6 Surprising Ways Baths and Showers Can Change Your Life for the Better

Health
year ago

Some of us like it hot, and some of us swear by the benefits of a cold one. But nobody can deny how great a good shower can make us feel. If you’ve had a hard day at work or simply want to feel more refreshed for the day ahead, a bath can soothe your body, mind, and soul.
This is probably why Dave Hoffman set a Guinness World record by taking a 174-hour shower. Aside from making us smell nice and ready to conquer the day, there are other health benefits of bathing that many of us don’t know about.

The Bright Side team scoured the internet to find the science-based reasons why you should be more excited about hopping in the shower.

1. It keeps you in shape

We have some good news for you if you would like to easily melt some extra calories. Taking a cold shower may help boost weight loss. According to this claim, brown fat cells generate heat by burning fat when they are exposed to cold conditions, such as in a shower.

2. It lowers your blood sugar

Showering can lower blood sugar, sometimes better than exercise does. Though this is not an invitation to skip working out, a study shows that when participants took a hot bath instead of exercising, their peak blood sugar level after eating was roughly 10% lower. Although the total blood sugar reaction to both activities was similar, it is worth mentioning that it had a considerable effect on blood sugar levels after eating.

3. It can help alleviate dry or congested sinuses.

If you’re tired of waking up with a clogged nose and a headache every morning, consider taking a hot bath to alleviate your sinuses. It pretty much works like a humidifier or breathing over a bowl of hot water. Without getting into heavy graphic details, the steam can help clear the nasal passages and the throat, which will allow you to breathe better and feel less stuffy.

4. It can relieve anxiety

If you are having a bad day, one of the best solutions would be to take a long relaxing bubble bath. If that’s not feasible, a quick hot shower would do. Aside from giving you soft clean skin, bathing in hot water can reduce anxiety and stress due to oxytocin release. This hormone is known to be connected to anti-stress effects.

5. It loosens up stiff muscles

A simple and effective at-home therapy for muscle recovery is relaxing inside a hot tub. Normal people and researchers swear by this practice because it relieves muscle tension throughout the entire body and improves blood circulation. This results in more supple muscles and a wider range of motion.

6. It boosts endurance

The benefits of exercise are extensively known. Bathing’s advantages are not. But when you combine the two, you get a whole new level of endurance and optimal health. According to one study, taking a cold shower before your workout can improve your body’s endurance and aptitude for exercising at higher intensity levels for extended periods of time.

What is your perfect shower ritual? Let us know in the comments.

Preview photo credit depositphotos.com

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