The Great Shower Debate: Cold vs. Hot Showers
There’s nothing better than waking up and having a warm shower on a winter’s day – but it does beg the question of what type of shower is best for you. There are many people who advocate a cold shower, and then there are others who take warm showers and hot saunas every day.
Naturally, hot showers feel much nicer and are very relaxing, but is a cold shower healthier?
Taking a cold shower might not be on your list of things to do today, but research shows some pretty major reasons why you might want to try it.
Consider these reasons why cold showers might win the great shower debate:
- Better for your skin. Cold showers are better for your skin.
- First off, think back to early humans. Coming across warm water was a very unlikely scenario for early humans, and our skin and body could not adapt to warm water as a benefit ever since.
- Not only do cold showers help to close pores and allow less dirt and grime to get into your skin, but it is also better for the natural softness and feel of the skin. This is because a warm shower can dry the skin, especially when used with traditional soaps.
- Accelerate muscle repair. Just finished a tough workout and notice that your muscles are a tad stiff and sore? Cold showers can work in the same way as an ice bath to help limit inflammation in the muscles and speed up recovery.
- Wake you up. Has anyone ever dumped a bucket of cold water on you? Probably quite the chill, but it woke you up, right?
- Cold showers can also help to put you to sleep. This is because your core body temperature will generally drop just before and during your sleep. Allowing your body to cool down with a cold shower before sleep can help you fall asleep faster.
- Can help with fat loss. Cold showers can help you lose both weight and fat. This is because cold showers help to encourage the use of brown fat and the direct loss of white fat throughout the day. Brown fat produces energy to heat you up from the cold shower.
- Circulatory benefits. As your skin gets colder from the cold water, your body reduces blood in your skin and sends extra blood to your core to heat you back up again. This process reduces inflammation and circulates the blood in the deeper tissues and internal organs faster, also bringing them an oxygen boost.
Things To Keep In Mind
Taking a cold shower is not some quick fix to your health. Yes, cold showers can help to improve some aspects of your vitality, but only to a limited degree.
For instance, taking a cold shower would not be the best idea when you have the flu or other illnesses as stepping out of a cold shower might put a strain on your immune system which is already fighting your cold or flu.
Give it a try! Ease yourself into it by taking a cooler shower each day. Your skin and muscles will thank you. You may even notice a decrease in your utility bill from using less hot water!
DISCLAIMER: The information contained on the site is intended for educational purposes only, and should not be substituted for medical advice from a doctor or healthcare provider.