Why you should take cold shower

Okay, here’s a riddle for you: How can you save energy and gain energy at the same time? Give up? Take a cold shower. It’s an invigorating and energy-boosting way to start the day. And since, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating water can account for up to 25 percent of your energy bill, taking cold showers will be good for you, your pocketbook, and the environment.

People have used cold water therapeutically to promote health for centuries. It produces a natural analgesic (painkilling) effect that can ease muscle aches and pains. Plus, a cold shower raises your metabolic rate, which can reduce fatigue and increase energy. There’s even some evidence that it may help relieve depression, which is pretty high on the list of energy killers!

Exposure to cold water also improves circulation, aids in ridding the body of toxins, reduces inflammation, enhances the immune system, and helps stabilize blood pressure. Not a bad resume for an energy enhancer that’s essential free! Not only will taking regular cold showers make you feel better, but it will also make you look better – it does wonders for your skin and hair.

There is no quicker way to get a blast of energy than by turning the hot water off and spending as little as a few seconds under a cold shower. Scandinavians have long known about the energy-boosting power of a bracing cold shower, and they even build alternating hot and cold showers into their spa treatments. The energizing effect of cold water is as close as you bathroom.

If you’re interested in trying this for yourself, here are a couple of things to do to make sure this energizing experience is a pleasant one. First of all, make sure the bathroom is warm. The last thing you want to do is step out of a cold shower and into a freezing cold room. Second, when you get into the shower in the first place, start with the temperature at whatever you consider normal (which is usually warm). Then move out of the water stream and turn the hot water off. Test the water with your feet first, then your hands and face to acclimate. Try to stay in long enough for the shock to wear off. (You may have to build up, starting with as few as 5 seconds. No problem!) Then towel off and start your day exhilarated and energized.

WORTH KNOWING
If you have any health issues, particularly heart disease or Raynaud’s disease, or if you are anemic, you may want to check with your health care professional before getting into the cold shower habit.