can help relieve symptoms of depression. Cold showers can also help clear your mind and combat overwhelm by decreasing your heart rate.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, these showers are actually beneficial for both your mind and your body. For the best benefits, incorporate cold showers into your daily routine. As this takes strength and dedication, Wim advises to gradually build up the duration and intensity.
Cold Water Therapy, Neurogenesis, and RBM3
When you're exposed to the cold, the body releases cold shock proteins known as RNA binding motif 3 (RBM3), which are directly linked to regeneration of synapses in the human brain.
One organ that receives a significant increase in oxygen when you take a cold shower is your brain. More oxygen in the brain stimulates brain activity, improving clarity, concentration, and focus while aiding neuroplasticity.
Cold plunging can aid weight loss by increasing the burning of white fat (a.k.a. “bad fat”). This happens because cold exposure forces your body to rev up your metabolism and get the energy it needs for heat generation (in one study, metabolism increased 350% when participants were exposed to 14oc/57F water).
Dr. Enrizza P. Factor, a clinical dermatologist and researcher, said, "Cold water can help your hair to become stronger and healthier over time. Cold water not only helps the scalp retain its moisture, [but] it also seals down the hair cuticles and helps lock moisture into the strands themselves."
To this, we say, yes! Lukewarm water is advisable to wash your face with, but cold water has its benefits, too. Cold water tightens the appearance of your skin, so it may make you look renewed and refreshed. It also helps boost your circulation, which can help give your skin a healthier appearance, albeit temporarily.
This could be anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Some people prefer to take just a brief cold shower of around 5–10 minutes. This may also be a practical approach to cold water therapy. Several studies cite a target cold temperature of about 68°F (20°C), according to an article in the journal Medical Hypotheses.
It turns out that ultimately, no, a cold shower isn't bad for you. If anything, cold showers have proven to have many benefits, from increasing your mood, aiding weight loss, and increasing immunity.
Cold Showers Keep You Alert
The cold will have you breathing quicker, thinking faster, and you'll likely jump around a bit in the shower to try and stay warm, too. And there is certainly something to the idea that facing a challenge first thing in the morning sets you up for a day of success.
Sudden exposure to cold water could be detrimental for people with heart disease. Owing to Cold water, Body gets shocked and blood vessels in the skin shrink, making the blood flow in your body slow. Consequently, the heart works harder and beats faster to be able to pump blood throughout the body including the brain.
More than a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds (26 per cent) claim they regularly take a cold shower; three times the amount of Gen X ( seven per cent) and five times more than Baby Boomers (five per cent).
The skin doesn't like too much water as it tends to dry it out. So, if your skin can handle it, 2 cold showers for 4 minutes each is not bad.