During a heat wave like the one Italy is experiencing these days, let’s try to answer a question that many people ask: To cool off, is a cold shower or a hot shower better?
It may seem strange, but a cold shower does not help to lower body heat: because it constricts the blood vessels in the skin, it compromises one of the body’s main mechanisms for cooling itself: bringing blood closer to the surface of the skin to allow heat to disperse (this is why we turn red when it’s hot). After a cold shower, the body will try to warm up, making us feel hotter than before. Prolonged immersion in cold water, such as a swim in the spring sea, gradually cools the body, but cold showers are short-lived. Taking a lukewarm shower, especially before bed, is preferable, as it increases blood flow to the skin, improving heat dispersion. A warm/tepid bath is even better, although it is not the most environmentally friendly choice.
The fact is that for many, a hot shower is the preferred choice for relaxation. According to a study presented at the Joint International Conference on Water Distribution System Analysis and Computing and Control for the Water Industry, the ideal water temperature for most people is between 40 and 41°C.
What are the benefits of hot showers? They promote relaxation, improve sleep quality, and reduce muscle tension and pain associated with chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis. They also improve circulation. Heat dilates blood vessels, decreasing arterial stiffness, a crucial factor in preventing cardiovascular problems, and increases blood flow in patients with chronic heart failure. On the downside, it affects skin and hair, making them drier, and can cause a drop in blood pressure, which can lead to fainting (and therefore injuries from sudden falls).
Cold showers have positive effects on the body, especially if the cold water follows the hot one, a practice that improves circulation, activates the sympathetic nervous system and accelerates the metabolism. Gianluca Vacchi’s ice baths are now famous: every morning he immerses himself in a tub at temperatures below zero in the obstinate mission of remaining eternally young.
Of course, cold showers can cause cold shock, which can cause hyperventilation or even heart attack…
The British Red Cross recommends a method for cooling down quickly and consuming little water: immerse your hands and feet in cold water. “The wrists and ankles have many pulse points where the blood vessels are close to the skin, so you cool down more quickly.” But for a long-term effect, especially before facing a long summer night, nothing beats a shower somewhere between warm and hot.
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