Pouring cold water in the morning. Pouring cold water: benefit or harm, reviews. Is there any harm in dousing with cold water?

19.03.2019

The most effective and affordable way to improve health is hardening with cold water. Hardening includes: dousing; shower; wiping with water; bathing. The main advantages of this method are that it is natural, natural, pleasant, and invigorates the body.

For hardening, you can use natural reservoirs, or you can carry out hardening procedures in an apartment. In the first case, nature will regulate the water temperature. In the second case, you can regulate the temperature by turning the hot or cold water tap.

Produce water treatments better in the morning. After sleep, water makes the body wake up and start working actively.

Treatment with regular cold water

When immersed in cold water, the human body, overcoming a minute and a half shock, includes new resources that regulate the thermoregulation mechanism. The blood vessels narrow, body temperature decreases, and blood flow to the internal organs increases.

Using cold water to harden the body, the following processes gradually occur:

activated internally metabolic processes,
excess fat burns,
weight decreases,
cholesterol levels are reduced,
the percentage of blood sugar decreases,
the production of hormones increases, especially endorphin - the hormone of joy,
Cell aging slows down until they regenerate in individual organs.

What hardening methods are used?

Cold shower. It is from the shower that you can begin hardening, choosing comfortable temperature water with each subsequent time, reducing it by one degree.

You can use a contrast shower, so the body gets used to temperature changes. This procedure alternates hot water + 40 - + 45 and cold + 10 - + 20. At the beginning, discomfort is felt, but it must be overcome. The temperature difference should be gradually increased. The cycles must be repeated several times. Finish with cold water. The contrast shower procedure is not recommended for use for diseases: of cardio-vascular system, poor circulation. Before you start using a contrast shower, you should consult your doctor.

Pouring with cold water. Begin pouring with warm water, pleasant to the body. The temperature must be reduced gradually. During dousing with water, the body experiences next process: skin receptors receive incoming cold water, then along the chain the receptors transmit a signal to the central nervous system, and it to the brain. As a result, blood outflows from the skin and is directed to the internal organs. Exchange processes are launched. Then the blood returns to the skin, continuing to nourish and renew it.
Swimming in autumn, when the air temperature is from +10 to -5. You need to start swimming in the summer, but continue in the fall, accustoming yourself to a gradual decrease in temperature every day, overcoming psychological barrier. Swimming in stages in the summer and then in the fall will help overcome the barrier of swimming in winter over time. The body must be accustomed to the cold gradually. You can take walks in any autumn weather without wearing warm clothes.

It is very useful to walk barefoot in the snow. With this procedure, massage occurs biologically active points stop.

Wiping with snow allows the skin to cool more intensely than with a cold douche or shower.

Dive into the hole. Recommended time is 30-50 seconds. For such short term Even beginners don't experience stress.

Hot water and hardening

You can also temper with hot water. Hardening method hot water allows you to use it directly in the apartment. It is very simple and does not require additional costs. All you need is a clean towel, hot water and desire.

The towel is generously moistened with hot, but not scalding water, lightly squeezed, then quickly wiped off the body. The procedure must be continuously repeated several times so that a feeling of chilliness does not appear. There is no need to wipe off, you just need to dry with room temperature. After a hot rubdown, a feeling of freshness remains. After a couple of weeks, an inversion of blood circulation will occur, that is, in cold times the blood vessels will not narrow, and the person will not react particularly sharply to the cold.

Positive aspects of hot rubbing:

Quick hot rubdowns have a gentler effect on the body. The skin does not have time to become overcooled, since rubbing is done frequently and quickly.
The procedure helps the body produce additional heat.
This type of hardening, which is gentle, can be used by the elderly, weakened people (if the doctor allows), and children.

It is better to start hot hardening by rubbing individual areas of the body (arms, legs), gradually expanding their area. At the initial stage, you can use a dry towel to wipe yourself to avoid chills, but gradually dry wiping will not be necessary.

Contraindications

Are there any contraindications to water hardening? There are, there are not many of them, but they are there.

First of all, people with cardiovascular problems should be careful. If you really want to improve your health by taking water procedures, you should first consult a doctor. Cold water procedures are not recommended for all diseases.
An organism weakened by disease, sick with chronic diseases Do not expose to stress loads with water. In this case, peace is more beneficial.
If there severe irritation on the skin.
With high eye pressure.
Elderly people should be more careful when choosing a hardening method. If you want to renew your health, you should not subject your body to great stress. You need to start small, practice every day, and first consult a doctor.

If in doubt, you should consult a doctor before starting the procedures.

What can be achieved by hardening

By using water hardening you can get good charge cheerfulness, and along the way:

Remove fatigue and irritability.
Increase productivity, improve mood.
Get rid of cellulite or reduce its manifestations.
Strengthen your immune system.
Achieve weight loss. Normalize metabolism.
Tone the skin of the face and body. The skin becomes tightened and elastic.
Normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Normalize the functioning of the endocrine system.

