We all know how pleasant a hot bath can be after a day’s work. What many people do not know is that bathing with cold water has many more benefits for our body, since it subjects the body to a sudden change in temperature that, among other things, activates circulation, something very beneficial for each and every one the parts of our body.
Advantages of bathing with cold water
The benefits of bathing with cold water can be measured directly from improving the appearance of the skin and blood circulation, helping to make our hair stronger and providing a greater contribution of energy.
Immediate improvement of blood circulation
Anyone can begin to perceive the benefits of bathing with cold water from the first moment. It is our own body that detects the change in temperature and begins to pump more blood to the organs and all tissues. Consequently, by having better blood flow, the organs will be much more effective in their goals.
In addition, it will increase blood pressure, bringing much more oxygen to each and every one of the cells that make up the body.
Actually, this advantage of bathing with cold water directly influences the rest of the benefits that we are going to see below.
Smoother and more luminous skin
As a consequence of better blood circulation, the skin of our body will also obtain the benefits of bathing with cold water . Warm or hot water dilates the pores of the skin and helps us eliminate fats and toxins that accumulate in it. With cold water we will achieve that the size of those pores is reduced and that our skin recovers its natural shine .
Strengthens our hair
Hot water weakens the hair and hair follicles. It is proven that people who decide to bathe with cold water instead of hot water have much stronger and healthier hair , in addition to preventing alopecia in a much more effective way.
Higher energy
Taking a cold shower in the morning, and the sensation of cold water running down our body seems more frightening than soothing. However, deep breathing in response to our body’s shock helps us stay warm by increasing our overall oxygen consumption.
Therefore, our heart rate will also increase, releasing a rush of blood throughout our entire body. This gives us a natural dose of energy for the day. We will see how fatigue disappears and we will feel much better than before going to the bathroom.
On more than one occasion you have surely heard that athletes who decide to bathe with cold water achieve a much faster and more effective muscle recovery. This is not by chance, think that in the case of elite athletes they are under constant medical supervision.
Stimulates weight loss
Bathing in cold water can help you lose weight in unexpected ways. The human body contains two types of fat tissue, white fat and brown fat. White fat accumulates when we consume more calories than our bodies need to function, and we do not burn these calories for energy.
This body fat piles up on our waists, lower back, neck, and thighs, and it’s what we all struggle to eliminate.
Brown fat is good fat, which generates heat to keep our bodies warm, and kicks in when exposed to extreme cold, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Therefore, cold showers can promote brown fat activity.
A 2009 study found that exposure to extreme cold temperatures activated brown fat in 23 of 24 participants 15 times, meaning someone could lose up to nine pounds in a year if they followed this practice.
Bathing with cold water influences our fertility
Yes that’s how it is. Bathing with cold water is also beneficial for those who have fertility problems . While hot water adversely affects the quantity and quality of sperm, bathing in cold water is very beneficial.
In addition, experts say that bathing with cold water secretes hormones very similar to those that are secreted when we feel pleasure.
It is a natural antidepressant
Few things are more natural than water . Bathing with cold water releases the necessary doses of adrenaline in our body that substantially reduce the first symptoms of depression.
Regardless of all the benefits that bathing with cold water has for our health , we must know that direct exposure to cold water is more beneficial if it is in short periods of time, trying to be a maximum of ten to fifteen minutes. It is also advisable to consult a doctor before any bath with cold water, since in people with chronic heart conditions it can cause a problem.
Bathing with cold water can be a real ordeal, especially at the beginning, but taking into account all the health benefits that we have just mentioned, it is a matter of time before we get used to the new situation and end up enjoying a bath with cold water.