5 Surprising Benefits Of Taking Cold Showers

People don’t want to think about freezing cold showers when they wake up every morning. What if I said that cold showers have some serious benefits?

Cold showers can boost immunity and improve mood. These are just a few of the compelling scientific benefits that daily cold showers can provide.

We recommend for five reasons:

Increased circulation and detoxification

Your circulatory system transports oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and products to cells.

Your circulation will increase when you place your body in cold water. This is because your body constricts blood vessels and increases your heart rate to maintain your vital organs. The cold water also reduces blood flow to skin. Therefore, when the cold water is stopped, blood flow to the surface of skin will increase.

Increased circulation can have many benefits including better heart health, brain function and sleep quality.

It has been proven that cold water immersion can reduce pain and inflammation. A few minutes of cold water immersion can provide lasting benefits to your circulation and overall health.

Enhanced Immunity

Cold showers have the ability to increase immunity, which is one of their most popular benefits. Cold showers increase the body’s ability to produce heat by activating its immune system.

The ability to immerse in cold water has been proven to increase white blood cells. This is critical for fighting infection.

A study in England showed that daily cold showers increase the number of immune-boosting white cells. The Thrombosis Institute researchers suggested that the body’s metabolism speed ups and activates its immune system. This leads to white blood cell release.

Exposure to cold water may increase the activity natural killer cells. These cells are crucial in fighting cancer cells and viruses. Research suggests (1) that cold showers can increase activity of natural killer cell and provide anti-tumor immunity.

Cold showers can also help increase resilience. Our bodies release micro amounts of stress hormones when exposed to cold temperatures. These include adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol.

Exposure to these stress hormones in small quantities over time helps to build tolerance and make you more resilient to stress and adversity.

Stress Reduction and Mood Improvement:

Research has shown that cold showers can reduce stress and improve mood.

Cortisol is a hormone that our bodies release when we feel stressed. Cortisol, which is responsible for our ‘fight or flee’ response to stressful situations, helps us deal with them.

Cortisol can also cause health problems, such as high blood pressure and immune suppression. Chronically high cortisol levels can lead to a chronically unhealthy body. It is like constantly pushing the gas pedal.

Cold showers can help lower stress levels and cortisol levels. Cold water also stimulates endorphins which are happy hormones that can increase our mood and decrease feelings of depression.

Lose weight and burn calories:

Your body will work harder to maintain its internal temperature when exposed to cold temperatures. This requires energy which is why your body will burn calories.

One study showed that freezing water at 14 increases metabolism by 350%. Metabolism refers to a set of processes that regulate the use and storage of energy in your body.

Cold showers are also a great way to lose weight, as they stimulate the production of brown oil.

Brown fat is a type that aids in the burning of calories. Exposure to cold temperatures has been proven to increase its production.

White fat has fewer mitochondria than brown fat. These mitochondria are what “engines” brown fat has. They burn calories to generate heat.

Increased Testosterone Production:

Research suggests that cold showers can increase testosterone production and increase sperm production in men.

Testosterone is made in the testicles. Therefore, anything that changes the temperature of these testicles could have an impact on testosterone production.

The functionality of the testicles can be affected by prolonged heat exposure. Studies show that testicles must be kept in lower temperatures in order to function properly.

Cold showers are a great option. You can increase your libido as well as overall health by exposing the testicles and allowing them to soak in cold water.

One study showed that testicular temperatures kept between 88-99 degrees Celsius resulted in better sperm production. Over three years, another team of researchers examined almost 6,500 samples from semen taken from healthy males. Their findings showed that sperm quality, motility and volume significantly increased in the cooler months.

Higher testosterone levels can lead to greater muscle mass, strength, and better mood. Additionally, testosterone has been shown in studies to improve cognitive function and heart health.

Although more research is needed, existing studies show a correlation between lower temperatures, healthy sperm, and testosterone production.

Can you take cold showers every single day?

There are many reasons to take cold showers every single day, as we have already mentioned.

The benefits of cold showers for your health include reduced stress, increased immunity, better mood, higher testosterone production and a higher metabolism.

I love the fact that a cold shower every day has made me more resilient to adversity. These “micro-discomforts” that you experience every day over time build up to make you stronger both inside and outside.

How long should you wait for a cold shower?

This question is not easy to answer. The length of a cold water shower will depend on your level of experience, personal preferences and goals.

Start small and aim to take cold showers for no more than 30 seconds. It’s a great way to get your brain out of its comfort zone by starting with a warm bath and then turning the water cold towards the end.

After you become comfortable with the cold, slowly increase your time to 3-5 minutes.

Wrapping up

These are five scientifically-backed reasons cold showers can be great for you.

Cold showers are a great way to increase circulation, fight infection, improve blood flow, and burn extra calories.

Have you ever taken a cold bath? Please comment below.

Author bio: Aditya Jaykumar (AJ) is a Breathwork instructor. He also hosts and founded My Seven Chakras, which has received over 6.5 Million downloads. Aditya has been interviewing over 500 top wellness professionals for the past 8 years and has shared his experiences and discoveries on his blog. Follow him on Instagram @mysevenchakras

(1) A hypothesis about possible stimulation of anti-tumor immunity by repeated cold stress.

The article 5 Surprising Benefits of Taking Cold Showers appeared originally on Alternative Medicine Magazine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference in holistic medicine and alternative medicines?

