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Why you need to wash before bed. Cold showers: benefits and harms for the human body

, JANUARY 27, 2018

Some might say that a cold shower is a great way to wake up faster in the morning. Or that a cold shower after a workout is a great way to tone up. Let's look at the benefits of cold showers for both men and women. What are the benefits and harms of a cold shower?


It turns out that cold showers have several very valuable and beneficial properties. It helps strengthen general health and promotes recovery of the body. However, if you are too sensitive to cold, then such a procedure may not always be justified. Whether a cold shower will be part of your daily or morning exercise will depend only on which of its beneficial properties you want to receive.


So what evidence is there for the benefits of cold showers? Will it be useful for you? If so, what is the correct way to take a cold shower? This is what we will talk about today.

SHOWING IS MORE THAN JUST WASHING



Before we get into the benefits of cold showers, let me point out that simply taking a shower does more than just cleanse your body. You provide yourself with excellent relaxation, especially depending on the scents you use. But there are other benefits too.


Showering helps improve appearance your skin. Water will perfectly support your efforts in the fight against overweight and saturate your hair and skin cells with moisture. A shower, in principle, lifts your spirits and helps you get ready for the work day.

Both warm and cold showers have their benefits. Chances are you already take a warm shower, but what about a cold one? Well, it's time to talk about those nine beneficial properties cold showers you can get. Turn off the hot water faucet the next time you shower and celebrate how your health improves 😉.

YOU DO NOT JUST WAKE UP FASTER, YOU GET A GREAT CHARGE OF VIEW

You probably know that cold water is great for waking up your body. The lower water temperature puts your body into a state of mild shock, which instantly increases your tone and gives you an extraordinary feeling of vitality.


When you initially fall under cold water, it feels like you can't breathe. It's scary to try, isn't it? 😃. However, in small doses it is very beneficial for the body (unless, of course, there are contraindications from a doctor).


Although you may initially only run the cold water for a very short period of time (to give you a chance to catch your breath), you will instinctively take deeper breaths. This way, you breathe in more oxygen, which means your organs get exactly what they need. This gives an immediate increase in tone throughout the body.


You will feel more filled with vitality after receiving a cold shower. Your body is prepared for any upcoming stress that may be thrown at it during the day, and your brain will work at its maximum speed. While all your colleagues need a boost from coffee, you're ready to go. Being more alert means you're more productive, which is great for business and great for your boss. 😉


You only need one cold shower a day to get it all. It’s better, of course, to do this in the morning to get toned faster. In principle, you don't even need to do this every day. You can do this trick after a bad night's sleep to quickly get yourself back to normal, or when you know you have a very hard day ahead.

IT WILL BE EASIER TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS

If you find it difficult to control your emotions, you may also want to consider taking cold showers. Using a contrast shower will help you take control of your nervous system, making it much more resistant to many problems that arise during the day.


In fact, studies have shown that cold showers retain little oxidative stress in the human body. While an excess amount of oxidative stress has a bad effect on the body (and you will have to use antioxidants to reduce this process). However, a little oxidative stress on a regular basis is generally necessary. Therefore, taking a cold shower is your nervous system becomes accustomed to certain levels of such stress, meaning that she will be able to easily cope with such a small amount of it.

The next time you feel stressed, your body will naturally be able to cope with it. You won't feel as anxious about the meeting, and you'll have a much easier time managing the anger and frustration you feel when things don't go your way. It will be easier for you to think clearly and stay in control of the situation, rather than rushing straight into action or going into conflict mode.


For all this, you do not need to immediately switch to the coldest possible shower. Start with a warm, relaxing feeling and end with a short, icy blast. This will be a great way to get the most out of this shower in one sitting. It's similar to what James Bond does, so it must be really, really good, right?

IT STRENGTHENS WILLPOWER



Who wants to be constantly used, sat on the neck and dangling legs? Have strong will Many people want it, but they are not born with this quality. And a cold shower also helps in developing the will.


