The pros and cons of cold and hot showers

shower picture: unsplash

Depending on the time of year, we go in between hot and cold as we turn the shower handles to reach a temperature our bodies yearn for.

Whether you take a cold or hot shower, research shows that both temperature choices have its pros and cons, reports Healthline:

Here are the pros and cons, as explained by the publication:

Pros of cold showers

Calms itchy skin: If you have itchy skin or a skin condition that causes your skin itch, it is best to take a cold shower as this will help you overcome the sensation to scratch.
Wakes you up: Once the cold water hits you, it shocks your body while increasing your heart rate, oxygen intake and alertness.
Boosts weight loss: Fat cells – such as brown fat – generate heat by burning fat when exposed to cold conditions. These cells are mostly situated around the neck and shoulder area, says Gerrit Keferstein, MD.

Not good if you are already cold: The cooler temperature will not help warm you, bit will actually make you colder and increase the time it takes for your body to warm back up.
Not good if you are sick: The cold temperature might be too hard on your immune system. Therefore, it is best to up the temperature if you are feeling under the weather.

Relieves cold and respiratory symptoms: The steam from a hot shower has long been used as a remedy to reduce cold and cough symptoms. It helps to open airways, loosens up phlegm and clears nasal passages.
Helps with blemishes: Hot showers help to open up your skin’s pours, allowing you to clean out trapped dirt and oil.
Relaxes your muscles: Hot water effectively relieves tension in your body and helps to soothe muscle fatigue.

Dries and irritates the skin: Hot water damages the keratin cells located on the outermost layer of our skin (the epidermis). This prevents our cells from locking in moisture.
Worsen skin conditions: The high temperatures dries out the skin, worsening conditions like eczema.
Increases blood pressure: Hot showers can worsen health conditions such as high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.