The Health Benefits of Taking Cold Showers
More and more homeowners are installing showers in their bathrooms but few probably realise the health benefits that can arise from taking cold showers. It goes without saying that most people would envisage cold showers as a form of torture but if you can overcome the initial shock of the cold water, then your body may well reap the benefits. The apparent health benefits of cold showers aren't a new phenomenon as cold showers and baths have long been purported to have a myriad of positive implications on the body and soul. Showers are increasingly technologically advanced and sleekly designed but even when installing new showers in bathrooms, the option to take cold showers still exist and those health conscious homeowners out there are likely to see if they can brave the cold waters.
Showers - Top 4 Health Benefits of Cold Showers
There are few reasons that you would voluntarily take a cold shower unless there were obvious health benefits of doing so but, as it turns out, there are numerous benefits that can arise from taking cold showers which includes the following:
Healthier Skin - Taking cold showers can have a positive impact on the state of your skin. In terms of improving skin with showers, it may be a good idea to start with a hot shower to open up the pores and cleanse them and then follow this with cold showers which will close the pores. Cold showers also constrict blood vessels which will reduce swelling in skin and give you a more refreshed look.
Improve Circulation - If you can overcome the initial shock of standing in cold showers then you are likely to discover that your circulation will be improved. Switching between hot and cold water in showers is the best way to really get the circulation going as hot water makes blood rush to your skin and cold water will return the blood to your organs.
Healthier Hair - In terms of making your hair shinier and appear healthier, cold showers are one of the best ways of achieving this. Cold water closes the cuticles in the hair and this makes hair stronger and prevents dirt from accumulating on the scalp.
Psychological Benefits - Cold showers have long been thought to have various psychological benefits that make them worthwhile. Cold showers are thought to cleanse a person's spirit and obviously cold water is rather bracing so you are likely to feel increasingly alert and invigorated after cold showers.
Showers - Kind to Skin
Sensitive skin needs special care, and for many beauty experts, there is no crime greater than filling a bath with hot water and wallowing for hours. Showers provide a far kinder alternative to skin, and can help prevent signs of early ageing and the onset of red thread veins.
Showers - The Kinder Alternative
Soaking for hours in hot water can create damage to skin, especially if it is sensitive or delicate. The heat can cause red thread veins to form, as well as dry out skin and aggravate any conditions like eczema or psoriasis. You are also more likely to add products like scented bubble bath that can irritate some people's face or body. Showers are a much kinder alternative to delicate skins. Because you will spend less time in there, your skin won't be subjected to the same drying effects, and you can quickly change the temperature if the water gets too hot. You can also give yourself a blast of cool water at the end of showering, to help calm any irritated skin, or just to give your hair some added shine (cold water seals the hair shaft to make it look more glossy).
Showers - Skin-Friendly User's Guide
Whilst showers can be more skin friendly than baths, you need to know how to use yours to best effect. Spending twenty minutes under a scorching hot shower can be just as damaging as lying in the bath, and because your face will be under the water, can actually cause more damage to the delicate skin. Follow these steps to having skin-friendly showers:
- Showers should be kept to a maximum of ten minutes, if not less. Minimising the time you spend in the shower will not only save water and energy, but will help protect your skin from drying out or becoming irritated.
- Hot showers can cause red veins to break out on your face and body, so keep the temperature at a warm setting, and finish off with a cool rinse. It might be tempting to crank the heat up in winter, but this will only cause skin conditions to flare up and worsen.
- It's also tempting to use an array of beauty products in showers, but again this can irritate skin. Keep your beauty routine simple, with a shower cream containing added moisturisers, and chemical-free shampoo and conditioner. Avoiding harsh soaps not only stops skin from drying out, but also prevents soap scum from forming in showers.
Showers - Mind, Body and Soul
Showers are often viewed as a quick and easy way to get clean, and nothing more. However, what many people don't consider is that showers can actually be transformed into a place to heal and renew your body, mind and soul with a variety of different methods, from the practical to the alternative. Here are some ideas to open you up to the possibilities offered by showers.
