Cold showers can help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, improve circulation, lower stress levels, and reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Hot showers, meanwhile, can improve cardiovascular health, soothe stiff joints, and improve sleep. Understanding when to take a hot or cold shower is essential.
“While cold showers reduce inflammation and decrease swelling, warm showers can really relax your muscles.” Science confirms that one of the benefits of warm showers is helping dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow and soothing stiff joints and tired muscles.
Start with warm water.
Begin your shower with warm water as usual, and gradually reduce the temperature to cool or slightly cold. This gradual change in temperature will help your body adjust to the sensation of cold water.
For overall cleanliness, hot water is generally more effective for removing dirt and oils. However, incorporating cold water at the end of your shower can help close pores and improve skin tone. Ultimately, the best approach may depend on your skin type and personal preference.
But much healthier is a cold shower, both for the skin and hair. Hot water strips the natural oil layer and resulting in dry brittle hair. Cold water seals the hair moisture and lays the cuticle flat and hair becomes smoother and shinier. Cold water also helps excellent against dandruff and itchy scalp.
Boosts Metabolism and Weight Loss
Regular cold showers stimulate the production of brown fat, a type of fat that generates heat by burning calories. Over time, this can aid in weight management and potentially support weight loss efforts when combined with a balanced diet and exercise.
Here are a few skin reasons why you should take the plunge and try them out: Cold water can help close pores, preventing dirt and bacteria from getting into the skin. Cold water can also help to reduce inflammation and redness in the skin. Cold showers can increase circulation, which gives your skin a healthy glow.
While there is no ideal frequency, experts suggest that showering several times per week is plenty for most people (unless you are grimy, sweaty, or have other reasons to shower more often). Short showers (lasting three or four minutes) with a focus on the armpits and groin may suffice.
Cold water for hair ensures your scalp remains cleaner for longer as it closes the pores, making it less vulnerable to grease, oil and dirt. Cold water controls breakage, frizz and pesky flyaways, which is important for those with curly or thin hair.
Taking cold showers every day for 30 days may lead to increased energy levels and alertness as well as improved overall health. Your skin and hair may feel and look better due to the reduced drying and irritating effects of a hot shower. However, remember, individual responses to cold therapy vary.
Taking a hot bath is a relaxing activity that has multiple science-backed health benefits, like reduced stress and lower blood pressure. Hot baths are safe for most people. While there's no wrong time to take a bath, enjoying a soak before bedtime might even help ease you into a good night's sleep.
At the cellular level, cold can impair contraction kinetics in muscle and reduce the rate of excitation–contraction coupling. This practice significantly enhance body health, especially the skin, by balancing sebum levels, reducing acne and blocked pores, and releasing norepinephrine to modulate sebum production.
Cold water closes the pores, so from that perspective you're not getting as clean, and you're also not sweating, thus not cleansing the pores in to the soapy water, but there's only so much clean that we need to be, and since hot water liquifies oil, which is then stripped by soap and chemicals to be carried down the ...
The body's natural cooling process after a cold shower can promote sleepiness and facilitate a smoother transition into sleep. Cold showers can also lower body temperature, which is associated with sleep onset and maintenance, potentially improving sleep quality.
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health.
"There really is no difference in regards to skin benefits whether you shower in the morning or the evening," Castilla says. "The difference may be if you are too rushed to apply a moisturizer after your shower in the morning or too tired to do so at night—skipping this step for some can lead to dry, itchy skin.
Experts we spoke with strongly recommend against hot showers. That's because hot water strips the skin of water content and breaks down its natural barrier function. As a result, your skin can become dry, itchy and irritated.
Do not overdo it: Cold water therapy can be beneficial, but it is important not to overdo it. Like anything new, you need to build your tolerance and ensure your safety. Start with cold showers and work up your duration until you're ready for something colder.
Best Temperature for Showering
Cold showers can help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, improve circulation, lower stress levels, and reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Hot showers, meanwhile, can improve cardiovascular health, soothe stiff joints, and improve sleep.
That said, people who have cardiovascular issues, circulatory problems, sensation issues — such as Raynaud's disease or neuropathy — or diabetes should not try cold showers without speaking to a doctor first, experts said.
While a steaming hot shower or face washing session can feel quite relaxing in the moment, it's not the best option for your skin. Piping hot water can cause a heightened level of skin sensitivity and dry out your skin, stripping it of necessary natural oils.
Just like it does with your skin, cold water can tighten the cuticles and pores in the scalp to help lock in moisture and support stronger, healthier hair.