Many athletes are often chilled in an ice bath as part of their exercise regimen after a workout. You may be wondering why someone would voluntarily give themselves a cold shock anytime, let alone when they are completely exhausted after a rigorous exercise program.
Dr. Edward Laskowski, professor of physical medicine, rehabilitation and orthopedics at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and former co-director of Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, told Newsweek, “Generally speaking, the cold helps you recover from an exercise session. “
If sitting in an ice bath sounds too extreme, a quick blast of cold in the shower can offer similar benefits. But how?
Here we unpack some of the benefits of a cold shower.
Why cold showers are good for relaxation and repair
Laskowski said studies have shown that ice baths help reduce inflammation, swelling and “delayed onset of muscle soreness” after exercise.
Cold showers can be viewed as a “gentler, easier way” to get many of the same benefits you would get from an ice bath, he said.
Cools your body faster
A cold shower can improve your post-exercise recovery by helping to cool the body faster, especially after exercising in a hot environment, Laskowski said.
A 2019 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that examined the effects of a cold water shower (CWS) after 45 minutes of cycling in a hot environment showed that “CWS may promote TCS.” [thermal comfort sensation] by enabling faster HR [heart rate] Recovery at 30 minutes after the intervention versus passive recovery.
“The cooling benefits of a CWS can only be recommended for reducing cardiac stress after routine exercise in a hot environment,” the study said.
A sign of cold water that can be seen on a tap. During a cold shower, give your body time to get used to the temperature change.
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Increases blood circulation
When you splash yourself with cold water, that shock puts your body into survival mode, explains the Cleveland Clinic, and speeds up the delivery of freshly oxygenated, warm blood to your body.
For the same reason, ice is used on bruises or torn muscles to reduce inflammation. When the temperature of a particular part of the body drops, the body sends more blood to that area to equalize and raise the temperature, which speeds your recovery, according to a research project published by Dr. Debra Rose Wilson medically verified Healthline article. Professor, researcher and alternative practitioner.
The body increases blood flow to warm your core and protect vital organs, and this ultimately stimulates general blood circulation throughout the body, says the Cleveland Clinic.
So, taking regular cold showers can essentially make your circulatory system more efficient as it trains the body to work harder to maintain its core temperature.
Those who can benefit from cold showers include people who have poor circulation, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Laskowski pointed out that hot showers can also help increase blood flow and provide relief to people with cold or respiratory symptoms by relieving a blocked nose and chest. “The increase in blood flow caused by heat can help relax and relieve muscle pain, and also relieve joint pain in those with arthritis,” he said.
How to take a cold shower
At the end of your regular shower, give your body a cold burst of water and gradually change the water from hot to cold. Stay in the cold shower for about two to three minutes. Inhaling deeply can help mentally reduce the discomfort you experience from the temperature switch.
The water temperature must drop to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 40 degrees lower than a typical hot shower, for the body to reap the potential benefits of a cold shower, says exercise physiologist Zach Carter, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS ) said the Cleveland Clinic.
Give your body time to adjust to the change in temperature, advised the specialist. Even 30 seconds under a stream of cold water can give some of the results you want. But the potential benefits of a cold shower gradually begin to wear off after about three minutes, he added.
As with any practice, practice makes perfect. So you can start with a quick dash of cold water and build into colder, longer sessions with each attempt.
However, Carter has never recommended cold showers as a treatment option and warns that, overall, “it is not necessary to put your body in such a situation”.
A woman taking a cold shower. The shock of the change in temperature can help increase blood circulation.
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Other benefits of cold showers
Better skin
Laskowski of the Mayo Clinic said, “Cold showers don’t dry out the more superficial layers of skin, which hot water can, and therefore can help the skin maintain a good state of moisture.”
Increased metabolism
Since your body goes into overdrive during a cold shower in response to the sudden change in temperature, it also boosts your metabolism as it works hard to keep your body warm. This self-heating process burns calories, explains the Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Geert Buijze, orthopedic surgeon at the Academic Medical Center of the Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands, told the Harvard Business Review: “Cold temperatures activate the brown – or good – fat in the body.
When brown fat is activated, it keeps the body warm by burning calories, he explained. “It can also boost your energy and metabolism, and help control your blood sugar. That could reduce your risk of obesity and diabetes. “
However, exercise physiologist Carter warned, “Cold showers won’t be the best way to lose weight.”
A woman lifting weights in a gym.
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Fight Depression
Laskowski noted, “Some studies have also shown that cold showers can also help fight depression by lowering cortisol and increasing energy by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, which can also help improve focus.”
For example, a 2008 study published in Medical Hypotheses suggested that cold hydrotherapy was “fairly effective at relieving depressive symptoms.” The therapy was also found to have “significant analgesic” [pain relieving] Effect “and did not appear to have any noticeable side effects or cause addiction.
The study stated, “Cold exposure is known to activate the sympathetic nervous system and increase blood levels of beta-endorphins and norepinephrine, and also increase the synaptic release of norepinephrine in the brain.
“Also, because of the high density of cold receptors in the skin, a cold shower is expected to send overwhelming amounts of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which could lead to antidepressant effects,” the study said.
Strengthens the immune system
Laskowski said recent research suggests cold water may also increase “beneficial immune responses” by increasing white blood cells, which help fight infection.
According to a study of around 3,000 people, co-authored by the aforementioned orthopedic surgeon Buijze (published in 2016 in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One), 29 percent of those who took a cold shower for at least 30 seconds for a month reported sick less than in the control group and “54 percent less if they also exercise regularly,” said Buijze.
On average, those who took cold showers reported feeling sick as many days as those who took normal showers. However, either their symptoms were less severe or they felt more energetic, those who took cold showers were able to get through the disease better and still function, the surgeon explained.
“Cold temperatures make you shiver – an autonomous reaction to keep your body temperature high. It has a neuroendocrine effect and triggers our fight-or-flight response, causing hormones like cortisol to rise just before we transition to a relaxation response, ”Buijze told the Harvard Business Review.
People exercising on bicycle machines in a gym.
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