Hot vs. Cold Water

Benefits of showering with cold water

1-Improve your physical health

The force of cold water on your skin makes your heart beat faster and your muscles flex. This sends blood to your muscles and your vital organs. Hot water does the opposite, moving blood to the surface of the skin.

Alternating between hot and cold water while you are in the shower is a great way to stimulate and improve circulation. This also serves to improve the functioning of the nervous system.

2-Psychological benefits

The ancient samurai of Japan used to pour buckets of ice water on their heads in the morning to cleanse their body and spirit.

They believed that it helped them to start each day and each adventure fresh. Cold water showers release chemical components in the brain that improve your mood, decrease stress and anxiety and relieve depression.

3-Improve your mood

Cold showers can stimulate the secretion of noradrenaline in the brain, which is associated with the improvement of mood disorders such as depression.

When cold water touches your body, your breathing is deeper in response to the shock generated. It is the body's way of trying to keep you warm by increasing oxygen intake. Your heart rate also increases, resulting in a surge of blood through your body that makes you feel energized.

4-Increase in energy and faster recovery

In addition, there is nothing like cold water to wake you up, cold showers can increase your energy levels because the nerve endings of your skin are activated. Your heart starts to beat faster and you start to breathe quickly.

On the other hand, the cold water makes you recover before after sports. In fact, athletes often take icy baths after intense physical exercise.

5-Treatment of inflammations

Ice baths are often used by athletes to reduce inflammation after a training session. Veins contract throughout the body and toxins are eliminated from the blood.

6-Tolerance to stress

In general, cold exposures improve the ability to control stress. With the passage of time, this leads to the strengthening of your immune system.

Cold showers have also been used to reduce chronic pain, kidney function and improve sleep quality.

7-Lymphatic movement

The lymphatic system is separated from the blood vessels and is responsible for transporting waste from cells and fighting pathogens. The lymphatic fluid contains waste and white blood cells, which fight infections.

The cold showers cause the contraction of the whole body and this is very good for the lymphatic system since the liquid expands to the whole body. If the lymphatic system is not efficient, fluid accumulates in the extremities (usually the feet) and this can result in damage to health.

8-Detoxify your body

Cold water encourages toxins to be removed from the skin. Therefore, they do not remain inside the body, where they can cause infections.

9-Improves sleep

For some reason it helps to improve the quality of sleep. This could be because of the feeling of well-being and relaxation after the shock with the shower or cold bath.

10-Better appearance of skin and hair

The hot water opens your pores and the cold water closes them. Using hot water to clean your pores and then use cold water to close them will improve the appearance of your skin. The same treatment works with the hair.

11-Increase in testosterone and fertility

It is known that heat kills sperm. On the contrary, cold water baths have the opposite effect, since they increase the level of testosterone in your body, which leads to an increase in sperm production and improvement of fertility.

12-Improves breathing

It is likely that as soon as you take a cold shower, hyperventiles, which is a natural response. However, panic will only make the experience somewhat more unpleasant, so it is in your interest to calm down and take a deep breath.

13-Increase the metabolic rate

Cold showers increase the metabolic rate. Cold temperatures force your body to regulate the temperature continuously, which uses a lot of calories.

14-Improve your strength of will

If you are not used to it, showering with very cold water is not pleasant, especially if it is winter. Doing it requires willpower. When you do it several times you will build that strength of doing difficult things and your resilience.

15-They can improve your self-esteem

One of the best ways to improve self-esteem is to do things that are difficult for you. If you are used to showering with hot water and switching to cold water, it is a challenge, and in doing so you will have achieved something that will help you to have more self-confidence.

The benefit is in the habit

Although a cold shower has immediate benefits, it wakes you up and charges you with energy, the greatest benefits are seen in the long term; After a few weeks. Studies confirm that getting used to it is the most beneficial.

habituate to cold takes about 10 days in humans and the main change is a hypothermic response. With constant exposure to cold air or water, humans can acclimate and increase norepinephrine and thyroxine which are considered "good stress" hormones. It will also guide the mobilization of fatty acids and the loss of fats in 1 to 2 weeks.

Situations in which to avoid showers or cold baths
As in everything, there is a suitable time to take cold showers and also a moment to avoid them.

Cold showers should not be taken by pregnant women or in their menstruation because their body is already in a stress situation.

Of course, also avoid taking them if you have a cold or you feel weak.

Starting with cold water showers
Now comes the action, how can you start taking a shower with cold water?

-Recognize that new habits require discomfort: as soon as you recognize that the big goals you want to achieve and the new habits you want to have in your life require discomfort, it will be easier for you.

