Is taking a cold shower good for your health? Studies show a surprising answer

Did you know that cold bath Can cold showers bring several benefits to mental and physical health? Several studies indicate positive impacts on the lives of people who take cold showers.

In the early 19th century, the first cold showers were developed by doctors with the aim of “cooling hot and inflamed brains and instilling fear to tame impetuous wills”, and were widely used in asylums and prisons.

Recently, based on new studies, the practice of taking cold showers with the aim of improving health is making a comeback.

Is taking a cold shower good for your health?

According to a study conducted in the Netherlands, people who take cold showers take less sick leave from work than those who take hot showers.

The study was conducted with over 3,000 people, divided into four groups. All participants were instructed to take a hot bath daily.

However, one group was instructed to finish the shower with 30 seconds of cold water, while another group was instructed to finish with 60 seconds and a third group with 90 seconds.

The last group followed only the hot bath protocol. In this sense, all groups followed the guidelines for months.

After three months, it was possible to observe that people who took cold water showers had a 29% reduction in sick leave.

Unfortunately, the reason why cold water can improve our health is still unclear. However, some scientists suggest that this improvement has to do with strengthening the immune system.

Furthermore, a study conducted in the Czech Republic found that immersion in cold water three times a week over a period of six weeks provided a mild stimulus to the immune systems of the “athletic young people” who participated in the study.

However, more studies are still needed to understand the positive impacts of cold showers on our mental and physical health to confirm these results.

However, it appears that water has the potential to activate the sympathetic nervous system, producing the hormone norepinephrine, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, thus improving health.