More and more influencers admit to joining fashion cold shower to improve your health. This may seem strange to us, since we have traditionally associated the fact of taking a shower with cold water with the removal of heat caused by one reason or another. But it is true that a cold shower can bring us very different benefits, ranging from from mental to physical.
Of course, this must be done carefully. There are certain conditions under which a cold shower can bring more harm than good. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of these exceptions before jumping on the low-temperature soak bandwagon.
Once we realize this, we can begin to slowly squeeze out all the benefits of a cold shower without incurring its risks. The first thing we must understand is that water is considered cold enough if it below 15.5ºC, although some studies have already found benefits at 20 ° C. It is not necessary to take a shower with a thermometer, but certainly as a guideline we can more or less calculate when we reach this point. With that said, let’s see what are the benefits and harms of a cold shower.
Benefits of cold showers for mental health
Many influencers who advocate cold showers say they feel much better. mentally as they do. Is there any truth in this?
The truth is that there is, but we must be careful about it. It is known that exposure to cold activates Sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the regulation of several involuntary functions associated with systems such as the circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems. In addition, cold promotes the release beta-endorphins and norepinephrine in the blood, as well as the latter in the brain.
It was also noted that the autonomic nervous system, one of the divisions of which is the sympathetic one, is associated with depression. And that decreased levels of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine can affect mood.
Little research on this
With all that said, a study was conducted in 2008 to see if cold showers could help depression patients. There was a group of volunteers who doused themselves with water at 20ºC for 2-3 minutes, which was preceded by a gradual adaptation within 5 minutes. This was done once or twice a day for several weeks or months, depending on the volunteers, and then checked to see if the symptoms of depression had improved.
Of course, those who were exposed to more cold showers better progression of depressive symptoms. However, there are a few things to keep in mind here. First, there were very few participants. Therefore, the study should be repeated with a larger number of people. The second issue to take into account is that the symptoms of depression in the volunteers were not very severe.
Therefore, it cannot be considered definitive, and moreover, cold showers alone should never be attempted to treat depression. Yes, they can be seen as a way to improve your overall mood. But, if there are any psychological problems, you should seek professional help. This also applies to the rest of the conditions that we will see in this article. A cold shower may help, but it doesn’t cure anything.
It also seems to be beneficial for the immune system.
In 2016, a study was conducted in the Netherlands in which participants were divided into a control group, who took a normal shower, or an experimental group, in which they had to take a cold shower for 30, 60 or 90 seconds daily, only 90 days. After that, their absence from work due to illness was analyzed, and it was noticed that in the experimental group absenteeism has decreased for this reason by 29%.
It is believed that this may be due to the fact that cold showers strengthen the nervous system. the immune systemalthough other factors may also play a role, such as the reduction in anxiety shown in a 2008 study.
Cold showers to improve circulation and prevent injury
This is perhaps the most famous use of cold showers. When we are exposed to the cold, increased blood circulation, especially peripheral, to try to warm the body. This promotes the flow of fresh oxygenated blood to the tissues. If they are damaged, they can be repaired faster. Therefore useful both during injury and after training.
And the fact is that, even if we are not injured, micro-ruptures of muscles can occur during exercise, which are also restored before with the help of cold shower water. In addition, all of these are very beneficial in reducing pain and reducing inflammation.
Improves skin and hair hydration
Cold showers help us feel better both inside and out. And the fact is that low temperature water contributes retain natural oils of the skin and coat. Therefore, when the hair is very dry or brittle, it is recommended to give the last rinse with cold water when washing it. And the same for the skin.
Cold Shower Precautions
With the heat we’re seeing in the northern hemisphere right now, we might actually need a cold shower. However, you shouldn’t do everything at once. In all these studies, A. previous habituation, gradually cooling the body before taking a full cold shower. This precaution is especially important when it is very hot in order to avoid the so-called overcooking of food. In fact, what is so called is a phenomenon known as dropsy, which occurs when a sudden constriction of blood vessels due to a change in temperature prevents, for example, the proper flow of blood to the brain.
On the other hand, there are people who should not take cold showers. This applies to patients with heart diseases, as this increased circulation forces the heart to work harder and can be dangerous. Also, people with Raynaud’s syndromewho develop numbness of hands and feet after exposure to cold.
It is important to gradually make the shower cold. First you can try 30 seconds, then 60 and after a few days try to stay for 2 or 3 minutes. This will be enough to feel its benefits. Now, if when you try it appears hives, headache, or any other strange symptomswe should leave it. There are many other ways to take care of yourself, cold showers are optional.
Source: Hiper Textual