-Little by little or at a time: there are people who feel more comfortable doing it little by little and others prefer to do it all at once. If you observe that doing it little by little you regret it and you end up not doing it, try to do it all at once so that you do not have the option to back down.

-Do not think long-term: if you consider that you will have to take cold showers the rest of your life will be much more difficult.

-Hope first: even if you live in a country with a cold climate, you can exercise first and then take a shower. It will also be a way to cool off and prevent muscle fatigue and pain after long sessions of exercise.

• Focus on your breathing: you will have to keep focus on your breathing. I recommend you read about mindfulness to learn more about it.

Benefits of showering with hot water

1- Improves blood circulation

Immersing the body in hot water works as a kind of exercise for the blood vessels. This is because water generates a physical pressure on the body that increases the capacity of the heart. In other words, when we are in the water, the heart works better and faster. Taking hot water baths two to three times a week is an excellent way to exercise your heart.

2- Help to fall asleep

The hot water relaxes the body and prepares us to sleep. When a tense body is submerged in hot water, the temperature of the water relaxes the sore muscles and relieves contractures. This not only helps to relax us physically, but also allows us to relax the mind and find the peace we need to relieve the stress of the day.

3- Help keep us in shape

Muscle tears, sports injuries and even joint pain can be relieved by a hot water bath, which is the best way to complete an exercise routine.

4- Reduce blood pressure

A recent study has shown that submerging the body in hot water can help reduce blood pressure. This is the ideal treatment for people who suffer from heart problems and should control the pressure.
If you have heart disease, the first thing you should do is consult a health professional, since a hot water bath can also speed up your heart rate. If your doctor authorizes you, do not hesitate to try this method.

5- Help to lose weight

Research conducted in recent years has shown that people with diabetes and hot water baths on a regular basis have great potential to reduce their sugar levels. In addition, this research has shown that participants who submerged their body in hot water for 20 or 30 minutes, 6 days a week, managed to lose up to 2 kilos per month, compared to the other group.

6- Cleans and purifies the skin

Although it is true that a shower is more effective to cleanse the body, hot baths help open pores, and remove all impurities from the skin. As a result, your skin will be clean, fresh and radiant.

7- Relieves headaches

Most headaches are caused by the narrowing of blood vessels in the brain. Hot water has a positive effect on blood vessels, as it helps relieve pressure and, consequently, pain.

8- Relieves cough and congestion

The steam from the hot water helps to eliminate the accumulation of mucus in the nose and throat, which is one of the main reasons why the cough does not disappear. In addition, hot water helps relieve cold symptoms and replenish the energies of our body.

9 Moisturizes the skin

We may not like the wrinkles that hot water leaves on our skin, but the effect this produces is positive. The hot water hydrates the skin for longer and prevents the formation of cracks and dryness.

10 Optimize the temperature of your body

There is no faster or more pleasant way to optimize the temperature of your body than with a relaxing bath. On cold days, a good hot bath or a trip to the spa will warm you inside and out, and leave you with a fabulous feeling!

11. Breathing becomes easier

It has been found that the bath exerts a positive influence on oxygen intake and lung capacity. This is because the combination of warm water and water pressure makes your heart beat faster, which increases oxygen absorption. The steam from a hot bath will also help clear the chest and sinuses.

12. Balance your hormones

Taking a hot bath can balance your serotonin levels, which will make you happier and more satisfied with life. Alternatively, if you bathe in colder water, you can balance other hormones, such as cortisol, beta-endorphin, and ACTH, which may help treat fertility problems or conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

13. Boost your brain and nervous health

Being submerged in water calms your nervous system, while reducing inflammation and pain. Stress and anxiety levels are also significantly reduced, which can greatly help improve your mood. The temperature and pressure of the water will also gently relieve the spine of any discomfort or pain, and it has been found to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

14. Protect your bones, muscles and joints

Taking a warm bath will do wonders for your joints, muscles and even bones. In fact, the warm temperature of the water helps to alleviate the effects of conditions such as osteoarthritis, without causing an exacerbation of the symptoms or any other adverse effect.

15. Accelerates the natural birth process

It is well known that submerging women in a TIBIO bath during the early stages of labor can minimize both pain and stress. This will allow them to concentrate better on progressive labor and finally give birth. In some cultures, new mothers bathe with their newborns in water mixed with essential oils and herbs to help accelerate physical and mental healing.

Some important clarifications:

• Do not take baths for more than 20 minutes.

• If you have a heart problem, check with your doctor before starting to take baths.

• Take a glass of water because the heat makes us sweat and sweat can dehydrate us.

• Pregnant women are not recommended to take hot water baths.