Sometimes we have to take a cold shower when the hot water is turned off and there is no time to heat the water. Very few people voluntarily decide to wash themselves with cold water, and, by the way, it is a cold or contrast shower that is most beneficial for beauty and health.
Before the invention of warm baths, people used to bathe in pools that were known to be quite cold. And the Greeks, for example, even after the invention of the water heating system, preferred to bathe in cold water because of its health benefits.
Benefits of a cold shower for health and beauty
Why is a cold or contrast shower so much more useful than a hot one?
1. Cold showers burn fat
As you know, the human body has white and brown fat (bad and good, respectively). It is in the form of white fat that excess absorbed calories are deposited, and the function of brown fat is to generate heat to warm the body – it burns calories to keep us warm i.e. it is useful for weight loss. So, at low temperatures, the metabolic rate of brown fat increases by 15 times, due to which more calories are consumed, which means that it will be easier to lose weight.
2. Cold showers speed up post-workout recovery
Athletes often take cold baths after intense workouts to reduce sore muscles. The same effect will be from a cold or contrast shower after class.
3. Cold shower improves mood and alertness
Waking up in the morning is hard, but waking up in the morning in a good mood – this is something from the realm of science fiction. However, you can cheer up before going to work if you take a contrast shower. When cold water hits the body, breathing becomes deeper in response to exposure to cold – this is how your body tries to keep you warm by increasing the amount of oxygen you breathe. It also increases the heart rate, which speeds up blood flow and energizes for the whole day.
4. Cold shower strengthens the immune system and the cardiovascular system
The boost in metabolism that comes with exposure to cold water also has a beneficial effect on the immune system, which builds an army to fight pathogens. In addition, a contrast shower strengthens blood vessels.
5. Cold shower improves the functioning of the lymphatic system
The lymphatic system removes harmful substances from the cells, helping to protect against various diseases. The vessels of the lymphatic system, like blood vessels, under the influence of a contrast shower, first expand (hot water), and then narrow (cold water), due to which they become stronger, and lymph can circulate freely in the body.
6. A cold shower makes skin and hair beautiful
Cold water makes the skin beautiful, helps to keep youthful, if you wash your hair with cold water, your hair will be more shiny and stay clean longer.
7. Benefits of a cold shower for men
It is known that hot baths (as well as other causes of temperature increase in the testicles) negatively affect the reproductive function of a man. Thus, spermatozoa lose their mobility, and sperm production is limited. Therefore, the water with which the representatives of the stronger sex are washed should not be hot. Maximum bath temperature – 37 degrees.
Important: despite all the benefits of cold and contrast showers, you should consult your doctor before embarking on such a practice, especially in case of any chronic diseases. In diseases of the cardiovascular system, inflammatory diseases, as well as during menstruation, a contrast shower is contraindicated.
How to take a contrast shower
It is necessary to start taking a contrast shower with hot water, and end with – always cold; while under hot water you need to stand three times longer than under cold. For example, 60 seconds – under hot water, 20 seconds – under the cold, it all depends on the time you choose.
In this case, you need to go through 3-4 cycles of a contrast shower. If you are new to this business, at first 15 seconds under cold water will be enough. Extremely uncomfortable sensations during a contrast shower or dizziness indicate that the procedure must be stopped.
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