Benefits of Cold Showers
There are many benefits to cold showers. That’s why I began taking cold showers years ago. Living in the hot, arid region of the State of California has done wonders to ameliorate my upper respiratory troubles. That said, and especially in the past five years, due to climate change, while winters have become balmy and mild, summers have become unbearably sweltering. This phenomenon has gone from just uncomfortable to downright dangerous. For multiple summers in a row now, temperatures have climbed into the triple digits.
These temperatures are not unheard of in this region, certainly, but they used to occur sporadically and only a handful of days each summer total. Lately those hot days have become hot weeks and occur more and more frequently. So much so, that the state has imposed water usage restrictions due to drought. This ongoing drought has had severe environmental impact on agriculture, animal husbandry, causing power blackouts and hazardous wildfire conditions.
Some Background
I had always washed my face with cold water (many beauty benefits), but always taken hot showers or baths. I had originally begun taking cold showers purely as a survival mechanism (it’s hot!), but then came across some other blogs that were touting the many benefits of washing (hair, skin, body) with cold water, and so I decided to spend some time researching this subject from a scientific perspective.
The History
Literature shows that since ancient times, people already believed that bathing in different water temperatures produced different effects. For example, ancient bath houses would have both hot and cool soaking tubs. Throughout most of human history, people had to bathe in whatever water was available to them. That water often happened to be cold. The Greeks invented heating systems for public baths in the 1st century BC, but interestingly enough, many Greeks chose to continue bathing in cold water due to the health benefits.
Cold showers are said to boost metabolism and even deliver beauty perks. So, can a cold shower really benefit your hair, skin, and metabolism?Searches for “cold showers” are up 75% on Pinterest, according to the social platform. But showers aren’t just about getting clean, so can a cold one better offer real perks.
Beauty Benefits
According to Jessie Cheung, MD a dermatologist in the Chicago area, the cold will flatten the hair cuticles, lock in moisture, and prevent breakage. While also tightening the cuticles in your scalp to anchor your hair, reducing hair loss. For your skin, she further adds that cold water will initially help constrict blood vessels in your skin to temporarily tighten pores and decrease redness and puffiness.
The benefits of a cold shower include strengthening the contractile fibers to improve firmness, closing pores which helps reduce the ingress of pollution in the skin at least temporarily, and strengthening the arterioles to improve the skin’s ability to respond to injury. What’s more, cold temperatures boost circulation (blood flow is your body’s way of keeping warm). For your face, that could mean a healthy glow.
Avoid Heat
The real benefits may come from avoiding super-hot showers in the first place. Hot water might feel good, but it does a number on your skin and hair, according to New York City-based dermatologist Lance Brown, MD. Hot water will strip away some of the natural, protective oils that your skin makes, which can leave skin feeling dry and itchy and possibly exacerbate skin conditions like acne, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea.
This is especially problematic during the winter months, when cold air outside and dry heat inside contribute to making skin more parched. Luckily you don’t need to be in the cold for too long to see skin and hair benefits, a short blast of at least 10 seconds, will do. Dr. Brown recommends short, 10-minute showers in lukewarm or mildly cold water.
Contrast Showers
Another approach to try a “contrast shower,” which is an age-old technique Dr. Sebastian Kneipp developed. Basically, you get the water as cold as possible and stand in it for one minute. When the minute is up, you then change the water to as hot as you can handle for an additional minute. Alternate between one minute each of cold and hot for three to five cycles. He said the health benefits come from the cold water constricting the blood vessels. This means all the blood will go to the middle of the body. The hot water will open the blood vessels and all the blood comes rushing out again. This can pump the blood completely through the muscles and organs and is great for helping with regeneration and detoxification.
Health Benefits
Mental Health
A cold shower is also said to help boost mood. One study from the International Journal of Circumpolar Health in Finland, looked at the popular practice of “winter swimming.” Their findings suggest that regularly taking a dip in cold water might improve energy and overall well-being. And a 2007 study published in Medical Hypotheses found that short 2-3 minute cold showers may help relieve depressive symptoms.
According to a study by Dr. Nikolai Shevchuk, cold showers could have some positive effects on sufferers of depression. He postulates that a cold shower sends an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses from nerve endings to the brain, which could produce an anti-depressive effect.
According to New York dermatologist Michele Green, MD, cold showers can increase brain activity, as well as alleviate stress and depression. Cold showers wake up your skin receptors, which causes increased activity to the brain. This can increase the serotonin levels that help improve mental acuity and relieve depression symptoms.
Improved Immune System
Cold showers could also bolster your immune system. A study by Professor Vijay Kakkar, founder of the Thrombosis Research Institute in London, suggests that cold showers can speed up metabolic rate and improve circulation. Improved blood circulation can help avoid hypertension and the hardening of arteries; as well as stimulate the production of immune cells that fight off flu and the common cold.
