Once you are done with a good run or sweating it out in the gym, what’s the first thing you do? Do you just sit and relax, have water, or reach out for a towel and hit the shower? If showering is one of your post-workout habits, you should know that the temperature matters. Cold or hot—both can be refreshing and help to clean off sweat and dirt. However, the choice between these two can make a difference in your recovery. So, should you go for a hot or cold shower after a workout? Each option has its benefits as well as drawbacks but one may be slightly better than the other.
If your water is about 10 degrees celsius, it will be considered a cold shower. Before knowing if you should go for a hot or cold shower after a workout, check out the benefits of taking a cold one:
“One of the cold shower benefits is that it can help alleviate muscle inflammation by constricting blood vessels,” says physiotherapist and fitness expert Dr Aijaz Ashai. It can reduce blood flow to muscles and tissues, and help in reducing swelling and soreness that can result from an intense exercise.
The cold water can numb the pain, which helps to reduce muscle soreness, especially after intense workouts such as strength training. A 2023 study published in Frontiers, showed that when athletes immersed in cold water immediately after exercise, it helped to reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery.
Before deciding whether to go for a hot or cold shower after a workout, remember that exposure to cold water can challenge the body. This can help to make you mentally resilient. “Taking a cold shower after a workout can help improve your tolerance for discomfort, and make you mentally tough to face both physical and mental challenges,” says the expert.
The shock of cold water while taking a shower after sweating it out can help to release endorphins, which are the body’s natural ‘feel-good’ hormones. “This may help you be in a good mood and alleviate post-workout fatigue or mental stress,” says Dr Ashai. Remember this while selecting a hot or cold shower after a workout.
Exposing your body to cold water may help with weight loss. “If the water is cold, your body will have to regulate its temperature, and energy will be spent, which can help you burn calories,” shares the expert. But don’t just rely on cold showers for weight loss. Continue working out, eating healthy, and improving your sleep quality to lose weight.
Using cold water after working out has some disadvantages too:
It may be a little difficult to decide whether a hot or cold shower after a workout is good or not. Before making the decision, know the benefits of taking a hot shower (43 degree celsius):
Want to know if you should go for a hot or cold shower after a workout? “Well, hot water increases blood flow, and so, it can help to relax muscles and release tightness,” says the expert. This is especially helpful after a strength training session where muscles can become a little stiff and sore.
The warmth of a hot shower that you will feel after exercising, can loosen up your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. “This can improve your flexibility, make it easier to move around, and reduce the risk of injuries after an intense physical activity,” says the expert.
Relaxing after a workout is essential. Hot showers can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, a network of your nerves involved in relaxing your body. “Stimulating this will make you feel relaxed and let go of stress after a heavy workout,” says Dr Ashai.
Hot water has a tendency to dilate the blood vessels and boost circulation across the body, something to remember before deciding to go for a hot or cold shower after a workout. “This increased rate of blood delivery can help your body with faster diffusion of oxygen and nutrients to your aching muscles and other parts,” says the expert. Receiving adequate amount of oxygen and nutrients are important for your body’s proper functioning. Your body will also recover faster due to better circulation.
If you like to exercise after office, take a hot shower. “It can stimulate your body to cool down after the hot water experience, and promote a better sleep quality,” says the expert. During a 2019 analysis, published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, an association was found between taking a hot shower before bedtime and improved sleep quality.
Going for hot water to refresh yourself after exercising may not always be beneficial.
Whether you should take a hot or cold shower after a workout, it depends on how your body feels afterward. During a 2015 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, taking a cold shower immediately after exercise or 24 hours later was found to be superior to a hot shower in reducing pain.
“Cold showers are ideal for reducing inflammation and muscle soreness, while hot showers are better for relaxation and relieving muscle tension,” says Dr Ashai.
You may choose a hot or cold shower after a workout, but remember that only 5 to 10 minutes of exposure to water is sufficient. “It would be sufficient for washing off the sweat and helping to recover from the muscle fatigue,” says the expert.
Listen to your body before choosing a hot or cold shower after a workout. See how you feel after sweating it out. Also, apply a moisturiser to hydrate your skin after the shower.
Cold showers could contribute to burning fat. This is because when the body has to regulate its temperature, energy has to be spent. This in turn leads to burning of calories. It is, however not such a big factor in the burning of fat. It has to be incorporated with a healthy diet and regular exercise to help in burning excess fat in the body.
To really enjoy both hot and cold showers, take the warm shower first, allowing the water to help cleanse your body of the sweat and dirt. You can alternate hot and cold for short durations afterwards. Such an arrangement can enhance relaxation and has an added advantage of lowering the inflammation of sore muscles.
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