The 14 Benefits of Showering with Cold Water

For most people, thinking about taking a shower evokes pleasurable sensations. This iconic and pleasant image will disappear immediately if we add the detail that the shower in question is with cold water.

However, a large number of people intentionally take cold showers in the morning, which clears them up and prepares them for the day. This is because, as most people already know, contact with cold water has multiple advantages for our body. In this article we are going to talk precisely about this fact: about the benefits of showering with cold water and why this habit should be incorporated into our routines.

14 benefits of showering with cold water

Although it is a stimulation that is initially aversive for the vast majority of people, the fact of showering with cold water has a series of advantages and positive effects on our body and our psyche. Some of these benefits can be observed directly after sporadic contact with cold water, but Other benefits will be less visible unless there is a habit or some regularity

1. Clear and activate mind and body

The main effect that we see directly when we shower with cold water is the fact that activates and clears us The thermal receptors and neurons located in the skin are activated to send a warning message to the rest of the system, generating a response from the body in the form of generalized activation to the cold. It is a natural reaction to the body’s need to maintain homeostasis or internal balance at the temperature level.

2. Improves circulation

Exposure to cold water has positive repercussions on the cardiovascular level: in the cold, our heart rate increases and blood vessels constrict. Blood travels at high speed and loaded with oxygen to the main organs and muscles, improving circulation to these areas. In this sense It is advisable to alternate between cold showers and others with hot water (which would make blood flow more easily to the surface of the skin).

However, people who suffer from some type of heart disease and cardiovascular disorder should be very cautious, since the contraction of blood vessels and the acceleration of the heart rate can be harmful to them.

3. Increases attention capacity

Activation of the nervous system is another benefit of showering with cold water, which stimulates the secretion of certain neurotransmitters like norepinephrine that makes us able to be attentive and vigilant.

4. Improve your mood

Showering with cold water has relevant effects on your mood. And the thermal shock with cold water stimulates the production of norepinephrine in the brain, which ultimately will generate greater activation and a slight improvement in mood, relieving stress and anxiety Other studies indicate that it also generates a decrease in cortisol levels.

5. Increases oxygenation

When our body comes into contact with very cold water, we immediately begin to speed up our breathing. This is linked to the aforementioned cardiovascular alteration and acceleration. The body needs a greater amount of energy to cope with the cold, which means accelerating the acquisition of oxygen. So, increase the oxygen levels in our body as well as the rate at which blood circulates through the body.

6. Speed ​​up metabolism

As indicated above, in the presence of cold our body will begin to demand energy in order to be able to maintain the internal temperature at adequate levels. To do this, it generates an acceleration of the metabolism, consuming the resources stored in the body. The consequence of this is that with exposure to cold we start burning sugars and fats to maintain body temperature at acceptable levels.

7. Activates the immune system

The generalized activation of the system and the acceleration of the metabolism generated by water favors the activation and improvement of the immune system, which is better prepared to fight against infections and external aggressions by releasing a greater number of leukocytes or white blood cells.

8. Improves libido and sperm quality and quantity

Fertility is another aspect that is influenced by showering with cold water. Cold stimulates testosterone secretion which ultimately has an effect on libido and sexual responsiveness.

9. Reduces inflammation and relieves pain

It is common that when we hit ourselves and have some type of inflammation, we use the cold to reduce it (for example with an ice pack). This effect is due to the fact that the cells surrounding the injured area require a lower amount of oxygen in the cold, reducing swelling of the affected area Showers with cold water have the same effect (although in this case the entire body is exposed to the cold). Likewise, it also allows you to relieve muscle pain or even headaches.

10. Improves sleep

Another benefit of showering with cold water is found in sleep. Although taking a cold shower makes us clear up, as the day goes by it makes it easier for our body to relax just as we have become tense. It has been seen that it facilitates falling asleep and improves its quality

11. Promotes better diuresis and kidney and lymphatic function

The kidneys and lymphatic system also see their functioning improved in the cold, allowing better expulsion of toxic elements and waste from our body.

12. Increase productivity

The benefits of showering with cold water in the morning, taking into account the effects described above, also include an increase in the level of mental activity that the person will be able to perform and an increase in their productivity.

13. Benefits for skin and hair

People who shower excessively tend to lose the natural protection that covers and protects the skin in the form of oil, especially if they do so with hot water. In the long run, they can dry out the skin and hair. Cold water, on the contrary, does not generate this loss of skin fat and also allows skin toning by stretching it It also prevents hair loss and gives it greater shine.

14. Strengthens self-esteem and the feeling of self-control

As we have said, most people find cold water a more or less aversive stimulus. This is why showering with cold water can be experienced as a small challenge to overcome which ultimately generates a greater sense of self-control, self-efficacy and self-esteem.