What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning? Eat breakfast? Browse through social media? Turn on the radio or television? For many, the day can’t start in earnest until they feel clean and with time often of the essence before school or work, a quick shower is usually preferable to a bath.
But not everyone’s bathroom habits are the same. Some may choose to shower late at night as the last thing they do before bed; some like to unwind after a long, hard day with a soak in the tub while others get bored and can’t bear to sit still for that amount of time.
People bathe with differing frequency, too – until a couple of generations ago, it was standard for people in the UK to do so once a week whereas now the majority will wash at least daily. But what about cold showers?
For many, just the thought of one is enough to send a shiver down their spine, but they can actually have multiple benefits. Of course, if your boiler packs in for good then you’ll head to the likes of City Plumbing for a new one, but in the meantime you might just find that cold showers are not all bad…
Cold showers: The pros
If you need waking up first thing in a morning, there’s nothing quite like a cold shower. It can increase your circulation as well as calming inflamed or itchy skin and, for any keen gym goers out there, it can do wonders to reduce muscle soreness after a workout.
Cold showers: The cons
The disadvantages of cold showers is that if you do find it unpleasant at first, you might be hesitant to spend too much time in them and you may not wash as thoroughly as you should. They’re also a bad idea for anyone who is already cold or not feeling well, as they can exacerbate these problems.
Hot showers: The pros
Warm showers, on the other hand, are excellent for muscle relaxation and can help to open your airways and relieve symptoms of cold or flu. They can also help to keep cuts or abrasions clean, which reduces the risk of infection.
Hot showers: The cons
In some cases, hot showers can increase your blood pressure – with potentially serious consequences for those with cardiovascular diseases. They can also dry out or irritate your skin, or make any existing conditions worse.
