Many people falsely believe they’ll get sick if exposed to the cold, but the exact opposite is true. Not only does the cold make you not sick (germs do that), cold showers and cold therapy actually boost your immune system and improve circulation.
If you train hard in the gym and in life, here are 4 reasons to hit the cold shower and leave the hot water off.
3 BENEFITS OF COLD SHOWERS FOR EXERCISE RECOVERY
BENEFIT #1: INCREASED CIRCULATION AND DETOX
When you take a cold shower the muscles in the circulatory system contract, pulling blood inwards. This contracting pulls blood away from the muscles and pushes it back into the core of the body. Biologically speaking, this is done to protect your organs and keep you alive.
This internal contraction causes a ton of blood and oxygen to circulate, supplying the body with fresh oxygen. This increase in circulation also helps flush out toxins and lactic acid which can then be processed by the body and removed.
Some folks refer to this process as a vascular massage.
BENEFIT #2: IMPROVED EXERCISE RECOVERY
The process of exposing ourselves to cold showers and then rewarming the body supercharges your circulation (as described above) which can help accelerate recovery.
By moving the metabolic byproducts of intense exercise (e.g., lactic acid) out of your muscles and into your body’s lymph system for elimination and recovery.
Cold showers also act as a systemic anti-inflammatory, helping to further the healing process.
BENEFIT #3: INCREASED TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION
It is well known that optimal testosterone production is essential to muscle recovery; cold showers can help you do that.
Several studies have been conducted on the benefits of cold showers releasing testosterone and have shown repeatedly that regular cold water exposure can boost sex drive and increase testosterone by triggering the release of luteinizing hormone.
Conclusion: COLD WATER WON’T MAKE YOU SICK! Though it can kill you if you stay in it too long. The truth is that targeted cold exposure therapy can be an incredible tool for speeding up exercise recovery and for improving your overall health.
Want to learn more about the benefits of Cold Showers? CLICK HERE