One of the biggest benefits of cold showers noted in research is the way in which your willpower begins to “grow into a fist”, in particular thanks to an ice-cold shower in the morning. However, this is somehow often overlooked as an advantage.


Willpower, among other things, helps make important decisions. It helps you stick to your diet, helps you continue training through “I can’t”. Need help getting into the habit of working out consistently at the gym? A cold shower will help with this.


It is especially difficult to get used to taking a cold shower in the morning. This is discipline. And if you can stick to what may at first seem like torture, then you can bend anything to your will. Add a cold shower to your daily morning exercise routine, and you will see that your willpower in other areas of your life will help more and more.

A COLD SHOWER RELIEVES STRESS AND HELPS WITH DEPRESSION



This statement may seem to contradict the previous one. After all, cold showers increase oxidative stress in your body. And, as it may seem, this leads to an increase in a certain level of overall stress. But it's not that simple.


In fact, due to the slight increase in oxidative stress, you will end up with decline general stress. The nervous system has the ability to get used to the constant stress you put on it, like taking a mild “stressful” cold shower every morning. As a result of this “habit”, your nervous system will no longer react strongly to similar small irritations, so you will no longer feel nervous tension when something does not go according to plan.


At the same time, a cold shower will increase the level of glutathione in the blood, reducing the level uric acid. Glutathione is a hormone that controls the level of stress you feel. The level at which your body will experience stress increases over time. Subsequently, you will notice that you have stopped paying attention to what previously unbalanced you.


Meanwhile, cold showers will also help improve the level norepinephrine in the body. This is because the temperature of the water stimulates a part of the brain called the locus blue. By receiving more norepinephrine, your brain releases more “happy hormones” into the body.


The gentle electroshock therapy your body receives during a cold shower can also help keep depression at bay. Your nerve endings receive more electrical impulses, keeping them active and positive. You will also be able to develop a kind of injection against the cold, that is, winter low temperatures will have an impact on your physical and mental health much less impact.


Yes, it is the latest research in this area that confirms that a cold shower at the end of your regular shower really helps to achieve all of these positive effects described above.

HELPS TO LOSE WEIGHT



Did you know that cold is great for weight loss? It promotes the loss of fat deposits, not the loss muscle mass, so this type of weight loss will only make you healthier.


There are several scientifically proven reasons for taking cold showers when you are actively fighting excess weight. First, your body will be forced to burn more calories to get warm again. And secondly, your metabolism gets an extra boost, so it will be easier for you to create a calorie deficit.


By increasing your metabolism, your brown adipose tissue, or brown fat, is activated. This good fat, which promotes the release of heat in the body. Of course, by using it to warm your body, the body uses the calories stored in it. As a result, you lose more body fat throughout the day. You can lose an extra 10 to 10 pounds of fat over the course of a year simply by adding cold showers to your daily routine. Maybe “a whole year” doesn’t sound so promising, but it’s worth it because you don’t have to do anything special 😊.


By the way, shaking is also good for burning calories. Almost every muscle is used as your body tries to warm itself up. This helps the body spend your body fat to "heat" your body.

THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM OF THE BODY IS CLEANSED

What is usually overlooked when we're talking about about your immune system, it's lymphatic system. The lymphatic system directly depends on how to properly take a cold shower. But why is this so important?


The first thing doctors talk about is that the lymphatic system helps remove cellular waste. Thus, it helps protect your body from infections. However, this system is regularly blocked by toxins, various chemicals and impact environment. And when your lymphatic system is blocked, dead cells and cellular waste accumulate in the body. The immune system, in turn, cannot work effectively, and you most often begin to suffer from colds.


During a cold shower lymph nodes are directly exposed to cold water, and this helps to increase their activity level. Researchers found that blood vessels will contract when cold, but then relax when warmed up. Constant movement helps flush away cellular waste and improves general condition human health.


Yours immune system also receives good support. Research has shown that the body's immune system is activated when it tries to warm itself up. And he is ready to reflect more harmful effects on our body.


