Cold Shower Benefits
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A massive cold shower benefits study out of the Netherlands showed that those who took a cold shower were far less likely than those who took a warm to take time off work because they were sick.
The study consisted of 3,000 people split into four separate groups who were asked to have a warm shower daily. Although one group was told to end the shower with 30 seconds of cold water, another was asked to use 60 seconds of cold water, and the last group with 90 seconds of cold water.
Cold Shower Benefits Study
The control group was able to enjoy just a warm shower. The volunteers were told to follow this procedure for a month straight. Interestingly, 64% of people liked the cold-water regimen so much that they continued it for their health.
Researchers did a three-month follow-up, where they found that the groups who had cold water showers had a reduction of 29% for sick leave from work. But, intriguingly, the length of the cold-water shower didn’t affect the sickness absence.
Scientists are not sure why the cold blast helps ward off sickness, but it most likely has something to do with boosting the immune system.
A study out of the Czech Republic determined that when young athletic males were submerged in cold water three times a week for six weeks, it increased their immune system slightly.
Coldwater seems to activate a person’s sympathetic nervous system, which is part of the nervous system that controls the fight-or-flight response (an involuntary physiological reaction to an event perceived as frightening, stressful, dangerous, or stressful). So it activates the reaction, and you get a spike in the noradrenaline hormone.
This is what causes an increase in blood pressure and heart rate observed when people are plunged into cold water was linked to the following health benefits.
Cold showers Improve Circulation
Cold showers have been shown to improve your Circulation. There is a significant reduction in blood flow to the skin when under cold rain. However, as soon as the cold water turns off, the body warms itself back up, increasing blood flow to the skin’s surface.
A study that observed cold-water immersion right after exercising found that, after a month, blood flow significantly improved too and from muscles.
There is compelling evidence that a cold shower can help people lose weight. For example, a recent study showed that cold-water showers at a temperature of 14℃ increased metabolism by up to 350%.
Metabolism is when your body converts what you drink and eat into energy, meaning the higher your metabolism approximately equals more burned energy.
Cold Shower Mental Health Benefits
Cold showers may have mental health benefits as well. Some scientists hypothesize that cold showers cause increased mental alertness due to the fight-or-flight response. Furthermore, cold water applied to the neck and face in older adults has improved brain function.
They have been shown to reduce the symptoms of depression. It is most likely due to the high number of cold receptors in the skin, and a cold shower sends many electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which is linked to the anti-depressive effect.
There is a large growing amount of evidence to show that having a cold shower is incredibly beneficial to health, even though the reasons aren’t fully understood yet.
Before turning your taps over to the blue “C” as the cold water shocks the body, it can be hazardous for those who have heart disease as it can induce a heart attack or heart-rhythm irregularities.
The study consisted of 3,000 people split into four separate groups who were asked to have a warm shower daily.
