Ever since forever cold water proved great benefits when bathing in them.
Did you know that Spartans actually had a morning ritual when they would wake up and had two hours of intense calisthenic workout followed by a dip in freezing cold water?
Not convinced about the Spartans? Well then check out David Beckhams’ way of diving in a bath full of ice. So let’s see why you should consider making cold showers.
1. Help in depression
Studies showed that at the temperature of 14°C (57 F) the levels of noradrenaline and dopamine are increased. These 2 hormones are directly involved in our mood. The higher their level, the happy we are.
Even if you don’t accept the scientific theory, if you will try to make a cold shower you will see for yourself that it will lift up your spirit. It also may be because you will contrate on the cold water and not on what other issues, you might have, but the idea is that it works.
2. Fat loss
This sounds amazing, right? The funny thing is that it’s actually true. The explanation stays in the fact that cold water boosts the metabolic rate. So. this is how it works. Your external temperature starts to drop making your body to generate internal thermo energy. Moreso, your heart rate will increase. For all these processes your body needs more energy than it normally required. So it will take its fuel out of the fat tissue.
3. Improved immune system
It appears that is a direct link between cold showers, metabolic rates, and the immune system. Researchers proved that people that take cold showers on a daily basis managed to stay away from diseases such as flu, colds, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and even cancer.
4. Quicker exercises recovery
We already talked about the Spartans and their rituals, but actually, even now athletes use cold showers or cold baths to recover quicker. The reason for this stays in the phenomenon that occurs when the external surface of your body receives a drop in temperature. At that moment your body sends out more blood to the affected areas. So the muscles that have been worked out very intense will receive more blood reducing the recovery time.
Also, the cold showers made after training tend to reduce the concentration of cortisol which is a stress hormone connected with the muscle breakdown process.
5. Improved testosterone production
You know how the balls are in a special pouch. Also, they have a different position when they feel cold or warm. This is just a mechanism that makes the genital area to have a lower temperature than the rest of the body because that is where it functions best. This means that heat negatively affects testosterone. Low temperatures, on the other hand, activate the production of testosterone.
6. Improved blood circulation
The heart health is 100% connection to the circulation system. This means that good circulation will be very beneficial for your heart.
Cold showers work here because it decreases the body temperature, making the blood storages to be sent to the organs to heat them. Warm water has a reverse outcome.
To really ensure a good circulation you should make transitions between cold and hot waters. This is why Nordics make sauna and then throw themselves in a cold pool.
7. Improved brain concentration
If you take cold showers regularly, you will notice that you have a better concentration capacity. Even though it is not related to the fitness subject, this a very important aspect and I think it should have a place in this article.
8. Helps boost the energy levels
Done in the morning, a cold shower will ensure your energy and make you capable and ready for a hardcore workout. Cold showers are known to have a powerful long-term impact on your energy levels. This happens because the skin has some high density of cold receptors that will send a very big amount of electrical impulses from peripheral endings when you take a cold shower. We already know it has a great effect on the circulatory system. So add this as a bonus.
9. Offers a great pre-workout pump
You know that cold showers are good after the workout. But the truth is that they work magically also before the training. Actually, they are not only pre-workout pump but have this effect for every kind of activity. This is explained by the circulatory improvements and energy boost you receive after a cold shower
10. Improved sleep quality
The funny thing regarding the cold showers is that not only they wake you up in the morning, but it also ensure a good night sleep. This is possible because the body needs an optimal temperature in order to rest. And this is not a high one.
So after a cold shower, your body will trigger sleep signalers that will help you fall asleep faster and helps you experience even deeper and more relaxed sleeps late at night.
11. Anti-aging effect
Ever asked yourself why fitness models take cold showers? The answer is that they slow down the aging process. The effects are seen on the hair, nails and of course on the skin. This is possible because the water delivers nutrients to the skin, closing the pores and it makes it glow. Hot water will dry the skin.
12. Improves emotional resilience
You already know that cold showers help you fight depressions. More so, they can guide your nervous system into eliminating the stress. However, don’t expect to see results immediately. You need to make a ritual and take cold showers on a regular basis for at least a month before noticing the changes.