The reduction in stress levels that comes with taking a cold shower will also help your immune system. Stress hormones affect the body's ability to create white blood cells and fight disease. By simply reducing the amount of stress hormones in your body, you will find that your entire immune system is healthier and ready to fight.

YOUR HAIR AND SKIN WILL LOOK BETTER



Showers, of course, are primarily intended for personal hygiene. You use them to get rid of dead skin cells and remove excess oils from your skin and hair. Well, it's time to stop using only warm water! You can quickly improve the health of your skin and hair, without the need to use additional cosmetic products.


Cold water will help reduce the size of your pores as your skin tightens in cold temperatures. Your body will not produce any excess fat, so there will be no oily skin or oily hair. If you have dry skin, essential natural oils are also not lost, which helps maintain healthier skin.


Skin and hair follicles will also show increased activity. Your skin is strengthened at the base of the hair, which means you will lose less hair. Plus, you'll get stronger, more luscious curls.


If you've recently dyed your hair, you should definitely think about a cold shower. The warmth of the water affects the hair in such a way that the hair color quickly becomes faded. You'll end up needing more coloring treatments, especially if you like to keep the color consistent. Cold water helps lock hair color so it stays bright and shiny for much longer.

BLOOD CIRCULATION IS VARIOUSLY IMPROVED

You will have a complete feeling that blood has begun to flow through the vessels faster and easier. Remember that cold water perfectly invigorates the body. Not only does your breathing speed up in cold water, but so does your heart rate. This is partly due to increased oxidative stress in your body. Your heart rate must increase to cope with the slight increase in stress hormones.


As you increase heart rate blood will spread throughout the body faster. Accordingly, you begin to take in more oxygen, so increased circulation helps distribute more oxygen to the cells of your body.


Not only do you get that amazing feeling of vitality, but you also get maximum benefits for your entire body. Each organ receives more oxygen, and this is very important. Now you can imagine how much benefit your health will have if you just take a cold shower correctly in the morning.

A COLD SHOWER AFTER A TRAINING HELPS TO RECOVER MUSCLE FUNCTION FASTER


Cold showers help speed up the muscle recovery process. The muscles receive more oxygen and more blood so that the cells can repair themselves faster and more efficiently. You get rid of accumulated lactic acid in the body, helping your muscles relax and recover.


You may find that you need a mixture of hot and cold water. The benefits of a contrast shower are well known. In some cases, too much cold can be harmful. Warm water helps you relax more as your heart rate slows down and your brain releases happy hormones. Try alternating between different temperatures to get the best results.

It's time to add a cold shower to your morning routine.

Ready for an icy blast? You don't have to use cold water exclusively to get all the benefits listed above. Start with a regular, warm shower and then switch to cold water at the end. Give your body a chance to gradually acclimate to the cold and take deep breaths to increase the amount of oxygen circulating through your body's vessels.


Cold showers are very beneficial. It’s easy enough to add to your morning routine (though following this routine is a little more difficult 😄). It's time to get to work to deal with all those hassles, stress, noisy kids, prickly colleagues, your boss or any other problems that life so often throws at us.

Personally, I often have a choice whether to take a shower before bed, or to fall exhausted early and take a shower early in the morning for vigor. Of course, you can do it both in the morning and in the evening, but for this you have to sacrifice poor sleep. And then scientists argue that this issue is not so simple.

According to a study from Harvard University, you need to choose the time to take a shower taking into account your characteristics and lifestyle.

YOU SHOULD SHOWER IN THE MORNING IF...


  1. You know that a difficult work week is ahead.

  2. You will have to solve difficult problems during this week.

  3. You need peak creativity and work potential.

HOW DOES THIS WORK?

A morning shower stimulates brain activity at a time when it is still quite calm, but is already anticipating the upcoming tasks.
Shelley Carson, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, explains that when our perceptions are relaxed, pleasant sensations (including showering) stimulate associative connections and make it easier to come up with strong solutions to problems than when we are thinking hard about them. And “The morning is wiser than the evening” thus receives scientific justification.

