What to Know About the Benefits of a Cold Shower vs. a Hot Shower

The Truth News — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 02:42:56 +0000

What to Know About the Benefits of a Cold Shower vs. a Hot Shower

A warm shower after a long day at work can feel restorative. Or, maybe a cold shower is just what your body craves to get up in the morning.

Regardless of the type of shower you prefer, you are likely to feel better stepping out than when you stepped in. Taking a quick, cold shower or a steamy, long bath may have several potential health benefits.If you’ve ever stopped to wonder what the exact benefits of a cold shower vs. a hot shower are, though, keep reading to discover what temperature you should be rinsing off to and whether it plays a significant role in your health and wellness.

Cold Shower Benefits

Like most people, you may prefer warm showers to cold ones; however, there may be some tremendous benefits you’re missing out on if so. Showering in 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit water is considered a cold shower. Check out the following benefits of taking a cold shower and see if you think it may be worth the effort.

Cold showers:Keep your hair shiny and your skin hydratedWhen we take a hot shower, our pores open, but cold showers can temporarily tighten them and help you retain the natural oils in your skin and hair. Those prone to dry skin or concerned about dry, brittle hair might consider rinsing off with cold water every so often.

If you’re experiencing breakouts or feel your skin could use a good cleansing, on the other hand, go with a steamy shower!

Improve mental health and boost immunity

Cold water stimulates the production of noradrenaline and beta-endorphins. Electrical impulses are sent from our nerve endings to our brain when we take cold showers, and this chemical reaction may have an antidepressant effect on some individuals. Taking a cold shower may keep you from catching a cold by heightening your immune system and making you more resistant to illness.

Increase circulation

When our bodies feel cold water, they naturally switch to survival mode and react by increasing our heart rate. The cold water puts your circulatory system into overdrive, causing your heart to pump more efficiently and causing overall circulation throughout your body to improve.

With increased circulation, you may find that your skin clears from pesky blemishes over time and looks healthier overall. (Getting in at least half an hour of exercise every day is ultimately the best way to get your blood pumping, though, and it doesn’t involve shivering all the way through.)Taking a cold shower in the morning can also give you an initial energy boost and even help you establish a regular routine. Switch up your shower routine and dare to turn the nozzle the other way for a change. As your body fights to stay warm, the heightened reaction will temporarily boost your metabolism and help you shed some weight.Of course, if your goal is weight loss, you must maintain regular physical activity. Cold showers should never be viewed as a replacement for other therapies, skin-care regimens, and exercise.

Cold Showers

Cold showers are any showers with a water temperature below 70°F. They may have health benefits. Water therapy (also called hydrotherapy) has been used for centuries to take advantage of our body’s tendency to adapt to harsher conditions. As a result, our bodies become more resistant to stress.

Cold showers are not a main source of treatment for any condition, but they may help improve symptom relief and general well-being. Check out the benefits of a cold shower below.

Increases endorphins

Depression affects at least 10 percent of American adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many drugs treat depression, depending on the severity or duration of symptoms. One holistic method of treatment that’s gaining popularity is hydrotherapy. Taking a cold shower for up to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week, was shown to help relieve symptoms of depression in a clinical trial.

For people with depression, cold showers can work as a kind of gentle electroshock therapy. The cold water sends many electrical impulses to your brain. They jolt your system to increase alertness, clarity, and energy levels. Endorphins, which are sometimes called happiness hormones, are also released. This effect leads to feelings of well-being and optimism.

White fat is the fat we associate with conditions such as obesity and heart disease, but we are all born with brown fat. Researchers have found that brown fat plays an important role in adult health. Healthy levels of brown fat also indicate that white fat will be at a healthy level. And brown fat is activated by exposure to cold temperature.

People that are obese can’t simply start taking cold showers to lose weight without changing other lifestyle habits. But taking a cold shower 2 or 3 times per week may contribute to increased metabolism. It may help fight obesity over time. The researchTrusted Source about how exactly cold showers help people lose weight is unclear. Still, it does show that cold water can even out certain hormone levels and heal the gastrointestinal system. These effects may add to the cold shower’s ability to lead to weight loss.