By dousing yourself with water, a person becomes physically healthier. This is true. But water, especially cold water, cleanses the human biofield. It has a positive effect on a person’s energy, freeing him from negativity. Taking a dip in water or dousing yourself clean water, a person feels lightness throughout the body. It becomes easier to breathe, you want to live and work.

The benefits of hardening are obvious. You can use different places for hardening, the main thing is that there is water.

Hardening in natural reservoirs is the cheapest and in an accessible way restore your health! The costs will be as follows: time, desire, overcoming laziness, but you can get much more - health.

Not everyone has the opportunity to go to a pond or river. Don't be upset. There is water in the apartments. Rubbing and dousing every morning is not a problem at all. Desire is important here.

Proper dousing with cold water

Pouring cold water: how to do it right

To obtain benefits, dousing must be carried out in accordance with certain recommendations:

First you need to do exercises, walk barefoot.

Outdoor procedure in winter time should take no more than 10 seconds, indoors it can be extended to 1 minute.

The water temperature for beginners should be about +30°. Every day you need to reduce it by 1° until you reach +15°. The temperature cannot be lowered below this mark to avoid harm to health.

To avoid overcooling your feet, you need to stand in the bathtub or shower. And if dousing is carried out outdoors, you need to stand on the grass or a special stand.

The dousing should be done instantly, without prolonging the “pleasure”. You need to pour a bucket of water on the top of your head so that the water does not splash on the sides, but runs down your body.

After dousing with cold water, it is recommended to wipe your face with a frozen cube. herbal infusion, green tea, and rub the body with a terry towel.

At first the cold takes your breath away. Then breathing becomes deeper and freer, blood flow increases, blood vessels dilate, the skin takes on a pink tint, and a wave of warmth spreads throughout the body.

The benefits of dousing with cold water

Cold is useful because the body, under its influence, begins to better resist diseases. But besides this, there are other advantages to this procedure:

Pouring cold water helps improve skin tone.

The manifestations of cellulite caused by a failure of metabolic processes are eliminated.

Cells rejuvenate and begin to work more actively.

Activities are being normalized nervous system(apathy and overwork disappear, mood improves).

Metabolism is activated, which promotes weight loss.

The dousing procedure prevents the development of varicose veins and the appearance of spider veins.

Blood pressure is normalized.

Proper dousing enhances blood circulation and ensures the flow of oxygen to organs and tissues. As a result, your well-being improves and your vitality, are activated energy reserves body.

Is there any harm in dousing with cold water?

In general, the procedure is safe. But in some cases it is undesirable. For example, for people with skin problems, with wounds and ulcers on the body, for patients with acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections. Dousing is contraindicated for patients during racing blood pressure suffering from ischemia, tachycardia, kidney disease.

Cold dousing can cause obvious harm to the body if the procedure is prolonged. Prolonged contact with cold water can lead to hypothermia.

Not every person is able to cope with such a procedure psychologically. Therefore, attitude is very important! If the first douche caused only discomfort and negativity, it is recommended to abandon the unsuccessful venture.

I’ve been dousing myself with cold water for over a year now, and in this article I want to tell you how I came to this and what it gives me. To begin with, a little about myself, as a child I was a sickly child, I constantly had some kind of cold, I was stuffed with medicines, antibiotics, “our” doctor from the children’s clinic was our most frequent guest, if I try, I can remember her name now... Lyudmila Yakovlevna , Greetings to you! But I don’t remember anything about hardening in childhood, my parents took great care of me, they always dressed me warmly, two hats, a bunch of sweaters, second pants, scarves, mittens... Of course, in such an outfit in winter I quickly found myself covered in sweat, and then cooled down and immediately fell ill, going on a new round of medicines, mustard plasters, rinsing and rubbing with oil.

Towards the end of school, I intuitively began to understand that “dress warmly” and “I won’t get sick” are two loosely related concepts, I began to dress easier, wear a hat less often, and I was so tired of the scarf and gloves in childhood that later I just I stopped wearing them basically, no matter what the weather was like outside. My health improved, but catching a cold and getting sick still remained normal for me. This continued both at the institute and at work, although I began to get sick less, I understood that this was happening more likely because I simply began to exclude those situations when I could catch a cold: I avoided drafts, wore a hat, did not drink cold things, traveled less in winter. public transport…

In general, you can live, but there is no limit to perfection! And, as usual, a roast rooster pushes us to change... One winter I got a sore throat again, and everything dragged on, and folk remedies no longer helped. As a result, I went on sick leave (I lost a lot of money at work), started taking antibiotics, was cured, but after that I firmly decided that I needed to toughen up. Here I must say that in terms of physique I am thin and slender, no matter how much I eat or exercise, I have such a complexion. There is not just too much fat, but almost none of the necessary fat. With such a body constitution, cold water is not a thrill at all, I already started to harden myself several times, but it always led to a pre-cold state, and I had to quit.