YOU SHOULD TAKE A SHOWER IN THE EVENING IF...


  1. It is difficult for you to disconnect from the thoughts and experiences of the past day.

  2. You find it difficult to relax and fall asleep.

HOW DOES THIS WORK?

An evening shower helps regulate body temperature, reset nervous tension and gives a feeling of greater relaxation, since the rapid cooling of the body after a hot shower triggers natural drowsiness. A relaxing evening shower also reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) levels and helps you drift off into dreamland.

As you can see, you don't have to choose between morning and evening once and for all. Quite the opposite. The lack of routine, alternating shower times, and focusing on your well-being give the maximum effect for the body. Whether it's relaxation or activity.

Some people prefer to wake up in the shower, while others prefer to go to bed clean. But is there any specific difference between swimming in the morning or in the evening? In fact, it all depends on the characteristics of your body, what you do and what you are going to do.

Take a shower in the morning if...

...you have oily skin. Your skin can become very oily overnight, so a morning shower is a great way to clean out your pores.
You are a creative person and you have a creative job. Then the morning shower acts like meditation, relaxes the body and brain and sets them up for productive work and the birth of new ideas.

“If you have a creative problem to solve and you've been working on it for a long time and can't find a solution, then you could give your brain a break, take a shower and literally refresh your body and head,” says Harvard psychologist Shelley Carson.

If you have a hard time getting up in the morning. For many people, a shower simply helps them wake up and cheer up. Doctors note that this even starts the metabolism. And even better, according to the advice of doctors, turn on cold or cool water in the last few seconds of taking a shower. Then an invigorating effect is guaranteed!

If you exercise in the morning. There's no point in showering at night if you get out of bed in the morning and immediately get on the treadmill and do 100 push-ups. Shower after your workouts.

If you are prone to cuts during your morning shave. According to doctors, in the morning human body There is an influx of platelets, so the blood on cuts stops faster.

Shower in the evening if...

... you have a hard time falling asleep. Yes, we just said that a morning shower is invigorating, but in the evening everything is completely different. Firstly, the water relaxes, and secondly, when you come out after a warm shower, you feel a little cool, and you immediately want to wrap yourself in a blanket and fall asleep.

If you have dry skin, then a morning shower is literally contraindicated. Do not dry out your skin further before it is exposed to outdoor irritating factors. Save your shower for the evening.

If you're worried about the cleanliness of your sheets and just dread the thought of sleeping in your bed unwashed.

If you have a “dusty” job. If you work outside all day in the sun, then you yourself will want to wash off all the sweat and dust from yourself in the evening. But even if you are sitting in an office, the pollutants around you will still reach you while traveling on the subway, bus, and when in contact with other people.
Let's expand the question and decide how often you need to wash. Several large-scale studies were conducted on this topic at the end of the last century (Schroeder, Germany; Albert, USA; Lucati, Israel; Duchmowski, Poland), as a result, it turned out that ideally you need to wash no more than twice a WEEK, the rest of the time you wash only particularly sensitive areas.

The thing is that too frequent washing, especially with soap and shower gels, disrupts the acid-base balance of the skin, which leads to a weakening of the skin's protective layer. In addition, a connection has been identified between frequent washing and a lack of vitamin D in the body - it is believed that when frequent washing a person constantly washes off the top layer of the epidermis, which interferes with the absorption of the vitamin by the body. And you need to be especially careful to ensure that after washing there are no soap or shower gel residues left on the skin.

Sources:

A cool shower in the morning helps to “catch” inspiration and get your brain working at full capacity. A warm shower before bedtime saves you from neuroses and prevents skin diseases progress. So what should you choose? Which option is right for you? Let's figure it out.