Showers - Good for the Mind
Showers may be a great way to get clean and groomed in the morning before work, but they are also an excellent tool for energising and stimulating the mind. To harness the mental benefits of showers, try using a waterproof radio to get you singing as you scrub - the music will help give you energy and the act of singing and listening to music will make you feel alert, energised and get your blood pumping. Chuckling at your bad singing is a great way to start the day, as laughter can help reduce stress levels and boost our happy hormones and endorphins. You could also add a stimulating essential oil to the shower tray and allow it to rise up in the steam. Rosemary is excellent used in showers for mental stimulation and to combat fatigue; grapefruit gives you an energising kick; peppermint can help you feel alert.
Showers - Healing the Body
Showers are a great place to give your body some much-needed TLC. You can massage aching muscles with the showerhead, and if you're lucky enough to have one of the latest high-tech showers, can use the massage jets as muscle therapy after a session in the gym. Showers can also help boost your immune system - simply take a cold shower in the morning to stimulate the blood flow and you'll find you're better protected from colds and flu. That might not be to everyone's taste, so again add some healing aromatherapy oils to showers, such as tea tree and eucalyptus to ward off germs.
Showers - Soothing the Soul
The bath is traditionally seen as the place to relax and find some solace after an emotional or tiring day, but for those who don't have one in their house, showers do the job just as well. Simply set some time aside and lock the bathroom door. Let the shower run hot until there's some steam. Switch your shower's radio to Classic FM, and wallow in a long hot rinse. Pampering your body will take your mind off challenging issues in your personal and work life, so indulge in a scented body scrub and deep hair conditioner. Showers naturally feel cleansing as they wash the day away, but you can help the process by imaging emotional dirt washing off you as well. Add some soothing lavender or rose oils to the shower tray and let their gentle fragrance lift up in the steam. You will feel much more relaxed and centred after having one of these special showers.
Showers - Queens of Clean
Showers should be places that feel pristine, alluring and promise to make you feel brand new when you step out into your bathroom. But anyone who has had to stay at a sloppy friend's house, or worse at a hygienically-challenged boyfriend's place - and even worse than that, has to share with a bunch of students - knows that showers can become places only the intrepid enter. There's only one thing for it: arm yourself with some rubber gloves and take on the top cleaning tips of those Queens of Clean, TV's Kim and Aggie.
Showers - A Filthy Affair
Kim and Aggie are famous for getting knee deep in filth, keeping showers clean isn't just about enjoying the showering experience to the full, it's also about safety. Soap scum can build up on shower trays and become a slippery hazard - slipping in showers can be potentially devastating, with glass screens and hard tiles, and is even more important for the elderly, children and vulnerable. It isn't hard to keep showers sparkly -just follow Kim and Aggie advice:
- Get the materials at hand - showers have endless amounts of cleaning products but many of them are packed with horrible chemicals. Kim and Aggie always recommend simple washing up liquid and hot soapy water if you only have the basics at home.
- Look in the kitchen cupboard for your showers - baking soda does wonders on slime and drains and distilled vinegar hits limescale hard.
- If you need an abrasive, a cream cleanser will cut through grease or scouring powder for the really tough bits, but be careful with modern showers not to damage the shower trays.
- Think about swapping your bar of soap for shower gel - it causes less soap scum and less mess.
Showers - A Cleansing Experience
Using showers shouldn't be unpleasant - simple cleaning steps incorporated into your daily and weekly routine will eliminate any long-term filth and make sure your shower, as well as yourself, is clean, fresh and ready to go.