Helps fight off common illnesses

Our bodies are designed to become resistant to the elements we are exposed to. For example, leukocytes help fight infection in the body. The shock of cold water in the bloodstream stimulates leukocytes. This means that taking cold showers can help your resistance to common illnesses, like colds and the flu.

One studyTrusted Source even indicated that cold showers could make the body more resistant to certain types of cancer. And a clinical trialTrusted Source in the Netherlands showed that people who took cold showers called out of work less.

People that are preparing for surgery or other disease treatment that could lead to decreased immunity might want to start taking cold showers in preparation.

Cold showers.

A few years ago, I started occasionally turning down the water temperature for the last few moments of my showers… and about a year ago, I started doing it with every shower I take and at every time of day.

Slowly adding in a minute or two of cold water to your normal shower is a process called tempering…

Tempering is the conditioning process that builds up your tolerance over time through exposure to a stimulus (cold water, in this case) in small, incremental doses. Through this process, your body eventually becomes used to the cold water, and the initial shock from the cold water fades away.

One researcher and practitioner of human limits, Wim Hof – nicknamed The Iceman – is another big fan of cold showers. He considers them the “gateway to flow and energy and peace,” where it’s possible to learn the great power that the mind can have over the body. Hof believes that our bodies achieve their optimal vascular (blood vessel) tone in just 10 days of ending a regular hot shower with a few minutes of cold water.

Turns out, ending your shower on a cold note offers even more health benefits…

Although taking a cold shower may not be a pleasant experience, it can provide certain health benefits. One 2014 reviewTrusted Source, for example, suggests that cold water can:

decrease inflammation and swelling
decrease muscle spasms
have pain-relieving effects

An older study, this time from 2000Trusted Source, investigated the effects of different water temperatures on bodily reactions. In the cold water condition, the researchers submerged participants in 57.2°F (14°C) water for 1 hour. The participants experienced the following effects (some of which may not necessarily be beneficial to health):

increased metabolism
increased heart rate and blood pressure
increased levels of the neurochemicals dopamine and norepinephrine
lower levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone”

Some beneficial effects of cold water immersion include:

Improved circulation

Exposure to cold water causes the blood vessels on the surface of the skin to constrict. This diverts blood flow away from the surface of the skin. In fact, one small 2019 study found that taking a cold shower after exercise may improve general hydration by cooling down the body.

As blood travels away from the skin, blood vessels in deeper body tissues dilate. This improves circulation in the deeper tissues.

Lower cortisol levels

Cortisol is the “fight-or-flight” hormone that the body releases in response to stress.

Lowering cortisol levels in the blood may therefore help reduce stress levels. ResearchersTrusted Source note that when people immerse themselves in a bath of cold water, their cortisol levels drop.

Reduced pain

According to a 2014 reviewTrusted Source, cold water exposure triggers an automatic pain response called stress-induced analgesia (SIA).

SIA is a reduced pain response during or following exposure to a stressful stimulus, such as cold water immersion.

Reduced sports-related muscle soreness and fatigue

One older study from 2009Trusted Source tested the effects of cold water immersion on physical performance among athletes. Following sports, some of the athletes received cold water immersion, while others received tepid water immersion.

The researchers did not find any differences in subsequent physical performance between the two groups, nor did they find any differences in the amount of muscle damage or inflammation the participants experienced.

However, perceptions of muscle soreness and general fatigue were significantly lower in the group that received the cold water immersion. This psychological effect could prove beneficial during competitive sports.

Hot Shower Benefits

After a long day at work, you probably dream of rushing home and jumping into a hot shower. Everyone loves sneaking away for a soak in the tub or a long, warm shower. You may not know that every time you take a hot shower, though, you also enjoy a few health benefits. Here are some benefits hot showers can have on our minds, bodies, and skin.

