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Vigor, good mood, increasing the body's defenses - to achieve these goals, many centuries ago humanity found an accessible means - alternating exposure of the body to cold and hot temperatures. For our great-grandfathers, the bath always alternated with dousing with cold water, and in winter - with wiping with snow. What should a modern person, accustomed to the benefits of civilization, do? Try a contrast shower - alternating hot water, no more than 45°C, with cold water - its temperature ranges from 10°C to 20°C.
What are the benefits of a contrast shower?
Improved blood circulation
Under the influence of hot water, blood vessels expand; cold water does the opposite - they narrow. As a result, blood circulation improves, including microcirculation. Organs and tissues are better supplied with oxygen, metabolic processes improve.
Thermoregulation
Temperature contrast is excellent training for both blood vessels and thermal adaptation mechanisms. The body's thermoregulation gradually improves, a person can better tolerate heat or cold, quickly adapts to any weather, and in case of overheating or hypothermia, the body can easily cope with their consequences.
Hardening
With a sharp change in temperature, the body’s defenses are activated; with regular procedures, a person is able to resist colds.
Effect on skin and weight
Alternate heating and cooling of problem areas of the skin has an anti-cellulite effect, and the skin takes on a healthy and toned appearance. In the fight against extra pounds, a contrast shower can also provide excellent support. When there are sudden changes in temperature, the water jet helps fight fat deposits, while the skin is tightened naturally.
Nervous system
Due to the alternate irritation of skin receptors, the functioning of the nervous system is stimulated. In addition to the emotional state, sleep improves, apathy disappears, people suffering, for example, from chronic fatigue syndrome, which is so widespread today, feel much better.
Vascular system
Contrast showers are very effective for varicose veins: both as a method of prevention and as a remedy. Alternating alternation of cool and warm water has a beneficial effect on the vascular walls, increasing their tone, tissue elasticity is restored, and muscle stimulation occurs. If the procedure is combined with the use of drugs for varicose veins prescribed by a doctor, the effect of treatment increases. But caution should be exercised, since a contrast shower, effective for varicose veins, is contraindicated for thrombophlebitis - an inflammatory process in the venous wall with the formation of a blood clot. Therefore, before starting the procedures, you should consult a specialist.
"Paradoxical Intention"
Once you're in bed and feel like you can't sleep, try another technique that psychologists call "paradoxical intention." You need to stay calmly awake and not make desperate attempts to fall asleep.
Dr. Kansagra believes that by doing this you will reduce the anxiety around the process of falling asleep, which quite often will paradoxically help you fall asleep.
Try to direct the disturbing energy of the dream away from various scientific articles and find both long-term and short-term solutions to this problem. If you cannot cope with it on your own, do not put off visiting a specialist.
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Contrast shower - how to take it
It would seem that there is nothing complicated, just douse yourself with very cold, then hot water. But each person has his own threshold of sensitivity. Some people tolerate being doused with ice water quite well, but for others, temperatures below 15°C are intolerable. Refuse procedures? It turns out that for those who are not enthusiastic about such radical measures, the process can be made more gentle: both hot and cold water can be at a comfortable temperature - the benefit from this will be no less.
To get the effect, it is enough to feel the effect of contrasting temperatures. Nevertheless, it is better for a beginner to proceed with caution, gradually selecting the most acceptable mode for himself. If you can’t get rid of the chills, you can start with your feet, pouring them higher every day, while gradually lowering the temperature of the water. And most importantly: procedures should be started only if there are no acute diseases; otherwise, deterioration is possible. In case of any health problems, you should first visit a specialist.
If you suffer from varicose veins, then there are a number of nuances that should be observed, since under the influence of hot water, already weakened vessels expand. Therefore, the temperature should not be higher than 40°C; it is also better to avoid too cold. In addition, the stream of water should be directed from the feet to the knees: along the front, side and back surfaces of the leg.
A true immune booster
Playing with hot and cold water has a beneficial effect on the immune system. Scientists have discovered that the body responds to this temperature effect by increasing the production of such an important type of leukocytes as monocytes. These cells most actively absorb any infection that enters the body (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa), and they also remove dead and damaged cells.
