A Clean Bill of Health: The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Bathing

A CLEAN BILL OF HE LTH The physiological and psychological effects of bathing BATHING In the modern age, many people choose the quicker and more convenient option of showering over taking a bath. However, research suggests that baths may offer a host of benefits: I found that bathing improved general psychological wellness radically. There was a significant drop in feelings of pessimism about the future and increases in hedonic tone, the internal feeling of pleasurability. And I believe that the results could be even more impressive over a longer period of time. Baths give you the chance to stop the day for a few minutes, in a way that showers can't. There is a wonderful combination of isolation, quiet and comfort Neil Morris, psychologist at the University of Wolverhampton Research suggests that bathing could afford a host of benefits, including: reduce inflammation relief from pain aids restful sleep mental wellbeing helps depression help skin conditions ease muscle spasms detoxification COLD SHOWERS Do cold showers offer more in the way of benefits compared to the traditional hot shower? Many people swear by the effects of taking a cold shower, so let's have a look at the potential benefits: Increases altertness Refines hair and skin The body's shock from the cold water increases oxygen intake, increasing the heart rate and releasing a rush of blood through the body. Cold water tightens cuticles and pores, preventing them from getting clogged. It can also prevent the removal of natural oils too quickly. Improves immunity Cold water can improve the circulation and lower blood pressure, helping to combat skin and heart problems and boost our immunity. Stimulates weight loss Cold showers can increase brown fat by up to 15%, so you could lose up to nine pounds per year if you take daily cold showers. Speeds muscle recovery Cold baths are effective in relieving sore muscles 1-4 days after exercise. Even a quick cold shower can help relieve muscle soreness. Improved overall health Exposure to cold stimulus increase gluthathione, an antioxidant that keeps other antioxidants performing at their optimum level. HOT SHOWERS Despite many people's insistence that cold showering is more beneficial, hot showers also have multiple positive effects on your body. Let's look at some of the benefits: Releases growth hormone Hot showers stimulate the Detoxification release of certain growth hormones, which help to rebuild damaged cells and speed recovery. The steam from a hot shower can cause you to sweat, helping to detoxify your body by sweating out unwanted substances. Natural decongestant Hot showers can act as a natural decongestant, helping to relieve cold and flu symptoms in the winter months. Helps with anxiety Studies have show that a hot shower can increase oxytocin levels, which can help to ease feelings of anxiety. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS AND STUDIES Bathing has been shown to offer a number of psychological benefits, and a link has even been established between social anxiety and regular bathing. Let's look at some of these studies: The benefitial effects of warm water: A systematic review of 29 randomised controlled trials involving patients with rheumatologic & musculoskeletal diseases, concluded that warm water therapy was associated with feelings of wellbeing and pain reduction (Falagas, 2009). Thermal stimulation increases the extensibility of collagen-rich tissues, increasing the range of joint motion (Matz, 2003). Study data confirms that spa therapy could improve the symptoms of fibromyalgia (Fraiolo, 2013). Treating military service personnel An early medical paper (Radcliffe, 1916) reports the use of warm water bathing for successfully treating more than 170 military servicemen on a daily basis. The servicemen suffered from both physical and psychological war-related injuries, sustained during the First World War. The paper reports improved pain and relief of minor physical symptoms, as well as relief from depression and psychological traumas. Researchers at Yale University conducted four studies regarding the connection between social anxiety and bathing. Through the course of their studies they found: Lonely people can use bathing as a substitute for emotional warmth Physical coldness can induce feelings of loneliness in people The need for socialising can be relieved through physical warmth People have a positive perception of those who take long baths The studies also found that the more isolated a person feels, the more baths or showers they will take a day, the hotter the bath or shower will be, and the long they will stay in there. Better Sources: http:// http://www.sust-it.net/electric-showers.php | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/10/climate-2c-global-warming-target-fail https://www.theguardian.c //www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/alternative-medicine/4711987/In-hot-water-Have-a-bath-and-relax.html http://www.arjohuntleigh /conden d/2016/mar/08/shower-once-a-week-polluting-environment http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0810780 | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19357407 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17993252 | https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003476.htm http://www.medicaldaily.com/benefits-cold-showers-7- https://impossiblehq.com/cold-shower-health-benefits/ I http://www.yale.edu/acmelab/articles/Bargh_ Shalev_Emotion.pdf http://www.mentalhealthy.co.uk/news/526-take-long-hot-baths-or-showers-you-may-be-lonely.html /hygiene/therapeutic-bathing/ athrooms.com 5-7-reasons-why-taking-cool-showers-good-your-health-289524