Five benefits of cold showers

While jumping in a cold shower might not sound very appealing, there’s growing evidence that cold showers have a multitude of health benefits, especially post-workout. Even better is that cold showers are accessible to pretty much everyone, and you’ll even save some money on your hot water bills! We’ll look at 5 of these benefits that will help you improve your recovery and get the most out of your workouts.

 

Improved recovery

By taking a cold shower, you can improve your circulation which accelerates recovery. Your body pulls your blood away from your muscles to your core (to keep you alive!) and this huge circulation of blood and oxygen helps flush out toxins and lactic acid from your workout session.

 

Increased testosterone

Testosterone is vital to muscle growth and cold showers have been shown by several studies to trigger the release of luteinizing hormone, increasing testosterone and your sex drive.

 

Anti-inflammatory

Exposure to cold water triggers the release of norepinephrine – an anti-inflammatory. This is perfect post-workout after you’ve caused damage to muscles (and inflammation results), helping accelerate the healing process.

 

Speed up metabolism

Cold showers have been shown to increase the activation of brown adipose tissue, the good fat which is vital in keeping us warm and protecting us from the cold. This activation actually boosts your metabolism, helping you burn more fat!

 

Feel better

Cold showers place a certain amount of stress on the body and repeated exposure can help condition it to react less severely when dealing with the anxieties and stressors that life in general can throw your way. Indeed, they’ve been found useful in treating serious conditions such as PTSD, anxiety and panic disorders.  Cold showers also release serotonin, making you feel great and helping you sleep better – things that key to exercise recovery and performing optimally in your next session.