The strengthening of the immune system as a result of daily use of a contrast shower is indeed very noticeable. Thus, researchers from the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam found that in the control group, the incidence of seasonal influenza decreased by almost 30%, and those who did get sick suffered from the disease easily, they had no complications, and they recovered quickly.
Generally speaking, the effect of cold water on strengthening immunity has been known since time immemorial. All traditional hardening systems are based precisely on exposure to cold. But a contrast shower is a much more pleasant and safe procedure than dousing yourself with cold water alone. And as studies show, its effectiveness is higher than that of cold dousing.
Thus, one study conducted on mice showed that daily short-term temperature stress increased the activity of peripheral T-lymphocytes in experimental mice. These cells enhance the activity of monocytes and are also involved in the recognition of foreign cells and their destruction.
After just 8 days, cellular immunity increased significantly.
Strengthening immunity does not just protect a person from seasonal diseases. It has another very important property. A strong immune system automatically ensures the correct composition of the intestinal microflora (after all, almost 80% of immune cells are concentrated in the intestines). Healthy intestinal microflora ensures proper digestion and rhythmic bowel function. And this is one of the most powerful protections against the development of colorectal cancer.
A few simple rules
Gradually, the body gets used to the procedures, a shower becomes a necessity for the body, waking up becomes easy, and the state of health becomes excellent. But to prevent showering from becoming an unpleasant chore, you should follow a few rules.
- You should always start the procedure with warm water, moving to hot water gradually.
- After the body has become accustomed to temperature fluctuations, the optimal regime is: exposure to hot water for 1 minute, then dousing with cold water for 15-30 seconds. Thus, staying under hot water is longer than under cold water.
- There is no need to do a dozen alternations, three are enough, however, you can be guided by sensations.
- Avoid freezing; showering should be fun, not a challenge.
- During a contrast shower, only the body should be doused; the head should not be wetted, since a sharp change in temperature negatively affects the blood vessels of the head.
- You should always end your shower with cold water.
- After the shower, rub several times vigorously with a towel until a feeling of warmth appears.
Having started water procedures, they should be carried out daily, without interruption on weekends and holidays. Only regular douches can benefit the body.
Application of the procedure for weight loss
Every young girl dreams of a slim and attractive figure. Almost every woman is on a strict diet and exercises for 2 hours a day at home or in the gym. He also runs every morning and drinks two liters of water a day.
You can also lose weight with a contrast shower, but using the methods described above. At first, your body will experience stress, but over time, this procedure will give you only pleasure. Your skin will become firmer and more elastic.
Scientists have long proven that a sharp change in temperature improves human health and well-being. Several centuries ago, the Slavs, after a bath, dived into an ice hole or wiped their bodies with snow. It is a pity that today we do not have such an opportunity. But we have the opportunity to take a contrast shower every day.
During dousing, muscle tone changes, blood begins to move through the vessels much faster, and numerous harmful substances are removed from our body. Thanks to dousing, we become more cheerful, cheerful, energetic, and along with cellulite, excess weight disappears once and for all. And very soon you will catch the admiring glances of men and will not recognize yourself in the mirror.
By carefully following the methods described above, you will be able to maintain your sexuality and attractiveness for many years.
Continuing this article, you will learn about contrast showers, how to do them correctly for people suffering from various diseases, and whether it is possible to do contrast showers for pregnant women.
When is it better to take a contrast shower?
It is best to carry out the procedure in the morning, but not immediately after waking up - let the body “wake up” on its own. Compliance with this recommendation is especially important for people suffering from heart disease (of course, without contraindications). This is due to the fact that immediately after waking up, a person’s heart works in a calmer mode; a sharp change in temperature is accompanied by a load that will be difficult for the body to cope with.
If you prefer to take a contrast shower in the morning, then it must be done before breakfast; if you do morning exercises, then after it is finished. If you don’t have enough time or desire to shower in the morning, you can move the procedure to the evening hours. However, the time interval between shower and sleep must be at least three hours, otherwise there will be a problem with falling asleep.