Each of us has certain habits and rituals, without which it is no longer possible to imagine daily life- everything will definitely go wrong. Indeed, some people cannot wake up without the alarm ringing five times; others cannot imagine their breakfast without a cup of coffee and orange juice, and someone definitely needs to watch at least two episodes of an interesting film in order to fall asleep (though, as a rule, it is not possible to fall asleep after watching it).

One of these “sacred” rituals is a shower - it is taken either in the morning to cheer up, or in the evening to literally “wash away” the fatigue that has accumulated during the day. Yes, no one argues: each person himself chooses the time suitable for water procedures - he proceeds from own schedule and lifestyle - but depending on the time of day at which you take a shower, its effect on your body will be different. What exactly, read below.

Morning

If you have a busy week ahead that will require not only professional skills, but also creative ideas, make it a rule to take a shower every morning before leaving for work or college. The point is that psychologists call “ incubation period” - the time interval between identifying the problem and the joyful “Hurray, I figured it out.” According to Shelley Carson, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Harvard University, if you are faced with a problem that requires a creative solution, but that solution just doesn't come to mind, the best thing you can do is do something else. And don’t worry: while you have pushed the “search” into the background, your brain will still continue to work on the problem, albeit in the “background”.

And to bring the cherished moment of insight closer, go to the bathroom. The fact is that when you take a shower, alpha waves predominate in your brain - the brain is in an active, but at the same time relaxed psychophysical state and is not distracted by processing information coming from outside. The same thing happens during meditation or after aerobic exercise. Strengthening alpha rhythms in the brain allows you to relax, get rid of tension and “reboot”, giving way to new non-standard ideas. So, when you get ready to take a shower, don’t forget to take a notepad and pencil with you and write down your new brilliant thoughts.

In addition, a morning shower has another advantage, which is useful for those who, when awake, cannot handle a razor: during the day, the number of platelets in the blood changes - the maximum occurs in the early morning, so if during hygiene procedures If you accidentally cut yourself, the bleeding will stop quickly.

Evening

On the other hand, if you have trouble falling asleep because you're agitated and seem to be full of strength and energy, then an evening shower is a great "sedative." It's all about body temperature - it rises thanks to warm water and drops sharply after you get out of the shower and moisture begins to evaporate from the surface of the skin. “Rapid cooling after soaking can be a natural sleep stimulant,” says Christopher Winter, MD, a fellow at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “This way you can trick your body into thinking it’s time to sleep.” A warm shower also lowers blood levels, which makes the process of falling asleep easier and faster (goodbye, daytime stress).

“Even if you sleep like a baby and have no idea what it is, you'll probably still choose an evening shower over an afternoon shower because you want to keep your skin clean and well-groomed,” says Bethany Schlosser, a dermatologist and assistant professor at Northwestern University. . “But it’s not just about those days when you sweat. If you don’t shower before going to bed, the dirt and dust that has settled on your skin throughout the day will clog your pores and cause the development of various dermatological diseases.”

Plus, according to Schlosser, the peak of activity sebaceous glands falls at one o'clock in the afternoon, so if you don't cleanse your face in the evening, then most likely you will face a problem such as acne. At night, on the contrary, the work of the glands is minimal, so if you are not profuse sweating during sleep, then in the morning you just need to wash your face.

In my house there was no worse sin than going to bed without taking a bath, although sometimes when I was little I was able to reach a compromise with my mother just by washing my feet. Now, as an adult, I can’t imagine going to bed without washing off all the dirt left on my skin during the day. And I'm not alone in this.

Evening shower lovers will support me. There are us, and there are those who swim in the morning, and for some reason I come across a lot of such people, and I can’t help but argue with them.

Aren't they rushing to work or school, looking at the clock hands in horror and pouring themselves thermal water? Don't they really want to enjoy sleep for as long as possible? Do they really go outside on a frosty morning with wet hair? Or do they sacrifice even more time drying their hair in the morning? There is no reasonable explanation for them. At least that's what I thought.