Reproductive Health
In men, heat can have a negative impact on sperm count, so a cold shower could actually boost fertility for men looking to start a family. Research has shown that a warm shower may decrease the sperm count. Late in the 1950s various experiments were done which showed that hot baths are an effective contraceptive. This is because increasing the temperature of a man’s testes will cause viable sperm to die.
And a cold spritz could keep you healthier in general. A recent study in the Netherlands found that, on average, those who took short cold showers everyday for a month saw a 29 percent decline in sick days. And two-thirds of the test group continued taking cold showers after the study wrapped.
Comparison of Cold vs. Hot
If your body craves a hot shower in the morning, it’s understandable. The majority of people crank the handle all the way to “hot,” in order to feel the warm water over their body. But you might be surprised by how great you feel after taking a cold shower. Regardless of your preference for either type of shower, research shows that both hot and cold showers have health benefits.
Benefits of Cold Showers
1. Cold showers calm itchy skin
Cold showers have also been found effective in helping psoriasis patients find relief from pruritus. Pruritus is one of the symptoms of psoriasis characterized by itching. In a study published in 2009, patients claimed that cooling the skin with cold showers, helped to counter the itch caused by psoriasis. Clinical evidence suggests that one of the contributing factors to psoriasis flare-ups is taking hot showers. Hot showers and baths have been found to cause pruritus among people with dry skin.
Adam Friedman, MD, says if you have itchy skin, or conditions that cause your skin to itch; cold showers can help overcome the need to scratch. Heat causes increased blood flow and in conjunction with direct stimulation of nerve endings will increase the itch response. Friedman says that heat can cause mast cells (which contain histamine) to release their contents in the skin and create itch.
It’s well known that stress causes chronic immune dysfunction and DNA damage, among others. Another physiological change that happens when you shower with cold water, is that the low temperature activates the sympathetic nervous system. When this happens, your body releases hormones and brain chemicals that help you fight stress.
A study focusing on the cold shower as a possible treatment for depression revealed positive results. Evidence shows that cold showers stimulate the release of mood-elevating hormones such as endorphins. Naturally, when such chemicals are released by the body, your stress levels significantly decline. As such, you are less prone to experiencing stress-related skin conditions.
When you have a lot of acne breakouts, your skin feels hot and oily, not to mention red and inflamed. Quickly washing your face with cold water can significantly reduce redness, swelling, and even alleviate the pain caused by acne.
2. Cold showers help you wake up in the morning
When the cold spray hits your body, it creates a bit of a shock. This “shock” will increase:
- oxygen intake
- heart rate
- alertness
Cold showers can administer a big boost of alertness, which can benefit everything from your work performance, to your creativity and energy levels. It’s even said that Spartan warriors exalted the benefits of cold showers; believing that warm water weakened and cold water strengthened the body.
Sharyn A. Laughlin M.D. explains the medical reasons behind this effect. A cold shower in the morning affects your physiology, starting with an initial vasoconstriction. Followed by increased blood flow to organs and the skin, increased oxygen intake, faster heart rate, and adrenaline release. All of which may give you a boost in energy and metabolism, and a perceived mental lift.
Dr. David Greuner, Cardiovascular surgeon of NYC Surgical Associates, claims that cold showers are a great antidote for waking up in the morning. Anything that surprises or shocks you will bring on the fight-or-flight response, raising adrenaline, and increasing level of alertness.
3. Cold showers increase your circulation
Increased circulation is one of the top reasons experts recommend cold showers. As cold water hits your body, it constricts circulation on the skin layers on the surface of your body. This, in turn, causes blood in deeper tissues to circulate at faster rates, in order to maintain optimal core body temperature.
In that sense, a cold shower has the opposite effect of a hot shower, for people with hypertension or cardiovascular disease. Exposure to cold temperatures triggers the circulatory system to reduce inflammation and can help prevent cardiovascular disease.
4. Cold showers help reduce muscle soreness after intense workouts
Cold showers are great for sports and exercise recovery. You may have heard of professional athletes taking ice baths after a game. Similarly, a cold shower can have benefits for ordinary people after exercise. Since cold water has regenerative properties, your muscles will relax and repair after a tough workout. Robert Herbst, personal trainer, 18-time World Powerlifting Champion, 32-time National Champion, and member of the AAU Strength Sports Hall of Fame, explains the benefits:
Cold showers are a great way to reduce inflammation and promote recuperation after a hard workout. Three to five minutes can reduce the flow of lymph fluid to areas for healing to take place. Also, if you are old school, a cold shower is said to toughen the spirit, invigorate, and improve vitality. As is the practice in northern European regions, of jumping into ice water, or rolling in snow after a sauna.
