Cold Water Therapy: What Are The Benefits Of A Cold Shower?

We know the idea of a cold shower first thing in the morning sounds like the worst thing imaginable, especially by choice but trust when we say you WILL become addicted.

Cold water therapy, or cold hydrotherapy is a growingly popular morning practice. It's been long-popular with athletes and celebs like model Miranda Kerr describing cold showers as “invigorating” when talking about her morning routine.

What Is Cold Water Therapy?

Well, it's pretty simply using water that’s around 59°F (15°C) to treat health conditions or stimulate health benefits.

This can be done in the form of ice baths, brisk daily showers, outdoor swims, and cold water immersion therapy sessions.

What Are The Benefits?

Fans say they've seen cold water therapy improve their circulation, improved their quality of sleep, spike their energy levels, and reduce inflammation in their bodies.

Reduces Muscle Soreness

Athletes use cold water therapy to reduce muscle soreness later on, with a 2016 study* involving 20 participants showed the same thing. Athletes who soaked in a pool of cold water (12°C to 15°C) reported less muscle soreness than those who had no hydrotherapy after exercising.

Helps To Boost Your Mood

Cold water is not a cure for any mental health condition but experts have said that cold water swimming can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression in some cases.

Stimulates Blood Circulation and Lymphatic Flow

Good circulation is one of the most critical components of our overall health and well-being. When you immerse your body in cold water, the blood rushes to surround your vital organs. Your heart is then forced to pump more efficiently, pushing blood through all your vessels and supplying every part of your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Doing this on a routine basis can help promote healthy blood circulation and a healthy body. It also pushes fresh-nutrient blood to the skin to give a lovely healthy, pink bloom and increases tone.

The lymphatic system is what we're all about here at Legology! It's a network of vessels that run throughout the body, clearing out waste, bacteria and microbes from your cells. The lymphatic system essentially helps your body cleanse itself.

Unlike your blood, which is constantly pumped through your body by the heart, your lymph fluid doesn’t have a central pump. Instead, your lymphatic system relies on muscle contractions to pump the lymph fluid through the vessels. So if you don’t exercise or your lymphatic system itself becomes slow or inefficient, the fluid stagnates and toxins build up. This then causes leg concerns like cellulite and fluid retention to occur.

The cold water causes your lymph vessels to contract, forcing your lymphatic system to pump lymph fluids throughout your body and flush waste out of the area.

How Can I Try Cold Water Therapy?

• If you're not ready to jump straight into a cold shower, we recommend trying Swedish Spray Therapy first.  Spray your body alternately with warm and cold water in the shower or using the shower attachment in the bath, ending with a warm spritz.⁠ This is a great little beauty tip to go with our Exfo-Lite Stimulating Salts For Legs as along with the effects of the stimulating and invigorating salt massage, this primes and prepares your legs for an application of our Air-Lite Daily Lift For Legs for the ultimate radiant leg glow.
• Just go for it... we dare you! Turn your shower to 10-15°C on its cold setting - this is especially good after a workout to cool you down and reduce muscle soreness.
• If you're feeling really brave, you can go for an ice bath. Add ice to water until the temperature is between 10-15°C and submerge yourself for 10-15 minutes.
• Or, get out there in nature and go for a try going for a wild swim in cold waters

Always make sure you warm up quickly after getting out of the cold water with a warm, dry towel.

*Yeung S, et al. (2016). Effects of cold water immersion on muscle oxygenation during repeated bouts of fatiguing exercise: A randomized controlled study. DOI:  10.1097/MD.0000000000002455