CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cold showers and cold plunges are all the rage this year. Everyone from athletes to the average Joe is turning the faucet from hot to cold in hopes that it will improve their health.
But is taking a cold shower good for you?
OUR SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
Melissa Young with the Cleveland Clinic said research is limited when it comes to the full health benefits of taking a cold shower.
"I think some of the most supportive literature is in decreasing pain and inflammation, improving muscle recovery after exercise," she said.
And the claim that taking a cold shower can help you lose weight? An article from UCLA Health says, probably not.
They say while your body does expend more energy trying to stay warm in a cold shower, the result is only a small amount of calorie burn and increased metabolism. They stress there are better, more efficient ways to lose weight, like regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet.
But, Dr. Young does say cold showers can reduce inflammation, prevent muscle soreness, and relieve localized pain.
That’s why Dr. Young said this method could be good for people who go to the gym, or people who are just trying to wake themselves up in the morning.
However, Dr. Young adds, people should slowly ease themselves into colder water – and for some people, she suggests avoiding the chill, altogether.
“This does impact your sympathetic nervous system, and so anyone who has heart issues should avoid cold showers, you know, concerns about, you know, arrhythmias, abnormal heart rhythms, things like that," she said.
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