5. Cold showers may help boost weight loss
Increased metabolism is another huge benefit of taking cold showers. A study by the New England Journal of Medicine found, that adding cold showers to your daily routine, could burn up to 500 calories a day.
There is some emerging research suggesting cold temperatures may stimulate some fat cells. Fat cells known as brown fat, a type of fat that burns extra calories to generate heat. They do this when your body is exposed to cold conditions like in a cold shower or bath.
Scandinavian researchers found that exposure to cold temperatures increased the metabolic burn rate of brown fat x 15. At this rate, a person could drop nine pounds in a year, if sustained. In a 2014 study, men exposed to a cold environment had an increase in brown fat, as well as corresponding metabolic activity.
6. Cold showers give your skin and hair a healthy glow
Wellness expert Dr. Jacqueline Schaffer, MD, says that cold water tightens and constricts the blood flow which gives your skin a healthier glow. Cold water, unlike hot water, doesn’t dry out the sebum layer, the lubricated barrier that protects your skin and hair. Washing in cold water frequently could help your hair become stronger and healthier over time.
Another important step in keeping skin supple and healthy is moisturizing soon after your shower. It’s a good habit to put on some lotion, body butter, or body oil right after a bath or shower. This will seal in moisture and prevent dry skin.
There are scientific studies though that reveal the negative effects of washing or showering using hot water. One study on the use of hot water for washing hands suggests that this practice can lead to skin irritation. Another study focusing on the effects of water temperature in the damage to the skin barrier shows similar results.
As always, for every rule, there are exceptions. Bathing in cold water may not be a good idea if you’re sick. The cold temperature might be too hard on your immune system. It could actually make you even colder; as well as increase the amount of time it takes your body to warm back up.
Kavita Mariwalla, MD, a dermatologist in New York, recommends a cold shower (minimum two, and no more than 15, minutes). You don’t want to take a cold shower that will exacerbate any kind of vascular condition; like Raynaud’s Syndrome, where fingers and toes get a little blue.
Benefits of Hot Showers
1. Hot showers provide relief from cold or respiratory symptoms
Standing in a hot, steamy shower has long been used as a natural remedy to reduce cold and cough symptoms. The heat from the water and the steam can help to:
- open airways
- loosen up phlegm
- clear out your nasal passages
If you have trouble relaxing or falling asleep, you might be tempted to take a hot shower. This is a common practice before going to sleep, because hot showers activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
Shower Companions
Ordinary soaps contain ingredients like sulfates, considered harsh cleansers and that cause several negative effects especially for sensitive skin. Harsh detergents cause a feeling of skin tightness since they promote faster evaporation of water on the skin surface.
Soaps also causes dryness, scaling, and skin irritation. Due to the coloring, fragrance, and preservatives that are added to the products, at times, even allergic reactions. Instead of washing using ordinary soaps, use gentle cleansers like liquid body washes and shower gels instead. Look for soaps with vegetable based surfactants and sulfate-free products.
Cleansers that contain nourishing oils (sweet almond oil, macadamia seed oil, sunflower oil); will not only cleanse the skin, but will help hydrate it as well. Experience the many benefits of aromatherapy while taking a shower or bath by using different essential oils. You can sprinkle a few drops of essential oil around your shower area.
| To freshen, invigorate, and stimulate you to start the day, consider using the following essential oils for your morning shower: | To help you eliminate stress accumulated throughout the day, relax, and promote good quality sleep, try the following essential oils for your evening shower: |
| – Orange – Lemon – Grapefruit – Peppermint/Spearmint (good for congestion) – Rosemary – Juniper | – Lavender – Chamomile – Ylang-Ylang – Rosewood – Rose oil – Cedarwood |
Sleep & Proper Nutrition
Lastly, your skin will also greatly benefit from getting good quality sleep. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night has many skin care advantages; like restoring the elasticity and reducing dark circles. You can’t avoid diseases and maintain good health if you aren’t eating properly and getting enough nutrition.
Environmental Benefits
As a bonus: short cold showers are eco-friendly. Less strain on the water heater means lower energy costs.
Sources:
Can a Cold Shower Really Benefit Your Hair, Skin, and
https://www.health.com/beauty/benefits-cold-showers
Cold Shower vs. Hot Shower: Benefits, Post-Workout, and More
https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-shower-vs-hot-shower
10 mind-blowing benefits of cold showers…
https://www.sanctuary-bathrooms.co.uk/blog/10-mind-blowing-benefits-cold-showers/
5 Surprising Benefits of Cold Showers
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/surprising-benefits-cold-showers.html
Can Taking Cold Showers Improve My Skin? – Herbal
https://www.herbaldynamicsbeauty.com/blogs/herbal-dynamics-beauty/can-taking-cold-showers-improve-my-skin