11 Amazing Benefits of Cold Showers
Did you know there are health benefits of cold showers? Until a few decades ago, taking a hot shower was a luxury that only a fraction of the population could enjoy.
Over the years, however, times have changed and more people are able to install hot water in their homes.
Because of this, the excellent habit of taking cold showers is being lost and we’re missing out on all its important benefits.
While most people might already know this, taking cold showers can trigger certain reactions in the body that benefit both your health and beauty.
We want to share the top 11 benefits of taking cold showers so you won’t be afraid to add it to your routine. Find out more!
Read also: The Benefits of Reading at Night for Your Brain
The benefits of cold showers:
1. It improves your mood
Taking a cold shower is good therapy for stress, depression, and other negative emotions.
This is because the cold water stimulates the secretion of noradrenaline in your brain, an effect that’s associated with the reduction of chemicals that can cause a bad mood.
2. It increases your energy levels
There’s nothing better than starting out your day with a cold shower. It turns on your brain, waking up your body and increasing your energy.
When your body’s nerve endings sense the cold, your heart beats faster and stimulates more rapid breathing.
3. It eases inflammation
People with painful symptoms associated with inflammation can get a lot of relief if they take cold showers daily.
As it constricts the veins throughout your body it eliminates toxins in the bloodstream, reducing inflammation of the tissues.
4. It strengthens the immune system
Exposure to cold triggers a series of beneficial effects in your body that are related to strengthening your immune system.
It improves the transport of nutrients and oxygen to every cell in the body.
5. It improves the function of your lymphatic system
The lymphatic system is separate from your blood vessels and serves to fight off pathogens and filter out waste.
The lymphatic fluid contains white blood cells, which play a major role in fighting infections.
Cold showers trigger contractions throughout your body, making lymphatic fluid flow more freely and improving your overall health.
If this fluid is not transported efficiently, it can build up in your extremities and cause symptoms that negatively impact your general well-being.
6. It helps you sleep
Although hot showers and baths are the favorites for this purpose, the truth is that cold water can also be a great alternative sleep therapy.
This is because it promotes a powerful sense of well-being that relaxes your body and induces good sleep.
7. It hydrates the skin and hair
Both your skin and hair would benefit from showering at a lower temperature. While hot water helps open up your pores, cold water does the opposite.
This is much more hydrating and prevents dryness, as well as the formation of blemishes and other problems that are caused by excess oils.
8. It accelerates recovery after physical activity
You might not know this, but nearly all athletes take ice baths or cold showers after their workouts to alleviate muscle pain and speed up the recovery process.
The anti-inflammatory effects help relax the joints and reduce aches and pains.
9. It promotes detox
Cold showers help promote your body’s natural detox mechanisms to eliminate toxins from the bloodstream and skin.
10. It promotes weight loss
The human body contains two types of fat: white fat and brown fat. White fat is the type that builds up with you consume too many unhealthy foods and abstain from physical activity.
Brown fat, on the other hand, is known as the “good” fat because it generates heat in the body and helps reduce the presence of white fat.
Because cold temperatures can activate the production of brown fat, taking cold showers could improve your weight loss.
See also: The 7 foods that are excellent for natural weight loss
11. It fights cellulite
Cold showers can contribute to the reduction of cellulite. Because it promotes better circulation and the elimination of toxins, fat is reduced and the appearance of that dimpled skin will improve.
Now that you know why cold showers are the better option, try to adjust your body to something much more beneficial than hot water.
Did you enjoy these benefits of cold showers?
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Buijze, G. A., Sierevelt, I. N., Van Der Heijden, B. C. J. M., Dijkgraaf, M. G., & Frings-Dresen, M. H. W. (2016). The effect of cold showering on health and work: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161749
- Shevchuk, N. A. (2008). Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression. Medical Hypotheses. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2007.04.052
- White, G. E., & Wells, G. D. (2013). Cold-water immersion and other forms of cryotherapy: Physiological changes potentially affecting recovery from high-intensity exercise. Extreme Physiology and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-7648-2-26
- Meeusen, R., & Lievens, P. (1986). The Use of Cryotherapy in Sports Injuries. Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-198603060-00002
