Cold Shower Vs. Hot Shower: Which Is The Better Option?
The battle between choosing hot or cold showers has been existence for a fora long time and the idea even dates back as far as the Romans. You’ve probably even heard a mix of myths about which temperature is better. So the question is: which one is better, hot or cold? In this article we'll get to the bottom of the truth, and as you read you will find out which temperature is actually good for you.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT COLD SHOWERS
Most people can’t bear to stand under a cold stream of water for long. But despite this, there are a lot of benefits associated with taking cold shower aside from using it to cool and refresh yourself after a long hot day!
Cold Shower Benefit #1: For a Happier Mood
Research conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NBCI) found that cold showers can be a mood booster. Wow!! Based on the study, cold showers stimulate cold receptors in the skin, these receptors in turn send impulses to the brain which leads to a temporary numbing effect.
Cold Shower Benefit #2: To Speed Post-workout Recovery
You are familiar with people taking cold showers after an intense workout in the gym, but do you know that there are other benefits apart from cooling the body. Another study conducted by the NCBI shows that a cold shower can help reduce your heart rate after working out in a hot environment, because it can help your heart recover faster. As amazing as this seems, more research is needed to fully assess the recovery benefits of a cold shower.
Cold Shower Benefit #3: To Boosting Circulation
Cold showers have been said to increase blood circulation by experts. This is due to the fact that a cold shower makes the blood circulate faster when the water touches the body and the limbs in order to maintain, normal body temperature. And so a cold shower offers a different result from hot water in the case of a person with a cardiovascular disease as it can reduce inflammation and can help prevent this disease.
Cold Shower Benefit #4: For a Healthy Glow of Your Hair and Skin
According to Wellness expert, Dr. Jacqueline Schaffer, MD, cold water gives your skin a healthier glow by constricting the blood flow to the skin.
Cold Shower Benefit #5: To Soothe Irritated Skin
If you suffer with skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, cold showers have been recommended to keep the urge to itch at bay and soothe those irritated skin. Warm water can strip natural oils from the skin's surface. Any skin condition characterized by a defective skin barrier can be worsened by a hot shower.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HOT SHOWERS
Now we'll talk about hot showers, what are their benefits, apart from comfort yourself after a long day.
Hot Shower Benefit #1: To Help You Sleep Better
Research says that hot showers be useful for getting a comforting sleep, but more study is needed on the subject.
Hot Shower Benefit #2: To Improve Cardiovascular Health
Based on one study from NCBI 2014 bathing with warm water is helpful to people with chronic heart failure, because hot water widens blood vessels due to the heat. Also, a paper from European Journal of Applied Physiology talked about effects of warm water immersion on arterial stiffness as we said before, heat widens blood vessels. It was shown that patients with atherosclerosis who submerged their feet in water for 30 minutes, showed remarkable reduction in arterial stiffness.
Hot Shower Benefit #3: To Boost Muscle and Joint Health
A study from NCBI 2017 tried to find the effects of cold and hot therapies on knee osteoarthritis, based on the effects of these therapies on blood flow and stiff joints. The study involved 96 participants which were divided into 3 groups.
The control group received only standard osteoarthritis treatment, while the other groups got a standard osteoarthritis treatment along with either heat therapy or cold therapy. At the end of the study, it was found that, both groups got a mild reduction in pain and an increase in the joint's function, but these results were not more than that of the control group.
Even though there are benefits to using hot water, it is really not suitable for people who suffer from skin sensitivity or eczema and other rashes as the water dries out the skin. To reduce this dryness or irritation, you should apply face oil and moisturizer after a shower; these eczema skin care products will help create a healthier skin barrier.
WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU USE?
Both hot and cold showers have their own benefits. So now that you know the truth about both types of showers, you can now decide which one is better for you and your needs. This is especially true for those who need eczema skin care.
Got insomnia? Get into a warm/hot shower
From what we said earlier, a hot showers helps you with a comfortable sleep. For those of you that have insomnia, a hot shower might just be what you need.
Don’t make acne worse with hot showers!
Hot water can increase the presence of acne on your skin. Acne occurs when the sebum on the skin becomes too much. Even though hot water removes sebum from the skin, it will trigger the body produces more sebum later on. So for those who don't want acne or are already suffering from it, it's advisable you take a cold shower.
Relief cramps with a warm shower
Warm water is good for helping muscles relax, so for those of you that want to alleviate cramped muscles, a hot shower is ideal.
Hot & cold after a workout
Alternating between hot and cold showers according to experts helps to increase better blood circulation and detoxification after a workout.
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