The Importance of Keeping Showers Clean
Any homeowner knows that it can be difficult to keep showers looking completely spotless but it really is in the bathrooms best interest to endeavour to keep showers looking spick and span. One of the hardest aspects of keeping showers clean is stopping the build up of mould in what is the moisture rich environment that is shower enclosures. However, keeping showers clean doesn't have to be a traumatic ordeal and it is important to address the issue of dirty showers before the problem escalates out of control. There are a number of handy hints that can be followed in order to ensure showers remain clean and in pristine condition until you decide that it's time to ensure a new shower enclosure.
Showers - Matters of Mould
It goes without saying that mould in showers is unsightly in the extreme and it can ultimately be difficult to remove if it is allowed to build up over and extended period of time. Obviously, due to the moisture that is found in showers, conditions are highly conducive for the emergence of mould which is why it should be addressed at the first sign of it in the shower enclosure. Generally speaking, the mould that is most typically found in showers will be green, red or black in colour and it's crucial to remove it as soon as possible because some people can have adverse reactions to mould. In terms of the prevention of mould in showers, the best practice may be to thoroughly scrub showers from top to bottom once or twice a week with a powerful disinfectant as this won't allow mould the opportunity to build up.
Showers - A Relaxing Haven
Showers are supposed to be somewhere that homeowners can relax and get away from the stresses and strains of the world and if they are covered in mould, grime and general dirt, then it isn't exactly the most hospitable of environments. Keeping showers clean needn't be a constant battle and they can be kept spotless with the minimum of effort. Thousands of homeowners are expected to install new showers in their bathrooms this year and by following simple cleaning steps, they can ensure that their showers not only remain spotless but last considerably longer as well.
Showers and Body Odour Battles
Showers are often taken for granted - a daily ritual we take unthinkingly. Taking showers is routine when we wake up, after going to the gym or doing exercise - showers are even a good way to help relax or rejuvenate. Showers are even more crucial in hot climates, not just to control body odour but to keep cool. Anyone who has holidayed in high summer in the Mediterranean knows that the number of cold showers you take a day can be in the double figures - from keeping cool, to showering off the sea salt after a day on the beach.
Showers - Combating Body Odour
But there are some scenarios where taking showers sometimes takes a back seat. One such story was that of a gambler who on a 17-hour gambling spree, didn't leave the casino once to freshen up or take showers. As a result, his body odour became so bad that other users of the casino began to complain heavily to the casino management. They say gambling is a dirty habit, but for the Brooklyn man at the heart of the body odour upset, his lack of showers triggered a flurry of media interest. The man has demanded an apology from the New Jersey casino who forcibly ejected him from the establishment on the grounds that he had skipped one too many showers.
Showers and Nervous Sweating
The 54-year-old was making something of a stink in the casino, but he made a bigger one after being kicked out, saying their treatment of his body odour was rude. Although the man agreed he would be smelling a lot better if he'd had taken showers in the 17-hour stint, he said the casino officials refused to give him a free room to freshen up in. The need for showers is probably greater when we are nervous and more prone to sweating.
Fragrant Shirts an Alternative to Showers?
The problem of addressing people with bad body odour is never an easy one, whether its a persistent offender in your office, on the bus, or even a partner or friend. Taking frequent showers is the best way to combat the bacteria that causes body odour. Although a new invention from Portuguese researchers could offer us a kinder way of telling a loved one that they stink - a perfumed shirt. The shirt uses tiny capsules filled with fragrances. It's thought although not an ideal alternative to regular showers, the researchers could turn their hands to suits, socks and underwear that neutralise body odour. Some times you might require the use of youngman boards.
Looking for Showers? Speak to Bathrooms 365
Bathrooms 365 are one of the UK's leading providers of showers, baths and bathroom furniture and go that extra mile to give the best deals to their customers. Bathrooms 365 are an innovative supplier of bathroom supplies and pride themselves on the extent of their product range which spans from bathrooms suites to shower trays. Bathrooms 365 are delighted to offer quality branded goods at highly competitive prices that are sure to appeal. To find out more about the showers, baths and bathroom furniture available from Bathrooms 365 just call 020374 41212 or email info@bathrooms365.com