Burn some calories When you are soaking in a hot bath, you are shedding a few calories while enjoying all the wonderful and relaxing benefits of a warm tub. Hot baths and showers should never be used as a substitute for exercise, though, and you should limit your time in the shower when you use hot water because it can increase your risk of burns or heat stroke.

Keep your skin clear and healthy Taking a hot bath or shower can help open your pores and flush out toxins that become trapped in your skin throughout the day. Warm water can result in fresher skin that feels more hydrated.Get better sleep

The muscles in your body may feel tense after a long day, and entering a warm bath or hot shower can help you relax, soothing your body as it soothes your mind. Jumping in the shower a couple of hours before bed can actually help you achieve better sleep. Additionally, getting clean before crawling under the cover will reduce the buildup of germs, dirt, sweat, and body oils that can accumulate on your bedding over time.

Making night-time showers a regular part of your routine can increase your sleep quality and help alleviate stress.You should be careful not to soak in a warm tub for too long before bed, though, and limit your bath or shower to around 20 minutes. Also, experience all the benefits of showering before bed by avoiding overly hot or cold showers.

Best Temperature for Showering

Getting into a cold shower is never a pleasant experience, but there are a few health benefits you may gain from braving the experience. Cold showers can help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, improve circulation, lower stress levels, and reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Hot showers, meanwhile, can improve cardiovascular health, soothe stiff joints, and improve sleep.

Understanding when to take a hot or cold shower is essential. Both deliver incredible potential health benefits and can affect your body differently. People with arthritis, for instance, may benefit more from a warm shower in the morning than a cold one because the water is easier on their bones and allows them to experience increased mobility. However, an athlete who suffers from a sports injury might benefit from a cold shower that could help reduce inflammation.

Avoid taking showers that are too cold or too hot, which may harm your health. Knowing the type of effect you hope to achieve or the benefits you’d like to gain from showering before deciding where to turn the shower nozzle is important. In the future, this helpful guide can assist you in determining whether you should take a cold or hot shower.

A hot shower offers your body’s tissues and systems a chance to dilate and expand in size (swelling) – the same way heat allows molecules to expand and speed up (think water turning to steam). A cold shower allows your tissues and systems to tighten and slow down (think water turning to ice).

When you take a cold shower, your blood vessels constrict and blood flow to the chilled areas of your body is reduced. In this way, cold water helps with inflammation, swelling, and pain.

Turns out, cold water also redirects blood flow from the blood vessels near the surface of your skin to the ones deep within your body. In doing so, internal inflammation and swelling in the body goes down and the amount of blood that travels back to your heart increases.

When more blood gets pumped back to your heart, the waste products in your blood are removed and are replaced by nutrients for your muscles much faster. This change is called improved venous return. You can see this life hack and method being used by professional athletes who use cold (even ice) water baths to recover quickly from strenuous exercise.

A small 2016 study tested the effects of cold-water immersion on muscle recovery following knee flexion and extension exercises. The researchers found that the group who experienced the cold-water bath – as opposed to those who had no post-exercise intervention – had less oxygen taken from their muscles after exercising (a normal process of recovery) and reported less soreness the day after exercising. This was thought to be the result of their improved venous blood return caused by the cold water.

Improved venous return also means improved circulation. Not only do our recovering muscles get the benefit of oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood, but so too does the rest of our body (our organs, for example).

Cold showers also reduce our levels of a hormone called cortisol, which directly contributes to our experience of stress. In one study, researchers found that cold water immersion led participants to experience reduced levels of cortisol. They also found that participants in cold water around 57.2 degrees Fahrenheit had an increase in their metabolic rate (the rate at which our bodies expend energy or burn calories) of 350%.

If you want to try cold-shower tempering, do what I do and try this health experience by turning the cold water on for 20 to 40 seconds at the end of your hot shower. It doesn’t have to be ALL the way cold, but it should be quite cool…

Start doing this at the end of every shower (at least five times a week). After week one, add 10 to 20 seconds onto your time. When you’ve finished your week of 40 seconds in the cold water, add on another 20 to 30 seconds… and so on. I actually slowly rotate while I’m doing it so my forehead, then a shoulder, and then back, my other shoulder, and so on get the cold water.