Their arguments

Lovers of showers in the morning will tell you that there is nothing better than starting the day by washing away the drowsiness and styling your bed-riddled hair, and the most ambitious of them will also add how pleasant it is to wash yourself after morning exercises or working out at the gym.

“Everyone at my house showers in the morning,” says Nate Martins, a writer from San Francisco. “As soon as the titanium heats the water, we’re right there, lined up in front of the bathroom.”

“I still do it to relieve drowsiness,” he says - as annoying as it is for his wife Natalie, who always bathes in the evenings - sometimes she even asks me to take a bath before bed, especially if I’ve been doing a lot that day. traveled by public transport."

Taking a morning shower can change your life if you have trouble waking up in the morning, says Dr. Janet Kennedy, a mental health consultant and sleep specialist in New York City. Showering makes you feel more alert, but she recommends not bathing in too much warm water- make it a little colder than usual so as not to increase your body temperature.

Good and bad news for bedtime shower lovers

If you suffer from insomnia, Dr. Kennedy recommends showering 1.5 hours before bed. “As night approaches, the body cools down according to circadian rhythms,” she explains, “showering artificially raises body temperature, which then causes it to drop faster and, obviously, speeds up the onset of sleep.”

Plus, showering is a great way to relax and relieve muscle tension, which can also help you fall asleep.

But there is no need to rejoice too early: a long shower, from which there is so much steam that the mirror fogs up, and there is no trace left in the titanium. hot water, harmful to the skin.

Dr. Gary Goldenberg, a New York dermatologist and professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, recommends not lingering in the shower for more than 5 to 10 minutes and washing under lukewarm water. Yes, yes, sad, I know.

"Very hot shower strips away all the skin's oils and causes irritation," he says. "The longer you stay in the water, the higher the chances that your skin will suffer."

And this also applies to the bathroom.

But let's leave the bath lovers alone.

Another benefit of following Dr. Goldenberg's advice is that short showers are better for the environment, as you save the water you would otherwise use. You can even find devices in stores that help you keep track of your shower time and save water. Although, of course, nature doesn’t care whether you swim in the morning or evening.

Does our cleanliness depend on when we bathe?

Dr. Goldenberg says most people are free to choose when to wash: morning, evening or twice a day. But for those who advocate showering in the evenings, he had an objection: our sheets are not nearly as clean as we used to believe.

“People continue to sweat in their sleep,” he says, “when you wake up, all the bacteria and all the sweat from the sheets have already stained your skin.” That's why he recommends taking a short shower in the morning "to wash away all the sweat and dirt you've been sleeping in all night."

Not to mention that people don't just sleep at night. Showering in the morning doesn't seem like such a bad idea anymore.

Dr. Goldenberg stresses that most people shouldn't bathe. regular soap: It is better to give preference to a soft, fragrance-free shower gel.

While many people with short hair Wash them every day so they don't stand up, Dr. Goldenberg doesn't recommend doing this unless you have an unusually oily scalp.

So why not have the best of both worlds and wash twice a day?

Caroline Boettger, a marketing manager in New York, says that although she usually bathes in the morning, she sometimes bathes twice a day, a habit she inherited from her father, who grew up in the tropics and acquired the habit.

You can safely take a shower twice a day - it will not harm your skin in any way if you observe the temperature regime, do not stay in the stall for a long time and you do not have dermatitis or eczema.

If you go to the gym after work or do physical labor, you'll naturally want to shower before you go to bed because sweat and bacteria will accumulate on you. This can cause acne, not to mention an unpleasant odor.

Heath Williams, a marketing director from Brooklyn, regularly bathes twice a day. He started this habit while working as a college teacher.

“Schools are swarming with bacteria, and when you have to be on your feet all day, moving from class to class, showers seem like a necessity.”

Well, if you don’t want to be like everyone else, swim in the middle of the day - this also has its advantages. If you live in apartment building, where the water temperature drops and rises, it will be more convenient for you to wash when it is either too early or too late for others.

