Different water temperatures produce different washing effects

Taking a bath is essential for each of us. Different water temperatures can produce different health effects. Do you know this? Taking a bath can also be good for your health, and different water temperatures can produce different effects. Let us take a look at what effects they can have.

Bathing at different water temperatures

Cold water bath for bodybuilding

A cold water bath refers to taking a bath with cold water between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius, which can promote skin metabolism and enhance skin nutrition. People who insist on taking cold water baths for a long time have smooth, rosy and elastic skin, showing the beauty of health.

When taking a cold water bath, the blood vessels will push a large amount of blood into the visceral blood vessels. After a short pause, the skin blood vessels will expand again, and a large amount of blood will flow from the visceral blood vessels to the body surface. This expansion and contraction increases the blood vessels' tolerance, enhances their elasticity, and helps prevent vascular sclerosis.

In addition, cold water baths can enhance the functions of the respiratory and digestive organs, and have a positive effect on preventing the occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections, rheumatism, arthritis and other diseases.

Calming hot bath

The water temperature of a hot bath is between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius, which can cause vasodilation, promote blood circulation, relieve muscle spasms, and have a calming effect. For insomniacs, taking a hot bath before going to bed can help them sleep and relieve skin itching. A hot bath can remove dirt from the skin, clear the pores and sweat glands, and improve the skin's metabolic capacity and disease resistance.

Experiments have shown that when typhoid bacteria are inoculated on clean skin and dirty skin respectively, and samples are taken for testing 10 minutes later, the bacteria on the clean skin have died while the bacteria on the dirty skin still exist. In medicine, hot baths are used to treat chronic arthritis, heal fractures, and other chronic conditions.

Warm water bath to strengthen lungs and heal injuries

A warm water bath refers to a bath that is between a cold water bath and a hot water bath, with the water temperature at around 34°C. The normal body temperature of a person is between 36.5℃ and 37℃, and the skin temperature is between 32℃ and 33℃. Warm water at 34℃ is slightly higher than skin temperature but lower than body temperature. It feels slightly warm when you touch it with your hand. After soaking in it, your body temperature will not change, and you will not feel cold or hot.

If you want the effects of hydrotherapy but don't want the intense stimulation of cold and hot water baths, you can choose warm water therapy. For example, patients with poor cardiopulmonary function or patients with burns should choose warm water bath.

Alternating hot and cold baths to strengthen your body

The alternating hot and cold bath starts with a hot water bath with the temperature of the hot water approximately between 38℃ and 44℃ and the washing time approximately for 4 to 6 minutes; then a cold water bath with the temperature of the cold water approximately between 10℃ and 16℃ and the washing time approximately for 1 to 2 minutes, and finally a hot water bath again.

There is no limit to how many times you can alternate, usually two or three times. Alternating hot and cold baths can eliminate the physical and psychological stress of the weak or those who are afraid of cold. The length and frequency of cold water baths can be determined according to your physical condition. You can switch to a hot water bath at any time to warm your body quickly. Moreover, the exercise value is greater than that of a simple cold water bath.

4 taboos for healthy bathing in winter

1. The temperature is too low when changing clothes

If you suddenly move from a high-temperature place to a low-temperature place without wearing warm clothes, your blood vessels will contract due to the cold, and your blood pressure will rise, thus increasing the burden on your heart. So you must keep warm. When you come out of the shower, put on an extra towel or change your clothes in the bathroom in advance. If necessary, electrical appliances such as electric heaters or bathroom heaters should be used.

2. Avoid too high water temperature

It will cause the blood vessels in the skin throughout the body to dilate significantly, causing a large amount of blood to flow to the skin all over the body, leading to ischemia and hypoxia of the heart. Especially for the elderly who suffer from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and hypertension, water temperature that is too high can lower blood pressure, increase heart rate, increase the burden on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems, and cause shock. Therefore, the water temperature should be between 24 and 29 degrees Celsius.

3. Avoid soaking for a long time

Taking a bath for too long can easily make people tired and cause cardiac ischemia and hypoxia. In severe cases, it can cause coronary artery spasm, thrombosis, and even induce arrhythmia and sudden death. In addition, if you bathe for too long, the blood supply to the head will be reduced, which can easily lead to cerebral ischemia and accidents. Therefore, it is advisable to take a bath for 20 minutes and shower for 3-5 minutes.

4. Avoid eating too much or too fasting

After a meal, the human body needs to mobilize some blood from the whole body to the gastrointestinal tract. Taking a bath immediately after a meal will reduce blood flow in the digestive tract, hinder food digestion and absorption, and cause gastrointestinal discomfort. In addition, insufficient blood supply to the heart and other parts can easily induce cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents. Fasting will cause hypoglycemia, insufficient blood supply to the brain, and lead to fainting. The best time to take a bath is about 1 hour after a meal.