Taking cold showers has been found to have numerous benefits that we often ignore. In this article, we will explore some of the most surprising benefits of cold showers. We will equally answer some of the most frequently asked questions you may have on this topic.
What is Cold Therapy?
Cold therapy is also known as cryotherapy, it is simply the use of cold temperature exposure of the body to cool the body tissues for therapeutic reasons, this method is subtle but very effective and has numerous health benefits, there are several ways to apply cold therapy which includes the following.
- Cold showers, which involve lowering the water temperature below 60 degrees for two to three minutes at a time
- Cold spray, used to numb a small area
- Cold water immersion or ice baths, or submerging everything but your head and neck in cold water
- Localized ice application to treat injuries or specific muscle groups
- Whole-body cryotherapy, which exposes the body to very cold vapors.
It is important to note that in the face of a dire health situation, you have to seek medical advice; cold shower benefits are therapeutic benefits that can help your body and help with early symptoms of certain diseases; other than that, you should seek medical attention if symptoms prevail.
5 Power Benefits Of Cold Showers.
There are several benefits of cold showers, we will be discussing the 5 most beneficial effects of cold showers and why they’re beneficial to the body.
- Bolster your immunity to common colds.
- Combat symptoms of depression
- Improve circulation
- Increase metabolism
- Reduce inflammation and prevent muscle soreness.
Bolster Your Immunity to Common Cold.
This is one of the most surprising benefits of cold showers; when you go from hot shower to cold shower, even for a few minutes, it has the potency of protecting you from circulating viruses. The shock that comes with cold water can help stimulate the blood cells to help fight off cold infection; this way, you will hardly catch a cold as a disease. The shock of cold water can stimulate the blood cells that fight off infection (leukocytes).
Combat Symptoms of Depression.
There is limited research about the effect of cold water therapy on depression. However, the research that exists shows some positive results. In one clinical study participants who took daily cold showers for several months reported decreased depression symptoms. Additional research suggests that cold water may boost your mood and decrease anxiety.
Improve Circulation.
Cold water strains your body and it goes into “survival mode,” working hard to maintain its core temperature. This stimulates your body to increase blood flow circulation.“Increasing circulation redistributes blood and delivers freshly oxygenated blood to areas of the body that need to recover,” Dr. Hame says. “It decreases the time it takes your muscles to recover after exercise.” Over time, your circulatory system may become more efficient and move blood through the body more quickly, helpful for anyone with high blood pressure or diabetes.
Increased Metabolism.
Cold water helps greatly to increase the body’s metabolism; this is because the body expends more energy trying to stay in cold water; as the body expends more energy trying to stay in cold water. It helps the body to burn more calories and indeed increases the body’s metabolism.
Reduce Inflammation and Prevent Muscle Soreness.
Cold temps make your blood vessels tighten up (vasoconstrict). When that happens, blood moves to your body’s core and vital organs. The blood naturally becomes oxygen and nutrient-rich during the process. As your body heats up again, the blood vessels expand (vasodilate), bringing that oxygenated blood back to your tissues. As it flows back, it helps to flush out inflammation, a cause of delayed-onset muscle soreness, which can occur a couple of days after exercise.
Frequently Asked Questions.
What does a 1-minute cold shower do?
Cold showers offer many benefits, including increasing endorphins, improving metabolism, and enhancing circulation.
Do cold showers actually burn fat?
Some research has shown that cold showers may aid in weight loss.
How to activate brown fat?
Some studies suggest turning down the thermostat, taking a cold shower or an ice bath