Have you ever taken a cold shower? A warm shower is of course very nice, but taking a cold shower has many advantages compared to a warm shower. We have therefore listed the advantages for you so that you may consider stepping under the cold tap more often.
The cold helps trigger a response from blood vessels causing them to narrow. This allows blood to flow where it is needed most, such as your vital organs. The blood is therefore pushed to your heart
Taking a cold shower for two to three minutes, once or twice a day may help relieve symptoms of depression, according to research. How? The study showed that exposure to the cold activates the sympathetic nervous system and sends many electrical impulses to your brain.
There's a reason you need to ice an injury often:cold can have a numbing effect and prevent swelling. The cold causes your blood vessels to constrict, making swelling less likely. In addition, it slows down the speed of the pain signals that are sent to your brain. The result? Less pain and less swelling!
If you take a cold shower more often, there is a good chance that you will have to call in sick 29% less often! A 2016 study found that alternating hot showers with cold water for 30-90 seconds caused you to call in sick less often than if you shower only with warm water. Using cold water will increase your metabolic rate…
When you are exposed to the cold, your metabolism speeds up and the composition of your gut bacteria is adjusted. This allows you to lose weight faster. Also, a cold shower can activate "brown" fat, a type of fat that helps generate heat in your body by burning calories. Please note:taking a cold shower does not guarantee weight loss, you will have to work for that yourself.
This one is probably not surprising:the difference in temperature can be quite a shock to your body. This puts your body in a stress position, which activates the fight or flight response, making you a lot more alert. Your body also needs more oxygen due to the shock of the cold temperature and you breathe faster:all signs that you are more alert.
Cold water is good for your skin! Just washing your face with cold water after cleaning your face can give you glowing skin. Our skin pores shrink to maintain your body temperature, improving the texture and appearance of your skin. In addition, cold also helps to prevent inflammation, so that you are less likely to suffer from pimples. Score!
For one study, participants were placed in water at 14 degrees Celsius for an hour – extreme, but effective:the experience of the cold water reduced the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the participants' bodies. Now we understand very well that you don't stand under a cold shower for an hour, but we strongly believe that a few minutes a day under the cold shower also has an effect on your cortisol level. In any case, it's worth a try!
As we mentioned before, a cold shower helps your blood vessels to contract. To keep your organs warm, the blood continues to circulate more strongly. Better blood circulation is associated with better heart condition. Of course, a low temperature also means that your heart has to work harder to keep your body warm, which can also affect your health. Fortunately, there are many more ways to keep your heart healthy – such as a healthy diet and plenty of exercise – so don't rely on cold showers alone.
Image:Gettyimages, Source:Womenshealthmag.com/uk
