5 Reasons Why Cold Shower is Good for You

A lot of people don't like the idea of a cold shower. More often than not, they prefer to have one warm bath as it gives them more relaxation.

However, several studies have found that using cold water may be more advantageous to both "mental and physical health."

In relation to this, it is becoming more and more famous for sports players to "ditch the hot tap" for health's sake, with a lot of them, keen to discover for themselves, if the cold shower advantages "live up to the hype."

The circumstance of deliberately turning the shower temperature down has indeed, turned all the more convincing in recent years, with believers promoting such benefits of cold showers which include "better circulation, improved immunity and even enhancements in mental health. 

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5 Advantages of Cold Shower

Presently, there is a limited scientific study in terms of verifying the benefits of a cold shower. However, this does not mean they should already be disregarded entirely. Below are 5 of the many reasons why cold shower, even just for a few seconds, is beneficial to you:

1. Improved Alertness

A cold shower can make you feel more alert, mainly because of its effects on your body. Based on a meta-analysis of the present research on cold-water immersion published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, a cold shower has a lot of psychological impacts on a person's body.

Such effects include "higher blood pressure, elevated respiratory rate, and increased heart rate." Additionally, a cold shower may also increase an individual's metabolism as it needs to work harder to have a stable temperature maintained.

2. For Metabolism Support

More often than not, body fat is identified with white fat, also called the "adipose tissue." However, the second type of fat, also known as brown fat or brown adipose tissue, is stimulated when you're exposed to temperatures.

Consequently, it breaks down glucose and rat molecules, having calories burned to develop heat and support the body in maintaining the ideal temperature.

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3. Helps the Immune System

One more way cold water is impacting the bloodstream is by activating the leukocytes' production, which helps in fighting inflammation and develop "resistance to common illness."

Medical experts claim that a period of "cold shower in the morning" even if it's just a 30-second shower, following the usual warm one, has been proven to lessen reported disease by one-third.

More so, the way in which a cold shower improves the immune system is still being studied thoroughly by researchers, it is possible though, that when a person is exposed to sudden cold, his brain is kick-starting his immune system. This process is also known as the "neurobiological immunostimulatory effect."

4. Mood Enhancer

Some researchers present a theory that cold showers can benefit the mood. Relatively, older literature in Medical Hypotheses journal proposed that since cold showers stimulate one's the sympathetic nervous system and increases the existence of neurotransmitters like "norepinephrine and endorphins," he may be less possible to suffer from depressive symptoms following a cold shower.

5. Provides Healthier Hair and Skin 

Scientific research has proven that cold water can benefit both your hair and skin. This could be due to the fact that cold water tightens the flow of blood on the skin's surface, "helping to close pores and hair cuticles."

Different from hot water, cold water is not drying out the fatty acids and oil that protect your hair and skin. These acids and oils are also known as the "sebum Layer."

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