Waking up in the morning can be tough. Waking up in the morning before the sun is up can be even more difficult as your body struggles to walk away from your cosy bed while it is still dark outside. When sunlight passes through our eyes, it sends a signal to our suprachiasmatic nucleus to tell us to wake up. So what the majority of us do is to drag ourselves into the showers and attempt to wake up with the hot water pouring down our skin. However, do you know that a cold shower might be a more effective way to do so?
Benefits Of Taking Cold Showers
It is understandably tough to crank down the water temperature especially if you woke up in a cold room. Or if you are naturally afraid of the cold. Why will you want to counter the cold with coldness again?
Cold Showers Increase Alertness
Brace yourself, for there is going to be a bit of shock when the cold water first hits you. The momentary shock will increase your oxygen intake, increase your heart rate, and best of all, increase your alertness. Once you are done with your cold shower, you are ready to take on the day or even the world.
Cold Showers Increase Blood Circulation
When the cold water hits you, it causes your blood to circulate faster, leading the arteries to pump blood more efficiently, which improve your overall heart health.
Cold Showers Improves Immunity
That said, with a good blood circulation going on in your system, showering in cold water helps to lower your blood pressure, clear any blocked arteries and improving your immune system.
Cold Showers Help With Muscle Soreness
Had an intense workout session? Get under the cold showers pronto. Cold waters have regenerative properties, and it will help your muscles to relax and repair itself.
Cold Showers May Promote Weight Loss
Interestingly, cold showers can help you to lose some weight too. Brown fat, which is essentially the good fat that generates heat to keep your body warm, is activated during a cold shower session. So more cold showers equate to more brown fat burn. Yay! (But of course, nothing beats a good diet and regular exercise.)
Glow With Cold Showers
Want better skin and hair texture? Get under the cold waters. The cold waters can help to ‘seal’ the pores in your skin and the hair cuticles on the scalp, preventing dirt from entering into your body. Cold waters will not strip any natural oil from your body, so your body will not feel dried out and flaky. Cold waters also constrict the blood vessels, giving your skin and body a healthy glow.
I Cannot Live Without My Hot Water Shower!
Cold water shower may not be for everyone despite its benefits. Perhaps it is because you are sick, so undergoing a cold shower may worsen your immune system. Or perhaps you live in a place where the climate is colder. The cold waters will just make you feel even colder and it will take a while before your body gets warmed up.
What About The Benefits Of Hot Showers?
Having a hot shower before you sleep or after you get home from a long day out is quite therapeutic. Your muscles relax, you feel calmer and you get to sleep better.
Hot Showers Reduce Your Stress
Do you know why you crank up the heat in the shower after a bad day at work? Was it a conscious move you made there or was there a psychological reason behind it? It was found that hot waters can improve oxytocin levels, which will reduce stress and anxiety while increasing feelings of calmness and security.
Hot Showers Removes Bacteria
Any shower for that matter keeps you clean, for that is the sole purpose of showering. With a hot water shower, most bacteria won’t stand a chance against the gush of the hot water rushing down your skin. Also, as hot waters open up the pores of the skin, when you wash your body with a body cleansing formula, trapped dirt and oil will also be removed, leaving you with clean and clear skin and body.
Hot Showers Relieves Coughing
Steam from the hot shower helps to clear your nose by loosening your phlegm and clear your nasal passage by removing mucus.
Hot Showers Soothes Migraines
Rather than popping painkillers, consider a hot water shower or bath to help ease the migraine.
Which Is Better?
Why not get the best of both worlds by alternating between a cold shower and a hot shower? As stated, cold waters tighten the blood flow, while hot waters do the opposite by opening up the blood vessels. This allows your blood to be pumped throughout the muscles and organs and benefits the body through regeneration and detoxification. So happy showering!