Showering is an essential part of a healthy routine, but depending on the temperature, your time spent under the water can offer different benefits. Cold showers — as unbearable as they are — are actually really good for our bodies! Turning your shower cold for the last five minutes can help "shock" your body awake. This instant change in temperature relieves your body of fatigue and increases your mental alertness. Here are seven more reasons why you need to start having cold showers today:
1. Improves Your Skin
Hot showers strip the natural oil from your skin, making it dry and dull. Contrary to this, cold showers retain the natural oil of your skin, making your skin soft and smooth. It increases blood circulation, regulating the sebum level, reducing skin dryness, thus has proved to be effective in reducing acne. Thus, it is also helpful in treating dry skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema.
2. Reduces Stress
A cold shower sends a signal to your nervous system to be more resilient to stress. In a recent study, it has been demonstrated that cold showers put oxidative stress on your nervous system to which your body gets adjusted over a period of time. Moreover, cold showers improve the level of glutathione in the blood and decrease the level of uric acid, thus reducing stress in general.
3. Increases Alertness
cold shower stimulates your body to take deep breaths. This process increases the level of oxygen in the blood, at the same time reduces the level of carbon dioxide, thus waking up your body and inducing alertness. It makes you feel more focused and more energetic throughout the day.
4. Shrink Your Pores
One beauty trick that many women swear by is washing your face with cold water before proceeding with your regular toning and moisturizing routine. If you’re someone who has large pores and suffers from super oily skin and bouts of acne due to it, try taking cold showers instead of hot ones. Hot showers are great for opening your pores to help clean out impurities, but they can also cause your pores to stay open and collect impurities along with other materials. Cold water can also give your face some vitality and enhance the brightness of your skin.
5. Relieve A Sunburn
There’s a reason why your parents tell you to immediately put your hand underwater if you’ve burnt your skin. While hot showers tend to cause inflammation or make your skin feel more sensitive, cold water can help relieve a sunburn. Accidentally forgot to take sunscreen on your trip and ended up with a sunburn instead of a sun tan? Well, cold water’s got you covered. It can relieve any pain or sensitivity you may be suffering from. All you have to do is turn on the music and hop into the shower.
6. Releases Happy Hormones
If you’re suffering from the sometimes debilitating mental health condition that is depression, you probably know exactly why and how your “happy hormones”— endorphins and serotonin are important for the functioning of your mind as well as your body. Exposure to cold water can activate your sympathetic nervous system which will increase the level of endorphins in your body. This will automatically cause your stress levels to go down and prove beneficial to your skin. Less stress would mean fewer bad skin days .
7. Healthier More Hydrated Hair
Cold showers are better for our hair and skin. Where a hot shower can strip the natural oil from your strands making it look dry, dull and brittle, cold showers helps to retain the natural oil making your hair soft, shiny. It makes your hair healthy and strong by keeping the hair follicles flat and increasing their grip on the scalp, thus preventing hair loss.
Humans have used cold water therapies for centuries as a treatment to invigorate and enhance their overall well-being. There are plenty of scientific studies that support the beneficial effects of cold showers on mental and physical health. So go ahead and get cold and see how your body reacts.
Word Of Caution
People suffering from cardiovascular disorders, heart diseases must avoid taking a cold shower. It can cause the blood vessels to constrict which leads to increased heart rate and blood pressure that can put stress on your heart.
1 comment
Great tips on showering with cold water! I have been rinsing my face and last step In rinsing my hair for years, will definitely try the whole body now.
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