The ever-increasing amount of heat and humidity makes Revathi Murugappan, the author at star2.com and certified fitness trainer, feel like keeping herself hydrated by taking cold showers daily. But, the water is so warm and it needs to be cooled.
Those who love to take bath in warm water may feel lethargic and a few pounds heavier after showering.
Let’s see how cold water helps to burn more fat and in losing weight loss.
Basically, there are two kinds of fats in every human being and those are white and brown.
White fat is something that is accumulated when we consume more calories and do not convert it in energy. If these calories are not burnt, the white fat gets accumulated in the body and we need to regularly do exercise for burning them.
Brown fat is the good fat that is also known as brown adipose tissue. According to Mayo Clinic, this fat is turned on when you get cold. It maintains your body temperature to survive in cold conditions by producing heat.
Studies suggest that increasing the amount of healthy brown fat helps in weight management and reduce the risk of diabetes. Additionally, brown fats help in burning energy to generate heat. Cold showers help in promoting brown fat activity.
While showering in cold water, it makes you feel breathing harder and increases your blood circulation and heart rate to keep the body warm.
According to sources, if you take a cold shower, your body attempts to burn more calories in order to generate more body heat and maintain proper temperature. It will ultimately result in increased metabolism.
What is best after a workout? Hot or cold shower? Read on to know:
Cold water effects:
Taking bath in a cold water lowers the temperature of possible damaged tissues and contracts the blood vessels. She says, “A key assumption about the benefits of cold water immersion is that it reduces inflammation in skeletal muscle and even numbs the nerve endings to bring immediate relief to any pain.”
A British charity organization conducted a medical research in 2012 Cochrane and 17 trials. It involved around 366 participants immersed in cold water after cycling, resistance training or running. They found that cold-water baths were much more effective after one to four days of exercising and getting relief from sore muscles.
Further, with 10°C to 15°C when the participants stayed for almost 24 minutes. The trial was conducted in alternate cold and warm water or contrast immersion. Contrast immersion did not give significant benefits but according to some experts, alternating hot and cold water helps increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients to internal body organs, by encouraging detoxification.
Another important factor is that cold showers have demonstrated to relieve depression. It works as an anti-depressive effect by boosting moods.
Moreover, if somebody is really tired by having cold shower may result in relief.
Hot water effects:
If you are exercising in air-condition, hot water showers may be advantageous. Bathing in warm water helps in relaxing muscles by stimulating the blood flow. It helps in reducing post-workout soreness and fatigue.
So, finally, hot water makes you relax but cold water helps in healing the damaged tissue. To summon up, too much warm showers or hot baths can leave your skin dry and itchy, or cause rashes on the skin, and cooler baths or showers can keep skin hydrated and help hair stay strong and shiny and burning fats.
