Why you should wake up to a . . . COLD shower
JUst the thought of it might be enough to give you the shivers. But a cold shower every day could be the secret to a slimmer waist, smoother skin and shinier hair — not to mention our well-being.
In a recent study, a blast of cold water in the morning was linked to fewer sick days and higher energy levels. two-thirds of the 3,000 participants even chose to stick with their chilly regimen once the experiment was over.
so, isn’t it about time that we all warmed to the idea? here,
LIZ STOUT explores the benefits.
KEEP A COOL HEAD
A FREEZING blast of water in the morning will do more than wake you up — it’ll boost your brain, too, according to sports psychologist Melinda Nicci.
‘When an icy shower hits your skin, the natural reaction is to breathe much more heavily and deeply,’ she says. ‘this increases oxygen intake and speeds up circulation. Blood travels to your limbs and organs faster — and brain function gets a boost.’
While it may sound like torture, Nicci says a daily dose of cold water also has benefits for your state of mind.
‘When you choose take a cold shower, you are psychologically taking control and telling yourself you’re ready to face whatever the day throws at you.’
FREEZE OUT FLAB
experts say turning down the temperature of your shower could also help you stay in shape. When we eat more calories than we burn, the excess convert to white fat — a nasty kind that fills love handles and likes to gather stubbornly around tummies, thighs and hips.
But we’re also made up of brown fat cells, which, when exposed to the cold, generate heat to warm us up, burning extra calories.
‘take an icy shower every day and you’ll help boost your weight loss plan by activating the calorie-burning activity of brown fat,’ says nutritionist Jenny tschiesche.
research by the University of Maastricht, in the Netherlands, suggests that regular exposure to chilly temperatures could burn off up to 9 lb a year.
FIGHT DISEASES
Athletes have long sworn by the muscle-mending power of ice baths, and a cold shower could offer the same benefits.
‘though showers might not pack the same punch, they will certainly be beneficial,’ says Dr Colin Crosby, director of sport and exercise medicine at the BMI hendon hospital.
‘the initial shock closes down the peripheral circulation and redirects blood to all your key organs. Once you step out of the cold, blood flow to the periphery increases.
‘All the extra oxygen-rich blood helps repair tissue faster, and gives the metabolism a boost.’
this sudden increase in circulation also stimulates immune cell production, triggering the release of white blood cells responsible for fighting off disease, according to studies by the thrombosis research Institute in london.
HAPPY CHILLS
We’re often told that laughter is the best medicine — but the real reason it makes us feel good is that we suffocate slightly when we’re doing it, says Dr James Jackson, a psychology lecturer at leeds trinity University.
And a cold shower, it seems, can be just as good at helping us unwind.
‘When we laugh hard, and breathing is interrupted, the body is exposed to lowlevel stress, which triggers the release of our natural pain-killing endorphins,’ says Dr Jackson.
‘A similar reaction will happen when you take an ice-cold shower.
‘Cold water hitting your skin triggers a “good stress” shock reaction, to which the brain responds by releasing feel-good chemicals.
‘For this reason, regular cold showers could be particularly therapeutic for anyone struggling with stress or depression.’
Other evidence suggests that lowering the temperature of the brain can relieve inflammation, which has been linked to depressive illness.
SMOOTHER SKIN
STANDING under a stream of hot water may feel nice, but it takes its toll on your skin.
hot water breaks down the skin’s natural oils, stripping it of moisture — and shower gel only makes matters worse.
‘Cold water is much kinder to skin and far less likely to dry it out,’ says cosmetic dermatologist Dr Mervyn patterson.
‘But the main positive impact is in altering the surface blood flow. sudden exposure to cold water constricts the fine surface blood vessels, so that pore size is instantly reduced.
‘You should immediately see some improvement in skin tone directly afterwards, especially if you’re prone to redness.’
GET AN ICY SHINE
BLASTS of cold water might not repair existing hair damage, but it will give your locks instant gloss, says celebrity stylist Mark Woolley.
‘When you rinse your hair with cold water, the low temperature triggers a sudden rush of blood that flows directly to the hair follicle and flattens the cuticle, so your hair looks instantly shiny.’
this increased blood flow can help promote new hair growth, too.
‘lots of my clients now routinely ask for a cold rinse after their shampoo,’ says Woolley.
‘It might give you a bit of a shock at first, but make it a regular part of your haircare regime and it will soon become second nature.’