2023-04-24 17:39:05
24.04.2023
A number of studies provide evidence of the positive impact of taking cold showers on physical and mental health.
A cold shower in the morning is a rather unpleasant way to start the day, many would consider. However, many others have been tempted to adopt this habit because soaking in cold water has many supposed benefits for health, both physical and mental.
The first cold showers were administered for health reasons in the early 19th century, when doctors designed them for use in asylums and prisons to “cool hot, inflamed brains and instill fear to tame impetuous wills.”
However, the practice of taking cold showers for health has never died out and, in fact, seems to be making a comeback.
But what evidence is there?
A study conducted in the Netherlands found that people who showered with cold water were less likely to be absent from work due to illness than those who showered with hot water.
To carry it out, a group of more than 3,000 people was divided into four groups and asked to take hot showers every day. One group was asked to finish it off with 30 seconds of cold water, another with 60 seconds, and another with 90 seconds. The other group might just enjoy a hot shower. Participants were asked to follow this protocol for one month.
After a three-month follow-up period, they found that the groups that took cold showers had a 29% reduction in sick leave.
Why a cold splash of water might keep people from getting sick isn’t clear, but some research suggests it may have something to do with boosting the immune system. A study conducted in the Czech Republic showed that immersion in cold water three times a week for six weeks slightly stimulated the immune system of the “athletic young men” who participated in that test. However, more robust tests are still needed to confirm these results.
A man is given a bucket of cold water.
Cold water also appears to activate the sympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that governs the “fight or flight” response (an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as dangerous, stressful, or frightening). When activated, for example during a cold shower, an increase in the hormone norepinephrine occurs. This is the most likely cause of the increased heart rate and blood pressure seen when people are submerged in cold water, and is linked to improvements in health.
Cold water immersion has also been shown to improve circulation. When the skin is exposed to cold water, blood flow decreases. When the cold water stops, the body has to warm up, so there is increased blood flow to the skin surface. Some scientists believe that this might improve circulation. A study who tested immersion in cold water following exercise found that, following four weeks, blood flow to and from the muscles had improved.
There is also evidence that a cold shower can help you lose weight. According to another study, immersion in cold water at 14℃ increases metabolism by 350%. Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy, so a higher metabolism roughly equals more energy burned.
Impact on mental health
Apart from the physical benefits, cold showers might also be beneficial for mental health. There is a belief that immersion in cold water increases mental alertness due to the stimulation of the aforementioned fight or flight response. In older adults, cold water applied to the face and neck has been shown to improve brain function.
A cool shower can also help ease symptoms of depression. One proposed mechanism is that, due to the high density of cold receptors in the skin, a cold shower sends an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which may have an antidepressant effect.
This article was originally published in English by The Conversation under Creative Commons license. Here the original article.
EE (The Conversation, Big Think)
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