Research suggests that hot showers alleviate anxiety as a result of the heat prompting our brains to release oxytocin — a “happy hormone” — which, in turn, reduces stress. Cold showers, on the other hand, are believed to enhance blood circulation, leading to stress reduction.
Hot showers can even help reduce stress and anxiety because the heat can stimulate the brain's release of a hormone called oxytocin, which is known to be correlated to anti-stress effects, or relaxation [1].
Mental Health Benefits of Cold Showers
A chilly zap from cold water signals to your brain to release endorphins, the feel-good hormone. This may create: A decrease in depression symptoms and anxiety. Improvement in stress levels.
Take a hot bath or a shower.
Allow the warmth to calm you, and allow yourself to feel safe. The feeling of being clean is also anxiety reducing, so the whole process can diminish any panic.
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.
Go and jump in the shower. Make sure it's really hot- not scolding so you're not going to burn your skin but something that's really going to shock the system. Going really hot or really cold can help you manage those panic attacks to get you more grounded and back into the present moment.
Since your vagus nerve is the main nerve that is in charge of relaxing your body after it's under stress, icing it may help with anxiety. According to research from 2008 , cold exposure causes a shift in your parasympathetic nervous system, which is controlled by your vagus nerve.
Hydrotherapy is an effective method for treating depression and elevating mood. Cold showers and ice baths, for example, can create a “shock” effect on the body. This process activates electrical nerve impulses that extend from the brain to the nervous system.
Splashing cold water on your face repeatedly or putting an ice pack on your forehead can reduce anxiety. This process activates the divers reflex which lowers heart rate and breathing when exposed to cold water.
A steam shower is the feature that truly takes your stress management to the next level. According to Medical News Today, a session in a steam room can help increase endorphins, a hormone associated with improved mood.
Essentially, anxiety can cause us to hyperventilate and consequently our blood flows less efficiently. Blood flow is also directed toward our larger organs that are more crucial to survival, and thus our extremities are left with sensations of being cold. It could be fear causing your chills.
People with comorbidities should refrain from taking a cold shower. For instance, if you are suffering from heart disease, or even high blood pressure, taking a bath with cold water can deteriorate your health.”
After 30 days of cold showers, most individuals report feeling more alert, having more energy, having healthier skin and hair, improved mental health and resilience, improved circulation, and more.
Reading, listening to music, or relaxing before bed with a hot bath or deep breathing can help you get to sleep. If you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes of turning in (or if you wake up and can't fall back to sleep in 20 minutes), get out of bed and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.
“The body responds to cold water by up-regulating feel-good molecules like dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, as a way to compensate.”
The vagus nerve system acts to counterbalance the fight or flight system and can trigger a relaxation response in our body. It is one of the cranial nerves that connect the brain to the body.
Basically, lack of sunlight exposure during the winter months can disrupt your body's release of neurotransmitters related to anxiety and depression. One way to cope with winter anxiety is to bundle up and actually go outside, despite how much frigid temperatures make you want to just stay in bed.
“One reason that depression often makes it hard to shower is that decreased energy and motivation are two of the symptoms,” Ballard said. Fatigue involves feeling too tired to do things, even when you want to do them. The added lack of motivation makes it even harder to take care of routine things like showering.