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Pros and Cons of Cold Showers

While some people will take a cold shower without thinking twice about it, most people would be caught dead taking a cold shower. However, there are some advantages associated with taking a cold shower.

 

Pros:

1. Cold showers help bolster alertness in the morning: Cold morning showers might sound like a nightmare, but they’re actually a dream for people who value alertness in the morning. Cold morning showers are said to help bolster energy in the morning. The cold shock that many of us feel when bathing in cold water helps increase our oxygen intake, heart rate and gives the body a rush of energy much needed for morning hours.
2. Cold water showers help refine skin and hair: Cold water is less tough on skin and hair, which helps people better maintain their natural appearance. Hot water is said to dry out skin and hair, while also stripping the skin and hair of its natural oils.

3. Cold water helps improve immunity and blood circulation: The shock from cold water does a lot to get the body going. Once the water hits the body, it invokes a reaction within the body that makes the heart start pumping blood throughout the body.

4. Cold water showers help bolster weight loss: Yes, cold water showers help promote weight loss. This mainly works by exposing the body to cold water, which activates the warming properties of the body’s brown fat. Brown fat is considered the ‘good fat’ of the body, apart from white fat, which is what accumulates on the body after consuming too many calories.

5. Cold water showers help speed up muscle soreness recovery: Some athletes swear by ice baths or cold water showers. It’s because cold water has regenerative properties that help soothe muscle soreness after a grueling workout.

6. They help you save on utility costs: You won’t have to spend on heating and you can significantly lessen your bathing time and water usage because you wouldn’t want to stay too long in a cold shower. As a result, you save on your utility bills.

7. Calming itchy skin: Cold water also plays an important role in helping you calm an itchy skin. This is especially in cases where someone has a specific skin condition that needs some sort of attention.

8. Waking you up: Awkward as it may sound, cold water is essential in ensuring one stays alert and awake for the better part of the day.

9. Increasing circulation: Cold water also plays a vital role in the human body by increasing the blood circulation within the body. This is especially after a workout.

10. Reducing muscle soreness post-workout: After workout, it is common for people to feel some kind of muscle soreness. Showering with cold water might help reduce this muscle soreness as it helps tighten the muscle.



Cons:

1. Cold water showers aren’t entirely ideal for people with illnesses: While the shock from cold water does do a lot to promote health in the body, the chill might cause the opposite effect in people who are sick. People who are sick with minor or very moderate illnesses should instead opt for a hot shower or bath, as the warmth provides rejuvenation properties that help the body recover from illness.

2. Cold water showers may not have a long term effect on weight loss: The fat burning benefits of cold water showers may work well on a short term basis, but there isn’t much supporting its long term effects. While this fat burning practice may facilitate weight loss in some people, it doesn’t exactly do the same for others.

3. Some people may find a ‘cold-hot’ recovery regime to be more effective: Cold water baths don’t work for everyone. While some people swear by the soothing properties of cold water baths, others prefer applying warmth to their muscle pain, such as a hot water bottle or a heating blanket.

4. They aren’t such a welcome thought, especially during colder months: The thought of hopping into a cold shower isn’t very welcoming when it’s freezing in your home. You might prefer giving up your hygiene rather than suffering from an icy blast of water.

5. They aren’t ideal for everyone: If you are sick, cold water may do more harm than good. When suffering from a minor or moderate illness, warm or hot baths are more recommended to provide rejuvenation for the body.

6. They may not be effective for everything: Not everyone gets relief from a cold shower when they are suffering from muscle pain. Others will find that a heating blanket, hot water bottle, or warm bath is more helpful and effective.

7. Individuals with cardiac or thyroid problems:
People suffering from heart problems are strongly discouraged from taking cold showers for obvious reasons. The body may experience shock which can cause heart failure.

8. Not ideal in the evenings: If you’re trying to go to sleep, it’s best to shower with warm water.  If you want a more accentuated relaxing effect, exercise for 20 minutes a day and bathe with warm water.

9. Avoid sudden cold showers: For example, it is not a good idea to submerge yourself in cold water baths because this can create a strong stress in the body, and can bring cardiac rhythms out of sync.

10. They may cause stroke: There is a high risk of someone suffering from stroke by taking a cold shower. This is because of the imbalance in temperature changes when someone gets into cold water.

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