Hot Or Cold Shower After Workout, Which Is Better?

For centuries, people around the world have used water therapy or hydrotherapy. The temperature of the water used can have various health benefits.

Most studies on the health benefits of hot and cold water have used water immersion therapy. In this therapy, a person immerses his or her body, or part of it, in a tub of water for a period of time.

This article presents the results of these studies, including the possible health benefits and risks of hot and cold showers.

Benefits of cold showers

Although a cold shower may not be pleasant, it can have some health benefits.

• Reduce inflammation and swelling

• Reduce muscle cramps

• Relieve pain.

An older study in 2000 looked at the effects of different water temperatures on the body’s responses. In the case of cold water, researchers immersed participants in water at a temperature of 14 °C (57.2 °F) for one hour. Participants experienced the following effects (some of which are not necessarily health-promoting)

• increased metabolism

• increased heart rate and blood pressure

• increased levels of the neurochemicals dopamine and norepinephrine

• Decreased levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone.”

Some of the benefits of cold water immersion include

Improved blood circulation

Exposure to cold water causes blood vessels on the surface of the skin to constrict. As a result, blood flow is directed away from the skin surface. A small 2019 study found that a cold shower after exercise can improve overall hydration by cooling the