It’s time to get use to the idea of a cold rinse at the end of your shower. For the last 30 seconds or so of your shower, dial down the heat to the coldest the water can get while still on full blast and put your full body in there. Yes, even in the cold months. It’s not as bad as it sounds, and the benefits outweigh any discomfort.
First of all, super hot showers aren’t good for anyone. We should be taking warm showers, so we don’t dry out and irritate our skin. Plus, our hair and scalps love cold water. A cold rinse at the end of a shower calms any stress the hot water may have caused to the delicate skin along the scalp, which may result in flakiness or itching. It also produces a little added shine to our hair, and who doesn’t want that?
Cold water has a similar effect on the rest of your body. You’ll find your skin softer, especially if you suffer from dryness. Though pores don’t open and close like doors, they do slightly contract with a rush of cold water, presenting your skin with a smoother, tighter appearance.
If shinier hair and softer skin aren’t good enough arguments to begin cold rinses, here are some extra benefits that may convince you. According to The British Journal of Sports Medicine, cold water increases heart rate and metabolism. For that brief moment in the shower, your body becomes shocked into working harder to maintain a stable temperature, burning more calories. It’s a great way to wake up, giving you a rush of energy to burn an added amount of calories throughout the rest of the day.
Even though the idea of a cold rush of water might make you cringe, doing it could actually boost your mood. The BJSM also suggests that because cold showers activate the sympathetic nervous system, they can increase neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and endorphins to give you that feel-good rush.
According to one study done in The Netherlands, cold rinses also help boost immunity and prevent illness, so they’re particularly beneficial during cold and flu season or whenever there’s a bug circulating. This is likely thanks to boosted circulation, and perhaps the biggest benefit, the movement of lymph. Lymphatic drainage plays a major part in our overall health. The lymphatic system is made of nodes and fluid that transfer water and nutrients, as well as toxins and waste, through and out of the body, all day, everyday. Stagnant lymph that accumulate in pockets of the body can result in puffiness in the face and abdomen, discomfort, infection, illness, breakouts, and poor sleep. Healthy lymph drainage can be stimulated with massage, dry brushing, and movement or exercise, but a cold rinse is a super effective way to get things moving quickly.
Improved lymph movement and circulation also urge the production of lactic acid, which aids in body recovery from injury or illness. While the rush of cold water may wake you up, it also cools down the core body temperature, making it easier to fall asleep at night.
While it’s uncomfortable at first, a cold rinse may just become your thing.
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