As painful as it is to admit, this information may force me to include a short shower in my morning routine. Of course, productivity and clean sheets are relative things, but one thing I know for sure: working in big city and having touched more surfaces in a day than I can remember, I never stop washing myself before bed. After all, I don't want to disappoint my mother.

Content

The benefits of hardening have been proven for a long time: the procedure helps strengthen the immune system, improve the condition of the skin and blood vessels. Experienced experts advise taking a cold shower even in winter, and doing it better in the morning, then the benefit will be maximum: the invigorating procedure activates metabolic processes and tones the entire body before the working day. However, it is worth knowing first about possible contraindications and hardening rules.

Benefits of a cold shower

This useful procedure is widely used in spa salons to activate blood circulation. At the same time, a cool shower helps saturate skin cells with water and oxygen, which improves the appearance of the skin. In addition, ice water helps fight cellulite, varicose veins, relaxes muscles, and stimulates skin renewal. In addition, cold showers are very beneficial for hair, as it strengthens it, makes it shinier, and prevents the formation of dandruff and the development of alopecia. Cool water reduces sebum production, making your hair less oily.

An invigorating ice shower provokes the production of red blood cells and increases the body's resistance to any infections/viruses. The procedure is ideal for the prevention of colds and flu, helps tone the body and stimulate mental activity. Cold water is an excellent remedy against depression, as it stimulates the production of happiness hormones.

For men

Icy water treatments are especially useful for men, as they increase physical strength and activate mental ability, which occurs due to a surge of adrenaline in the blood. As a result of regular procedures, the following changes occur in the male body:

  • the energy charge increases;
  • the heart rate increases, blood flow activates;
  • testosterone production increases;
  • the quality of seminal fluid improves.

For women

An invigorating cool shower stimulates the removal of waste products from the body, which can slow down metabolism. In addition, for women, the procedure is especially useful because it helps fight fatty nodules under the skin (cellulite). The effect of ice water on the skin is invaluable; it provides a rejuvenating effect, tones the skin, smoothing out wrinkles, making stretch marks less noticeable. In addition, for women's health It is important to take contrast showers to avoid the development of gynecological diseases.

How to take a cold shower correctly

To prevent the procedure from causing harm, you should not immediately start doing long water procedures, standing under an icy stream for 10-15 minutes. It is very important to prepare your body for douches. To do this, use the following tips:

  • the bathroom should have a moderate temperature (it should not be cold);
  • the first procedures should be carried out not under ice, but under cool water (32-34 degrees), gradually reducing the temperature;
  • the duration of the first procedures should be limited to 1-2 minutes;
  • You shouldn’t immediately stand under the cold stream, it’s better to gradually immerse your legs, arms, and then your body and face under it;
  • After the procedure, be sure to rub yourself with a towel and do a warming light massage.

In the morning

If it is better to take a warm shower before bed, then cool, invigorating water procedures are best done in the morning. How to take a cold shower in the morning? Immediately after sleep, it is ideal to do exercises to warm up the muscles, and only then do a douche. Total time The procedure should last 5-8 minutes, but it is better to start tempering from 1-2 minutes. You can put your head under cool water only when you get used to the procedure. After dousing, the skin should be rubbed until slightly red with a clean towel made of natural fabric.

For weight loss

When the skin comes into contact with cold water, small blood vessels contract. The body protects itself from freezing by activating blood flow, causing a slight increase in blood pressure. This activates metabolism and the process of burning calories. Optimally used for weight loss contrast shower, in which the water switches from hot to cold every 1-2 minutes. It is worth conducting such sessions 1-2 times a day, starting from an early age.

If you often get colds accompanied by a runny nose, then you should lower your temperature slowly. Choose the optimal water temperature for yourself within 12-4 degrees. You need to pour the body from head to toe. If you shower after exercise, it is important to let your body cool down and dry off sweat. Long after physical activity It is impossible to be under a cold stream, as this can lead to hypothermia and a cold.