Why you should take a cold shower, according to health experts

Fashion and beauty

from Adriana Diaz

Time to dive in?

Health and beauty experts tout the benefits of cold showers — usually defined as bathing in water below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Think of it as a little ‘shock’ to your system,” Dr. Majdoline Jayoushe, an internal medicine specialist and associate professor at Mount Sinai, told Vogue this week.

“When you’re in cold water, your brain is too busy focusing on making the unpleasant sensation go away instead of thinking about all the reasons why you’re unhappy or stressed.”

“It helps you get out of your head,” she added.

Studies have found that cold showers or cold plunges can help increase endorphins, boost metabolism, boost immune health, promote healthy weight loss, improve circulation, reduce inflammation and swelling, combat symptoms of depression, and pain reduction.

Some also claim that cold water can give you a beauty boost by shrinking pores and adding shine to your hair.

“Cold showers can temporarily tighten [pores] and helps you retain the natural oils in your skin and hair,” Dr. Mohammad Juber, who specializes in pharmacology, confirmed to WebMD.

However, people who experience breakouts may want to rinse their face with hot water to open and deep clean their pores.

Experts recommend taking a cold shower in the afternoon or evening, noting that our core body temperature is lowest in the morning.

Jayoushe advises to “take deep breaths and move around in the shower to distribute the water evenly over your body.”

Professionals often recommend that beginners start with a few seconds and add five more each time.

You don’t have to freeze for long—a 2016 study published in PLOS One found that people who took cold showers for just 30 to 90 seconds over 90 days called in sick to work 29 percent less often. -few of the people who didn’t take the plunge.

“We often think of athletes taking a cold dip in an ice bath,” Eric Noyce, a registered nurse at Avera Medical Group Internal Medicine in South Dakota, said last year, “but we’re seeing more healthy adults exploring the possible benefits of a brief, chilly experience while bathing.’

“Most people don’t know that cold showers can lower cortisol, which can really help with things like anxiety, depression and even addiction,” Noyce added.

Health practitioners aren’t the only ones extolling the benefits of cold water therapy – celebrities including Hailey Bieber, Drake and Kim Kardashian have all indulged in the experience.

However, those with respiratory challenges such as asthma; cardiovascular diseases; hypertension; or other heart-related problems, you should be careful and consult a doctor beforehand.