The practice helps fight pain and improve mood and also helps in the treatment of depression and anxiety
Imagine if that shower right after waking up, before a full day of work, was with cold water? It may seem like a bit of an unpleasant idea, but perhaps it’s what your body needs to improve physical and mental health.
The practice of take cold baths gained notoriety after Dutch sportsman Wim Hof broke world records for his stunts of resisting extreme temperatures through techniques combining breathing and immersion in cold water. According to him, the practice helps deal with depression, pain, concentration, mood and anxiety.
Numerous studies have already revealed these benefits, and in the most recent one, researchers from the United Kingdom concluded that bathing in cold water increases adrenaline, producing anti-inflammatory responses in the body.
In another study, Dutch researchers found that people who took cold showers were less likely to miss work due to illness than those who took hot showers.
According to human and personal development specialist Gisele Hedler, who is also a fan of the practice, exposure to Ice water activates parts of the brain that help deal with painas well as promoting general well-being.
Benefits of an ice bath
The professional explains that when the body is exposed to cold, the veins and blood vessels become compressed. “This means that there will be greater blood flow to the organs, which will have more nutrients to work with and will therefore be able to function more efficiently,” he says.
But this should not be surprising, because according to the expert, cold baths have been used as therapy since ancient times. For her it is as if the cold was a stimulus for the body to carry out functions essential for our emotional well-being.
“The sympathetic nervous system, activated in dangerous situations or during physical exercise, is not entirely involuntary, as was believed until recently. Exposure to cold stimulates this part of the brain, improving mood and helping to adapt to the stresses of life,” explains Gisele.
Additionally, cold water also causes a sudden and intense release of hormones that can have antidepressant effects, says the human development expert.
“There have been some studies in the UK that have shown that the technique with cold soak three times a week can treat chronic depression. This is because by immersing yourself in cold water you can get a huge activation of dopamine, a hormone that depressed people are limited in.”
However, Gisele reminds that each person’s answers are individual and generalizations can lead to errors. Therefore, the ideal is not to impose this practice as right or wrong before practicing it and checking the response of an individual’s body.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
