Showering regularly is good for health for many reasons. We explain to you how you benefit from the cold shower and how it affects your body.
It costs overcoming, especially in winter. But showering not only saves energy and therefore money, but also brings health benefits.
You don’t suddenly have to change from pleasant to ice cold. We explain why it is worth taking a cold shower and how you can get started.
That’s why cold showering is so healthy
In terms of health, it has a number of advantages to shower cold:
-
Immune defense: A Dutch study suggests that cold showers could strengthen immune defense. Among the subject: In the inside there were around 30 percent fewer sick leave in the test period compared to the control group. The reason for this is that the white blood cells (leukocytes) are mobilized by the cold stimulus. They fight penetrating bacteria and viruses in the body.
-
Brown adipose tissue: This special fat tissue can be found especially in infants. The regular cold shock activates the so -called brown fat tissue in the body. Unlike the white fatty tissue, this does not settle as a hip bacon, but burns excess fat and thus helps you lose weight. Because the brown adipose tissue contains many mitochondria in which glucose and fatty acids are converted into heat. So the body protects itself from freezing.
-
Makes awake: When the body is exposed to the cold, it releases adrenaline. This sends a wake -up signal to your body and helps you to get going in the morning.
-
Depression: A study by the University of Virginia has shown that cold showers can be helpful in depressive symptoms. Exposing the cold, among other things, activates the nerve areas in the brain that are responsible for feelings of happiness.
-
Blood circulation: In the event of cold, our blood vessels contract, while they relax again when warming up and become elastic. This is how you train the vessels, similar to muscles in sports. This means that oxygen and nutrients are better transported in the body and you prevent varicose veins.
-
Skin and hair: While hot water dries out the skin, the upper layers of the skin are tightened by cold water and the pores close. Hair tends to look stronger and healthier after a cold shower, as the hair follicles are smoothed.
-
Muscle soreness: By showering cold after sport, you can prevent sore muscles. A Finnish study also showed that cold water helps even with existing sore muscles. In the study, the participants went: inside for 24 minutes in ten to 15 degrees cold water.
-
Strengthen the will: to put yourself under the cold shower, you have to overcome the well -known inner bastard. You leave your comfort zone and strengthen your will.
Cold showering: a gentle start is recommended
In general, you should consider a few points before you venture into the ice -cold shower:
- Get medical advice if you have previous illnesses.
- To get used to the cold shower, you can first (mute) take a warm shower and then turn the temperature of the water down bit by bit. You can get used to the cold water with alternating showers.
- First let the cold water run over your extremities and only then over the upper body and head. The back and neck area is particularly sensitive to the cold.
- Especially if the change takes place too quickly from warm too quickly, this can lead to circulatory problems in exceptional cases. If you get dizzy, sit or lie on the floor.
- At the beginning you should only take a cold shower for 30 to 60 seconds. If you are used to the cold showers, you can extend the time to several minutes.
Our colleague tried it for a long time: Cold showering in the self -test: it was so difficult for me and it did it.
Eisbaden: Not quite the same
Cold showers have long been a small hardening in everyday life – however, the effect is much more intense when it comes to ice bathing. Instead of just being under running water, you dive into the cold water with your whole body when it comes to ice bathing.
It feels different: the temperature drop is much abrupt, the heart and circulation have to run in full swing immediately, breathing accelerates, the body releases stress hormones and endorphins. Many therefore describe an intensive feeling of happiness immediately after immersing it.
While cold showers can be a habit for every day, ice bathing is usually a special experience that requires more preparation and mindfulness because it can also be really dangerous.
Revised by Denise Schmucker
Read more on utopia.de:
- Make organic shampoo yourself: This is how it works
- Make shower gel yourself: easy instructions
- Cold sauna: effect and functionality
** marked with ** or orange underlined Links to sources of supply are partially partner links: If you buy here, you will actively support Techzle\.com, because we will then receive a small part of the sales proceeds. More information.