After a hard day at work, nothing beats a hot shower to relax and recharge. However, a chilly shower can be exactly what your body needs to wake up in the morning. Irrespective of your shower style, you are sure to feel better afterwards. If your mind has ever curiously wondered about the benefits of cold and hot showers, keep reading to learn which temperature is best for you and how it affects your health and well-being.

Hydration

A cold shower will temporarily close your pores making it easier to keep your hair and skin’s natural oils in place and because of this, you may sometimes rinse with cold water if you have dry skin or worry about brittle hair.

Hot showers, on the other hand, cause our pores to open. Therefore, you might consider taking a hot shower if you feel that your skin needs a thorough cleansing or if you are having breakouts.

Circulation

When you submerge yourself in cold water, your cardiovascular system goes into overdrive, enhancing blood circulation and making your heart beat more effectively. As your blood flow increases, you can notice your skin gradually become healthier and less prone to blemishes.

The flip side is that a hot shower might help relax and soothe your body if you are feeling rigid after a long day. Hot water can dilate blood vessels, which in turn improves blood circulation and reduces blood pressure.

Metabolism

An adjustment to the cooler settings on the tap might be good for your metabolism! To maintain a comfortable core temperature in cold showers, your body’s response will temporarily increase your metabolic rate, aiding your weight loss efforts. On top of that, you can also burn some calories as you relax in a hot bath. The soothing effects of a hot tub force your heart to work harder, increasing blood flow to the skin so that it remains cold.

That being said, no amount of alternating hot or cold showers will cause you to burn more calories than you would with regular exercise as well.

Bones

Because warm water is gentler on bones and promotes more movement, people with arthritis may find that a warm shower first thing in the morning is more beneficial than a cold one.

Yet, the anti-inflammatory effects of a cold shower may be helpful for athletes who have suffered injuries while playing sports or people who have hurt themselves during workouts.

Keep in mind

All that being said, it is crucial to know whether to take a cold or hot shower at certain times, depending on your body’s requirements. Despite their differences, both could improve your health in remarkable ways but they could also harm you if you are not careful enough.

Extreme temperatures of hot or cold showers may be dangerous to your health internally as well as externally, so try to avoid such extremes.

By Samayla Mahjabin Koishy

Photo: Collected