Getting out of bed in the morning can be tough (and not in a good way), but the thought of a nice hot shower makes it easier. Well, what if we told you to ditch hot water for cold instead? You’d probably tell us where to go. But hear us out, find out the many potential benefits of cold showers below –
Wake You Up
Most of us grimace and reach for the snooze button when the alarm goes off in the morning. If only there were an easy way to kickstart yourself to get ready for the day… Enter cold showers. Switching out hot for cold may be pretty grim to start with, as just like our friend Arctic Enema it will cause a shock to your body. But it is that very shock that increases oxygen intake, alertness and heart rate to get you ready for the day ahead.
Increase Circulation
Ok, so we are about to get a bit sciency here, but bear with us. As cold water hits your body and external limbs, it constricts circulation on the surface. This causes blood in your deeper tissues to circulate at a faster rate to help maintain your body temperature. Increased circulation means that you’ll maintain healthy blood and oxygen flow throughout the body, allowing your lungs, heart and muscles to function more efficiently. This also helps you fight off any diseases and sickness, whilst keeping your organs in better working order.
Reduce Muscle Soreness
Every Mudder will have experienced that throbbing soreness in their muscles after they’ve hit the gym hard or given it that extra push during a home workout. A cold shower can sooth that. Cold water has regenerative properties, meaning that when it hits your body your muscles will relax and repair, relieving soreness.
Tough Mudder Top Tip: Mutter a few choice swear words as you step under the icy water to help ease the pain.
Help Improve Hair and Skin
A cold shower is also one of the most natural and cheapest ways to maintain your hair and skin, and give it a little extra glow. This is because cold water tightens your cuticles and pores, which helps your skin retain its healthy natural oils, preventing it from drying out. It also keeps your skin cleaner by making it tougher for dirt to get in. Cold showers can also make hair appear shinier, stronger, and healthier by flattening hair follicles, and increasing their ability to grip the scalp.
