5 surprising advantages of cold showers
You might find exposing yourself to unexpected cold temperatures a little unpleasant in the general run of things, but in that case, you might be missing out. There are many huge advantages of cold showers for the mind and body. If you brace yourself for impact, you might find that your health gets a decent boost as a result.
Obviously it’s not advisable to shock your body too much with an ice cold shower, but a regular cold shower has many advantages. Let’s look at five of them, and see if you can be convinced.
Burns fat
If you’re on a weight loss program, then you might be surprised to learn that one of the rewards of cold showers is to burn fat without realising it. It’s quite a scientific theory so bear with me. Basically you have good fat and you have bad fat. The bad fat is what accumulates in those problem areas we all want to shift. However, the good fat is used to help keep your body warm, so when you expose yourself to cold temperatures, e.g. in a shower, calories are burnt as your body tries to heat itself up. Calories burnt = fat lost!
Recovery after exercise
I’m sure you’ve heard about athletes having ice baths after a football game. Well, there are many huge pluses to this. A cold shower does the same thing. It can help reduce swelling and soreness in the muscles following a run, an hour in the gym, or any other sporting activity you regularly take part in.
Boosts your mood
A few other things you you can gain from a cold shower, is a boost in your mood and bump up in your alertness level. This is perfect for getting you through an afternoon slump. Additionally, if you’re not a morning person and struggle with waking up properly, a cold shower is for you. Essentially, the cold water hitting your skin means the response sinks down into your body and your breathing goes deeper in response to the stimulus. This means your oxygen intake increases, your heart rate goes up, and the rush rewards you with extra energy at your disposal.
Relieves depression
Your body responds to the cold by sending messages and electrical impulses from the nerve endings to the brain. In turn, having a remarkable effect on mood, in an anti-depressant way. If you do suffer from mild depression, waking up and having a cold shower could be the thing to turn your day around.
Improves immunity levels
Cold temperatures mean our metabolism rises in response, which then kicks your immune system into overdrive. Your body is trying to starve off illness when it feels cold temperatures. Therefore, it releases more white blood cells, which are what help you fight infection and illness. Meaning you’re less likely to become sick as a result.
The next time you have a shower, try turning the temperature down a little and test the theory. You’ll be bouncing out of the bathroom, ready to start your day with a smile on your dial.
However, a nice, hot shower is always thoroughly enjoyable during the cooler months too. But if your hot water system isn’t working at its full potential due to thermostat or an ageing element which needs replacement, contact the Gold Coast’s hot water specialists most of the locals turn to – MC Power Electrical Solutions on 0432 022 294. We’ll have it working at its best in no time!