It seems so counterintuitive. Growing up, most of us were taught to believe that the cold gets us sick, and now, suddenly, there has been a big boom in the discussion about the benefits of cold showers. And this new way of thinking in regards to cold is for good reason.
Introduction
While most people see cold showers as a torturous experience, a select few see them as an opportunity to optimize health and wellness. In this article, we will discuss some of the top benefits and reasons why you should consider taking cold showers while simultaneously answering the following questions:
- Why are Cold showers Good for you?
- Do Cold Showers Burn Fat?
- What are the Benefits of Cold Showers for Men?
#1: Why are Cold Showers good for you?
When exposed to cold, specifically from cold plunges and cold showers, the body undergoes stress, and this specific type of stress causes the activation of various mechanisms in the body. Among those mechanisms, cutaneous vasoconstriction is probably the first one you notice when taking a cold shower.
This causes blood vessels to constrict, causing the body to retain heat more efficiently.
Cold showers also release norepinephrine in the bloodstream, which is a naturally produced chemical in the body that helps with mood, and focus. This is most likely the reason people report that “good feeling” after getting out of a cold shower
Cold showers have also been linked with improving the immune system. It’s crazy to think that being in the cold can actually help you fight sickness. Nonetheless, this happens because cold water stimulates the production of white blood cells in the bloodstream, which are directly linked to our immune system.
#2 Do Cold Showers Burn Fat?
Cold Showers also help burn fat, but not exactly in the way you may think.
While it is true that cold exposure causes you to shiver, which inevitably causes you to burn calories, the real benefits come in the creation of brown fat.
I know most of you may be thinking “Is brown fat going to make me look fat?” and the answer to that is NO!
Brown fat is a type of fat that your body creates to keep you insulated during cold exposure, and it does wonders regarding weight loss. Unlike typical white fat that tends to spread out in blobs around the body, brown fat is dense and aids your body in breaking down glucose.
When your body utilizes brown fat, the need to shiver during cold exposure goes down, while simultaneously burning calories.
#3: What are the Benefits of Cold Showers for Men?
Men, listen up because this information could help you optimize your “man parts” so to speak.
There have been studies showing a rise in testosterone in men who take a daily cold shower. But it is also important to note, that cold showers are nowhere near as powerful in raising testosterone as a healthy diet, proper sleep, and exercise.
But let’s say you have those 3 things in check, and now you’re looking for an added testosterone boost. Well, you’re in luck, because a Japanese study done back in 1991 found that cold exposure BEFORE a workout aided in testosterone production. I emphasize the “before” part because they also found that cold exposure post-workout decreased testosterone.
As to exactly why this happens, some believe that the cooling of the testicles is what aids in testosterone production, and there have been men who report testosterone boosts from icing their testicles. As to how accurate these anecdotes are, I am not sure.
Conclusion
Now that we covered the Benefits of Cold Showers, Let’s discuss how to partake in cold exposure safely and effectively.
Most of the research done on cold exposure is done through plunging the body into cold water, and I understand this may be expensive to most, but a cold plunge does seem like the optimal tool for cold exposure. I, like most people, do not have this tool, and I resort to a cold shower every morning, and if you are on the fence about buying a cold plunge, I recommend you try cold showers instead.
Now here comes the protocol:
It is recommended to do at least 11 minutes of cold exposure a week, as cold as you can safely handle, while still being uncomfortable. To me, that looks like waking up early in the morning before the sun comes up, positioning myself under my showerhead, and turning the knob to the coldest setting for 3 minutes a day. It’s that easy.
Stay Tribal my friends, Angel Montes