How can you determine that this type of water treatment is really right for you? If everyone around you talks about the beneficial effects of a contrast shower, but your emotions when taking a shower can hardly be called positive? A sign that the procedures are suitable is a feeling of a surge of energy and vigor after a shower. If chills appear and your extremities are frozen, it means that the water temperature is not selected correctly. In this case, it is necessary to adjust it so as not to experience discomfort.
Is it possible to solve this problem?
For many people, solving this problem is not difficult at all: just go to bed a few hours earlier to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep. However, some people, of whom there are quite a few especially during a pandemic, suffer from insomnia. They stay up all night counting sheep.
Having so much information about sleep bombarding us from different sources can make falling asleep even more difficult. Kelly Morin, a clinician at Octave Therapy Group in New York, says many of the articles and studies can put extra pressure on people who are eager to get into bed and fall asleep immediately.
Try not to absorb all this information that says eight hours of sleep is the norm.
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Contraindications – for whom a contrast shower is not recommended
It should be borne in mind that a contrast shower is not a panacea, as with any therapeutic method of influencing the human body; it has a number of contraindications, which, if ignored, can cause harm. These include:
- oncological diseases;
- cerebrovascular accidents;
- severe diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including hypertension and thrombophlebitis;
- any infectious diseases and acute diseases, for example, tonsillitis, ARVI, pancreatitis, cystitis, etc.
- pregnancy and lactation period.
If you decide to take a contrast shower, it is better to consult your doctor. Sometimes it is enough to adjust either the shower time or the water temperature.
Is a cold shower good for you before bed?
Everyone has known about the benefits of hardening procedures since childhood: swimming in cool water strengthens the immune system, improves vascular tone and skin condition. Doctors advise resorting to this procedure throughout the year, winter is no exception.
To achieve maximum benefits, it is better to bathe in the morning: a shower invigorates, activates metabolism, and has a tonic effect.
Important: However, this does not mean that you cannot take a cold shower before bed. In the absence of contraindications, everyone can enjoy this cool bath.
Cold shower:
- saturates skin cells with oxygen;
- helps relieve accumulated fatigue;
- cleanses the skin of impurities;
- has a relaxing effect on muscles.
Important: People who take a cold shower every evening are less likely to get sick. And all because the procedure increases the body's resistance.
Note to all fashionistas
Water procedures are very beneficial for the face, because they massage and train facial vessels, muscles, and harden the whole body. Try alternating washing your face for a week, without missing a day, and you will soon see how your face becomes younger and your eyes sparkle.
Tips from cosmetologists:
- First, rinse your face twice with warm water.
- Then the water temperature is increased to a tolerable limit and the face is rinsed.
- Next, wash your face several times with a cold stream, then again with a hot stream.
- The last rinse is a cold shower.
Make the hot stage longer than the cold stage. The cold stage should begin with 10 seconds, gradually increasing to 1 minute.
Alternating dousing can also be used for hair, but the flow should not be too hot or too cold, this is important!
Expectant mothers often ask: is it possible for pregnant women to do such manipulations? In the early stages it is even useful, because changing temperatures will help prevent stretch marks on the skin. But in the later stages - depending on how you feel.
In parting, I want to say: at any time of the year you can start contrast hardening in order to forever forget about lethargy, fatigue and apathy.
What effect does a shower have on the body?
A contrast shower is often characterized as a restoration shower. Its essence is quite simple - a temperature difference from hotter to quite cold. Warm water stimulates blood flow, opens the vascular system and cleanses the body. The cold flow of water sends blood inside to protect the internal organs - they suffer from the cold - and heats them. Due to the cyclical nature of the procedure, everything is repeated again and again.
For greater benefits of this option, it is recommended to use a shower in compliance with the “three in one” rule - this means using 3 times more hot water. It can be distributed in different ways. For example, take three minutes to treat with hot water, a minute for cold. There should be 3-4 cycles at a time.
You should start practicing this option for healing and hardening only after consulting a doctor. After all, it has certain benefits and harms.
