For the last week, I have started taking a cold shower aka cold hydrotherapy. It is initially very painful. Why would I subject myself to this? Well taking a cold shower has many therapeutic benefits:
- Cold water helps the nervous system - Specifically the sympathetic system. This is the fight and flight part of the nervous system. It shocks the sympathetic system and creates a stress response. It increases blood flow to certain systems of your body. Blood is directed to the internal organs to keep them warm. This transport of blood gets your heart to work harder. It gets you breathing faster and deeper (you intake more oxygen), working the lungs. This practice also contracts your muscles deeply, thereby eliminating toxins.
- Cold water benefits circulation - by shocking the heart and the lungs, blood flow also increases to your feet and hands.
- It helps our stress response -Cold showers could also help cut the levels of uric acid and boost glutathione in the blood, which help reduce stress.
- Allows for faster recovery- A study completed in 2009 showed that an ice bath after intense training improves circulation and helps remove some lactic acid, which could speed up the body’s recovery.
- Helps to elevate mood and attitude- Studies have shown that taking a cold shower can help patients with depression. This happens by stimulating “the blue spot” on the brain that releases noradrenaline, a chemical which plays a role in alleviating depression.
- It can help you sleep better at night: According to the book, 4 hour body by Tim Ferris. The book states that taking a cold shower gives elephant tranquilizer-like effect that will put you straight to bed.
- Accelerates metabolism - taking a cold shower gets all of your organs working. Taking a cold shower specifically activates brown fat- which is the good fat. This fat generates heat to keep our bodies warm. Thus, cold showers can promote brown fat activity. A 2009 study found that exposure to extreme cold temperatures activated brown fat in 23 and 24 participants by a 15-fold increase, meaning someone could lose up to nine pounds in a year if they kept this practice up.
- Strengthens the immune system -It can also lower blood pressure, clear blocked arteries, and improve our immune system.
Doing alternate hot bath and cold bath can also be very therapeutic.
Source: The Benefits of Taking Cold Showers
Additional Links:
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