5 benefits of cold therapy
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, it seems the cold could do the same.
Although cold therapy has been around for centuries, cold water continues to make waves in today’s wellness culture.
Every morning, many people immerse themselves in a 14ºC ice bath and discover the myriad of benefits that cold therapy can have on your physical and mental well-being.
Read on to discover 5 reasons to reduce your shower temperature.
Improve your circulation and heart health
Exercise and a healthy diet are two well-known ways to improve circulation. But immersion in cold water can stimulate it as well. When you immerse your body in cold water, blood rushes to surround your vital organs. Your heart is then forced to pump more efficiently, pushing blood through all your vessels and supplying every part of your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. By doing this regularly, you help promote better heart health, improve your mental performance, strengthen your immune system and metabolism, and simply give you more stamina and energy.
Boost your mood
One study found that cold showers can help treat symptoms of depression. This is due to the stimulation of dopaminergic transmission which improves mood and makes you happy.
The next time you feel depressed or find it hard to manage your stress, think about the benefits that a simple cold shower can have on your body and mind.
Revive your lymphatic system
Unlike your blood, which is constantly pumped through your body by the heart, your lymphatic fluid has no central pump. Therefore, your lymphatic system relies instead on muscle contractions to pump lymphatic fluid through the vessels. So if you don’t exercise or if your lymphatic system itself becomes slow, the fluid stagnates and toxins build up, leading to colds, joint pain, infections and even illness.
Immersion in cold water causes the lymphatic vessels to contract, forcing the lymphatic system to pump lymphatic fluids throughout the body and remove waste products, bacteria and germs from your cells.
Strengthen hair and skin
According to experts, cold water helps reduce the size of your pores, tighten your skin and provide a vasoconstrictive effect to reduce puffiness. The effect is also good for hair, because the cold flattens cuticles and traps moisture to prevent hair breakage. Simply put, the booster effect is felt from one end to the other.
Reduce inflammation
Immersion in cold water has been scientifically proven to help counteract the side effects of inflammation and muscle pain after intensive training.
One of the main benefits of the cold shower is to lower the temperature of damaged muscle tissue and tighten blood vessels. This reduces swelling and inflammation, and even numbs nerve endings, which can provide immediate and natural pain relief and speed up your recovery.
So, will you dare to trade in your relaxing shower or for a shower at brrrr temperature?