The Health Benefits of Cold Showers

In addition to feeling nice and refreshing on these hot and humid summer days, experts say that taking cold showers may also have a number of surprising health benefits!

1 – Boost of Energy & Alertness

The initial shock from the cold water causes the body to perform deeper breathing in an attempt to keep the body warm, which also increases the oxygen intake, heart rate, and releases blood throughout the body, leaving you feeling more energized and more alert.

2 – Improved Hair & Skin

Cold water helps flatten hair follicles and reduce hair loss, which tends to leave the hair looking and feeling shinier, fuller, stronger, and healthier. As board-certified dermatologist Jessica Krant says, cold water showers help preserve the skin’s natural oils, which can be stripped by hot water. In addition, cold water also helps tighten cuticles and seal the pores to help prevent dirt from getting in and clogging the pores.

3 – Enhanced Immunity & Circulation

Cold water also helps improve circulation by causing the blood to surround vital organs, like the heart, which can also help improve the effectiveness of treatments certain conditions and heart problems. As the body starts pumping more blood through its arteries in response to the cold water, Dr. Joseph Mercola, who is a natural health expert, explains that overall heart health can be boosted while blood pressure is lowered, blocked arteries are cleared, and the immune system is boosted.

4 – Weight Loss Boosts

According to a 2009 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, cold showers tend to increase brown fat activity by a 15-fold increase… which experts say means that taking cold showers daily for a year could equate to a 9 pound weight loss!

5 – Avoiding Muscle Soreness & Quicker Muscle Recovery

Experts also say the cold showers help accelerate the recovery of muscles and help avoid the later on-set of muscle soreness (such as when taking a cold shower after running a marathon or getting in a good gym workout).

6 – Increased Tolerance to Stress

Immersing oneself into cold water is also said to lead to drastic decrease in uric acid levels and increase in glutathione, which help improve the ability to adapt to stressful situations.

7 – Combating Depression

Jumping into a cold shower is also said to help combat depression. It is thought that the cold water has an analgesic effect that helps boost moods.

For those of you who cringe at the thought of cold water pouring down your body, Mountainside Medical Equipment offers a comprehensive selection of skin care products, as well as vitamins, minerals, and supplements that can also help provide an energy boost, as well as enhancing the immune system and improving circulation. Browse through today and see what might work best for you.

Sources:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/benefits-cold-showers-7-reasons-why-taking-cool-showers-good-your-health-289524

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0810780