At first, the thought of cold water might give you the chills. However, it can give your mental, emotional, and physical health the boost it needs.
We all have our fair share of anxieties, depressive episodes, fear, lack of control, etc. Whether you’ve always felt these feelings throughout your life or the past few years have forced them to pop up. They can be scary, especially when you feel like you’re going through it alone.
We’re always on the lookout for ways to support our mental health so that we can show up in the world and be fully present.
Of course, we can’t expect every single day of our lives to be perfect and full of happiness and positivity. That’s completely unrealistic, but we can give ourselves the tools to hopefully make our days brighter.
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Effects Of Cold Water-
The effects of cold water have been studied and found positive results. It’s not a new trend either. You’ve probably seen videos of professional athletes fully immersed in an ice bath after hard a workout session to help their muscles recuperate faster.
Looking back on history, our modern-day steamy hot showers are a luxury not enjoyed by our ancestors. They would bathe in whatever water was available to them, either frigid, cold, cool, or lukewarm. Hot water was never an option until around the late 1800’s. If you’re someone who’s into living the ancient way through a keto or paleo diet then cold showers might be right up your alley.
These icy cold immersions can not only help our physical body but can have tremendous emotional and mental benefits as well. Introducing cold water into your wellness routine can dramatically improve how you feel from the inside out.
Below we’ll go over some of the ways that cold water exposure can improve your overall well-being. Whether you prefer ice baths, cold lake plunges, or cold showers, they can all produce a myriad of health and wellness benefits.
Disclaimer: Check with your doctor before using hydrotherapy as it can be potentially harmful if you have any heart conditions.
Lymphatic Drainage-
The lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump and relies on muscle movements to move the fluid around. If you aren’t exercising regularly or going for regular lymphatic drainage massages then you could have a backup of lymph fluid. Cold water will cause the lymph vessels to contract leaving them room to move and drain out. This will rid the body of any excess waste.
When your lymphatic system is backed up, it can cause things like brain fog, a weakened immune system, and chronic fatigue. Regular cold water exposure can help your lymphatic system to flow and keep your body and brain functioning smoothly. You’ll have more energy and feel lighter overall.
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Uric Acid & Glutathione-
Uric Acid is a waste product that dissolves into the bloodstream, is removed through the kidneys, and exists through urine. The body creates the chemical uric acid through the breakdown of purines.
Foods containing purines include red meats, seafood, organ meats, high fructose beverages, and alcohol. Limiting your consumption of those products is recommended to keep your uric acid levels down.
When the body’s uric acid levels become too high you risk developing painful ailments like kidney stones or gout. Cold water exposure raises our metabolic rate which also raises oxidation. This can help to flush out uric acid from the body.
Cold water has also been shown to increase the body’s levels of Glutathione. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that helps to rid the body of waste like uric acid. By incorporating cold water into your routine your body will have an easier time getting rid of what it doesn’t need.
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Circulation-
When the body is exposed to cold water, blood will rush to the vital organs to keep them warm. Your breathing will intensify and your body will go into a bit of a shock. At first, you might panic and gasp for air until you eventually begin to take deeper breaths.
This boost of oxygen to the body will enter the bloodstream which is being circulated. A combo boost of oxygen and blood flow is a win for your cardiovascular and overall health and well-being.
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Skin & Hair-
Who doesn’t want to start their day with naturally glowing skin and shinier hair? Hot water is known to strip the natural oils from your skin and hair. This leaves your skin and hair dry, cracked, brittle, and damaged. If you think about how damaging heat tools are on your hair then you can’t imagine that scorching hot water is any better.
Especially for those with skin conditions like rosacea or psoriasis, the last thing you need is something that will dry out your skin even more. Using cold water in your shower can help revive the skin and hair’s natural oils, keeping them shinier, healthier, and moisturized. Not only will you feel better but you’ll look better too.
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Better Stress-
When you expose your body to cold water, a process called hardening occurs. As you can probably tell, hardening is when you become hardened to external stimuli. This leaves you better equipped to handle the daily stressors that life will throw at you.
Traffic, a flat tire, or long lines will seem like no big deal when you’ve already conquered your hardest task for the day. Of course, stress is completely normal and healthy in certain doses. However, when we’re chronically stressed it can weaken our immune system, raise our cortisol levels and leave us feeling generally shitty.
When you live with prolonged stress it can manifest into other health-related issues down the line.
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Relieve Anxiety & Depression-
A cold blast of water is said to set off our body’s fight-or-flight response. This in turn releases the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and endorphins to boost your mood and mind state positively. This can potentially benefit those who suffer from anxiety and depression. Try it for 30 days to see if you notice a positive difference in your mental state.
Even if you don’t suffer from either, the past few years have been tough on everyone so hydrotherapy can potentially mentally benefit us all.
Improved Immunity-
We’ve all recognized the importance of having a strong and healthy immune system over these past couple of years to fight off whatever bug may be going around.
A study showed that those who took cold showers for 30 days were 29% less likely to call in sick at work. (Although, if you have a certain amount of sick days at work, use all of them up, you deserve it). Still, it’s nice to not get sick as often especially if you have a hectic schedule.
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Morning Motivation-
When you start your day off by doing a hard thing, it gets your mind into the mode of “I can do anything I set my mind to.” Once you’ve conquered cold water at the beginning of your day, any other menial task will seem like a breeze and can easily be completed with no problem.
Getting off on the right foot and challenging yourself first thing in the morning can cause a positive spiral effect for the rest of your day.
If you find yourself lacking motivation, using cold water in your shower can be a simple trick to get your body and mind going. Your to-do list will appear much less intimidating.
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Cold Water Benefits-
As intimidating as it seems, the benefits far outweigh the possible discomfort. Using cold water exposure whether that be in the shower, a lake, an ice bath, etc. can benefit your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
You’ll handle stress better, drain your system of waste, improve your immunity, potentially relieve your anxiety and depression, and even walk away with shiny hair and moisturized skin.
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Final Thoughts-
When you start your day off with a challenge, you’ll feel accomplished and set yourself up for success that will carry you throughout the rest of your day. You don’t have to suffer through a five-minute-long cold shower. If you can only handle 15-30 seconds of a cold blast before you step out then that’s great too.
Start slow, see what you can handle, and then work from there. If you skip a day or two every week because you just want to be warm then that’s okay. Push yourself but never expect perfection.
Check it out for yourself, see if you notice the benefits, and decide if they are worth it for you. Hopefully, this post has inspired you to take the plunge…literally, and see if cold water therapy can help you along on your health and wellness journey.