Holistic medicine treats the whole person – mind, body, spirit, and soul. It considers all aspects a person’s wellbeing, including the emotional, spiritual, as well as environmental factors, that are often ignored by traditional medicine. Alternative medicine can be used to treat certain conditions like asthma, allergies, arthritis, or other medical issues.

Why is holistic medicine more effective?

Holistic health care treats the whole person instead of just specific symptoms. This involves looking at the person’s feelings, food, lifestyle, stress levels, etc.

Holistic medicine treats patients as an integrated whole. This may sound simple but it is not easy to practice. Most doctors are focused on the physical side.

What are the 5 Alternative Medical Systems?

These five alternative medicine systems are Ayurveda (acupuncture), Ayurveda (homeopathy), energy healing, aromatherapy, and homeopathy.

Acupuncture uses fine needles placed in specific points of the body to stimulate qi flow throughout the body.

Ayurvedic Medicine is an ancient system of health care based on balancing the three humors – air, fire, and water. It includes diet, exercise as well as herbal remedies, massage and meditation.

Homeopathic Medicine derives its name from the Greek homoios which means similarity and pathos which denotes disease. Homeopaths believe all diseases are caused by natural causes, but not always symptoms. They use minute amounts of substances to treat their patients. These symptoms are very similar to what the patient experiences when they are sick.

Energy Healing can also refer to Reiki, EFT and Rolfing. This therapy is based upon the belief that all of us are connected to a universal force of life called Ki. When this Ki flows freely through us, we feel well. To restore harmony and balance between our spiritual, physical, and emotional selves, energy healers use touch and intention.

Aromatherapy uses essential oils derived from plants for therapeutic reasons. Aromatherapists believe certain smells can have a positive effect on mood and behavior. The most common essential oil used in aromatherapy is lavender.

What are some of the benefits of complementary or alternative medicine?

People who feel that they are not receiving enough support from allopathic medicine can use complementary and alternate medicine (CAM). These include herbal medicines and mind-body therapies, such as acupuncture or massage therapy, homeopathy (traditional Chinese medicine), chiropractic care, biofeedback and hypnosis. Many CAM practitioners use treatment methods that aren’t part of conventional medicine’s standard system of diagnosis and treatment. However, many CAM therapies also incorporate elements of conventional medicine. One example is acupuncture that uses needles. Others use heat or acupressure.

Some CAM therapies may be helpful for anxiety, pain relief, stress management or relaxation. They may improve your general well-being as well as reduce fatigue. Some CAM therapies treat specific conditions, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. Other CAM therapies may simply be enjoyable experiences.

There is no definitive definition of CAM. However, most definitions include at a minimum one of the following:

A holistic perspective that looks at the whole person, including body, mind as well as spirit and environment.
The belief in mind-body interaction and influence
An individual’s belief that illness is due to an imbalance in his/her environment.
Focus on the whole person and not just the symptoms.
Combination between Eastern philosophy and Western science
The best treatment methods integrate mind, spirit, and body
Use of natural products rather than synthetic chemicals
Touch of healing
Mindfulness
Meditation
Acupuncture
Yoga
Herbal remedies
Homeopathy
Chiropractic care
Massage therapy
Hypnotherapy
Spiritual healing
Biofeedback
Nutritional counseling
Energy healing

There are potential risks to certain CAM therapies, in addition to the potential benefits. If used incorrectly, some therapies can cause severe harm or even death. Other therapies have potential side effects which must be considered against the perceived benefits. Before you make a decision about whether to try any CAM, it is important that you discuss the issues with your doctor.

Statistics

According to the World Health Organization, 80% of people use herbal medicine worldwide. (webmd.com)
An assessment of conventional treatments found that 41.3% concluded positive or possibly positive effects, 20% concluded no effect, 8.1% concluded net harmful effects, and 21.3% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
In 83% of the cases, the readers agreed. (en.wikipedia.org)
According to a 2005 book by a US [116]Institute of Medicine panel, the number of RCTs focused on CAM has risen dramatically. (en.wikipedia.org)
In the 17% in which they disagreed, a third reader agreed with one of the initial readers to set a rating. (en.wikipedia.org)

External Links

How To

How To Deal With My Girlfriend Trusting Alternative Medicine?

The internet offers guidance for those caring for a loved one with a mental illness. However, there is very little information on alternative medicine and how to deal with them.

It seems like there is a big divide between the two. Those who are skeptical about conventional medicine and those who are open-minded to its benefits.

What happens when you come across someone who believes in alternative treatments for mental health issues?

Perhaps you feel confused or frustrated, because you don’t know how to react. What should you say to your partner if he tells that he would prefer to see an acupuncturist to his doctor? Or when he suggests to you that he would prefer to eat gluten-free foods than take antidepressants.

Asking questions is important. It’s important to ask them early. This will save you many heartaches later.

These are difficult questions to ask without offending the patient. What if he tells you that he doesn’t trust doctors? Do you tell him he shouldn’t trust anyone?

Or what if she says that she thinks that antidepressants aren’t working? You can correct her.

Here’s where things can get complicated. If you point out her error, it could cause you to upset her further.

Or, you can suggest she sees a psychiatrist. This could cause more problems than it solves. You may get mad at her for suggesting this. She might think you are trying to control her mind.

So what should you do?

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