DIY Wellness: Health Benefits of Cold Showers
What are the benefits of this age-old practice - and how hard can it be in Playa’s climate?
At the recent Global Wellness Summit, Dr. Marc Cohen, Professor RMIT Australia asked the audience “Who here takes cold showers regularly?” I put my hand up and commented to my friend next to me “Does it still count if it’s only during the summertime in Mexico?”.
The practice of taking cold showers or plunging into ice-cold water is one steeped in tradition for many of our ancestors. The benefits of cold exposure are plentiful and can enhance physical, emotional and mental aspects. Trying something new for 30 days can be a great way to form positive habits, and it’s not like getting out of the shower is ever exceedingly cold here in Playa!
Physical benefits
- Cold stimulates muscle recovery and it can aid in reducing post-workout inflammation.
- Cold showers improve circulation and reduce pain – going from cold to hot increases blood flow to the extremities, also improving skin and hair.
- Cold exposure can help to burn fat – by stimulating the metabolism and increasing the activity of brown fat cells, cold showers can help with excess weight loss.
Emotional benefits
- Decrease depression – by promoting the release of noradrenaline, cold showers can alleviate symptoms without the use of drugs.
- Improve your emotional resilience – short-term cold exposure has been shown to enhance your nervous system’s resilience to stress.
- Cold showers make you happy! Imagine the feeling of achievement first thing in the morning, what could be better?
Mental benefits
- Strengthen your willpower – challenging yourself to do anything consistently builds will power.
- Build courage – once you have overcome the fear of voluntarily stepping into cold water, you can do anything, right?
Sara Jones
Spa, Wellness & Lifestyle Expert, Spa Consultant, Speaker and Founder of Spa & Wellness MexiCaribe magazine
