How Taking Cold Showers Are a Perfect Way To Give You a Burst of Energy
We all love indulging ourselves in hot baths and nice, warm showers, but it’s actually the dreaded blast of cold water is what’s good for you. Most people think of cold showers as an unfortunate set of circumstances rather than a preferential choice, but showering with cold water holds the true energy-boosting power. Cold showers aren’t exactly known for their pleasant effect, but that’s what actually makes them good- the source of energy lies outside your comfort zone, and not safely tucked in.
Embrace The James Bond Shower
It’s no wonder that cold showers are nicknamed after one of the toughest guys in the fictional world- truth be told, it won’t be easy switching to freezing water overnight, and you might need to muster up your courage to switch up your routine.
Although it might seem uncomfortable, even horrible, to switch to cold showers, rest assured, subjecting yourself to a blast of cold water isn’t without its benefits.
If you’re feeling tired and groggy, a hot shower will only intensify that feeling of weariness. Instead of feeding the fatigue, try battling it with a potent weapon that is acold shower.
Exposing yourself to a blast of cold water, especially after an exercise on first thing in the morning, will help you feel alerted and make your energy levels to go through the roof.
How Does It Work?
Your regular hot shower in the morning might seem enough to wake you up, but after trying out starting your day with refreshing cold water on your skin, you’ll change your mind. After the initial shock and discomfort, you’ll wide-awake, motivated and extremely energized. And there’s a reason for that- showering with cold water improves your circulation, boosts the testosterone level in your body and increases the metabolic rate.
Another energizing effect of showering with cold water is the production of norepinephrine, a hormone, and a neurotransmitter, which triggers the release of glucose from energy stores, boosting your energy immediately. Low levels of norepinephrine are linked with depression and lethargy, and stimulating the production of this hormone is an efficient way to feel supercharged.
Cold water will send your blood rushing to protect the internal organs from the temperature drop, and this sudden increase in blood flow will boost your energy in an instant. Poor circulation slows you down and makes you feel sluggish, but a couple of minutes under a cold shower will get you going like nothing else.
If you’re starting your day with an exercise, a cold shower will help you prevent soreness, as well as maintain your high-energy level. Most athletes turn to cold showers to avoid muscle pain and inflammation, and if you’re a morning jogger, the feel of cold water on your skin will be a pleasant relief.
If you’re afraid you’ll catch a cold if you skip on warm morning showers altogether, don’t be. Prolonged exposure to so-called “cold stress”, or showering with freezing water, can actually improve your immunity. Cold showers are responsible for the increase in white blood cell counts, which prevent you from getting sick in the first place.
Start Your Day The Right Way
As an alternative to lulling hot showers, gradually introduce showering with cold water into your routine. At first, you might dread the very thought of going in the shower just to be blasted with a freezing spray of water, but after of few seconds of adjusting, your body will learn to appreciate the experience. As the time passes, cold showers won’t feel as disrupting and uncomfortable as they did in the beginning, and you’ll get used to colder temperatures in the shower.
A cold shower will give you an instant burst of energy, and the effects will last throughout the day. Your newly formed morning routine will make you feel fresh as a daisy and ready to tackle everything the day ahead has in store for you.
Starting your day with an energy-boosting practice, such as cold shower, will significantly impact your energy levels for the rest of the day. If you start your day off on the right foot, you won’t run out of steam midday or get into an energy slump when you need to be at your peak.