Eventually, your body will get used to the cold water and it won’t feel like such a shock to your system. In fact, recently I’ve hit full cold on the knobs and my body was seemingly still warm post workout and wanted even more cold.

Maybe next year I’ll try swimming in ice like Wim Hof. I’ve easily worked my way up to four minutes of cold-water immersion after my regular hot shower and I’m certain you can as well. I’m already looking forward to this year’s Alliance conference where you can tell me how much you enjoyed it.

Benefits of hot showers

Hot showers may also have beneficial effects for health. Some examples of the potential health benefits include:

Improved cardiovascular health

As one 2014 reviewTrusted Source of hydrotherapy notes, warm water bathing appears to improve blood flow in people with chronic heart failure. This is due to a natural widening of the blood vessels when exposed to high temperatures.

A 2012 study explored the effects of warm water immersion on arterial stiffness, which occurs when the arteries within the body become less flexible. Arterial stiffness plays a major role in the cardiovascular condition atherosclerosis, which can lead to high blood pressure.

The study found that participants who submerged their feet and lower legs in warm water for 30 minutes showed reduced arterial stiffness. Participants who did not receive warm water immersion did not show this effect.

Improved muscle and joint health

As mentioned above, hot showers can enhance blood flow, helping soothe stiff joints and tired muscles. Cold showers, meanwhile, can reduce inflammation and help numb pain.

One 2017 studyTrusted Source investigated the effect of hot and cold therapies on knee osteoarthritis. The researchers divided 96 participants into three groups. A control group received only standard osteoarthritis treatment. The two other groups received standard osteoarthritis treatment along with either heat therapy or cold therapy.

The heat therapy group applied heat to the affected knee twice daily for 3 weeks, while the cold therapy group applied cold to the affected knee twice daily for 3 weeks.

At the end of the study, both groups showed a mild reduction in pain and a mild improvement in knee function. However, these effects were not significantly stronger than those the control group experienced.

Improved brain health

One 2018 study investigated the effects of hot water immersion on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a protein that has several important functions in the brain and spinal cord, including:

promoting the survival of nerve cells
promoting the growth, maturation, and maintenance of nerve cells
promoting learning and memory

The study was small, involving just eight men. One group took a 20-minute bath in hot water with a temperature of 107.6°F (42°C). The other group took a 20-minute bath in warm water with a temperature of 95°F (35°C).

Participants who took the hot bath had significantly higher BDNF levels. The researchers concluded that hyperthermia induced by the hot bath increased the production of BDNF.

Improved sleep

Organizations such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteTrusted Source recommend taking a hot shower or bath before bed as a way to improve sleep.

A hot shower may improve sleep quality due to the combination of how the body relaxes while bathing and the fall in body temperature afterward.

When to take hot or cold showers

Doctors sometimes recommend heat or cold therapy for people with muscle or bone injuries. However, it is not yet clear whether or not a cold or hot shower has the same benefits as applying an ice or heating pad.

Some people with arthritis enjoy hot showers in the morning because it helps them feel mobile. However, cold showers are beneficial for injuries accompanied by inflammation.

For taking a hot shower to improve sleep, a 2019 study found that the best time to take a shower or bath was 1–2 hours before sleeping.

People with eczema and other rashes should avoid hot showers altogether, as these can further dry out the skin.

source1 source2 source3 source4

Benefits of a Cold Shower Archives - Good Shepherd News - Fastest Growing Religious, Free Speech & Political Content

What to Know About the Benefits of a Cold Shower vs. a Hot Shower

Improved circulation

Lower cortisol levels

Reduced pain

Reduced sports-related muscle soreness and fatigue

Benefits of hot showers

Improved cardiovascular health

Improved muscle and joint health

Improved brain health

Improved sleep