And my wife grew up in a provincial town, where her parents didn’t worry about her so much, they regularly doused her with cold water, and in the winter, her mother kicked her and her half-naked barefoot sister out into the snow and locked her up. front door... it was a shame when I was a child, but now my wife practically doesn’t get sick. And, if in winter I immediately feel some kind of draft, then she either doesn’t notice it at all or: “Oh, how good it blows, let’s leave a window!”

So, it's never too late to change, and I decided to challenge myself one more time. In order not to get sick right away, not to score after a few days, not to start skipping douches, the following scheme was developed:

1. I start to sweat with the beginning of summer, right on June 1st. It’s already warm outside, the cold water in the tap is not as cold as in winter. Spring vitamin deficiency passed. Good point countdown.

2. I wet myself in the morning, right after the shower, you won’t forget it. In the evening, everyone periodically experiences very tired states when dousing can be harmful, so it’s better in the morning.

3. I shower myself every day. I’ve been starting every day with a shower for a long time now, so there shouldn’t be any difficulties here.

The start was given in the summer of 2011, at first I filled a bucket in the bathroom and poured it on myself, but I quickly realized that this was not convenient for me, since a lot of water splashes on the floor, and it gets on the body very unevenly. I admit that it’s much more convenient to do all this on the street, but in an apartment I wasn’t very successful. And then two more points were added to the three, this time in detail:

4. At the end of my shower, I simply hang it on the wall at a comfortable height while the water flows over my entire body. I stand there, tune in, and then sharply turn the mixer to maximum strength and maximum cold water, while simultaneously turning my back to the streams. This is how I pour myself from the back, then I turn my chest, pour my head, then take off the shower and pour it on my stomach and legs for even longer. By the way, at the same time, the body already has excellent vigor and it’s very pleasant to water your feet.

Main point: It was very important for me to relieve myself of responsibility for choosing temperature and pressure. I know that if you start feeling sorry for yourself, adding a little more heat, gradually lowering the temperature, you may never get anywhere. That’s why I just turn it up to maximum cold, whatever is in the tap – that’s what it will be! In the summer, even cold water in the tap is still warm, but by the New Year it will start to get colder, for which I should already be a little prepared. This is the “automatic” smooth hardening by decreasing the temperature.

5. In conclusion I wash my face with cold water and rinse my mouth with it, this is for the skin of the face and teeth. At first it was somehow unpleasant, but then the teeth get used to it and also enjoy it. I immediately remember a guy from school who never had his teeth treated during his entire studies, and then once said that he simply rinses his mouth with ice water every morning.

This is how I wet myself until now, I’m already used to it and I’m not going to stop. Last winter I wanted to swim in an ice hole for Epiphany, but I couldn’t find company. As a result, at night I took a full bath of ice water, sat down on my knees in it and plunged headlong into the water three times, not forgetting to cross myself when rising. To be honest, I didn’t think it was enough! Bullet jumped out of the bathroom and warmed up for about a minute, glad that I was standing in a warm room and on a rug. I realized that it was too early for me to go into the hole, but I still really liked this bathing in the bathroom, I didn’t get sick, I just got stronger, and in the morning, as usual, I doused myself with water after a shower. I'm looking forward to the next Epiphany.

Now let’s summarize what has changed in just over a year:

1. During this time I was no longer sick. Several times I had pre-painful states, but I clearly know that I myself “did” a lot to get to them (severe overwork, lack of sleep, malnutrition...) These states were easily relieved, usually it’s enough to eat lemon with sugar, eat well and get enough sleep.

2. An inner confidence appeared that if I don’t act stupid and don’t “test” myself too much for strength, I won’t get sick in any weather.

3. The body began to work better, more balanced. There are almost no headaches, I can get enough sleep in 7 hours (previously it took 8), and due to the general boost in immunity, non-cold diseases do not stick.

4. Drafts bother us much less now; we always sleep with open window and fresh air.

5. I don’t remember when I went to the dentist. There are no reasons.

6. In the morning after a shower, I am very cheerful and full of energy, which is definitely not the case if you just take a warm shower.

7. At the dacha, sometimes I douse myself with water from the well; before, the water burned and made me shiver, but now I enjoy it.

8. When there was a shutdown for 10 days this summer. hot water, I just washed myself under the cold. Previously, this didn’t fit into my head, I had to get up early, heat pots of water on gas, take them to the bathroom... But then I just got into the shower, washed myself and off I went. I won’t say that I was comfortable, but it was already quite tolerable.

9. Swimming in the pool is now much more pleasant; the water does not seem as cold as before.

10. Moral satisfaction from what is accomplished is difficult to evaluate, but it is very noticeable and pushes to new achievements.

I remember a teacher’s story from a school work practice, which I completed as a nurse in a hospital: there were cases when medicine no longer knew what to do to cure a person. For example, incomprehensible skin diseases. Then it was placed in such a way that the usual running water from the water supply constantly flowed through the body, over the affected areas. Running water just runs... And the man gradually recovered. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but a doctor from the Central Clinical Hospital told us this.

I hope you were interested in learning about one of the options for dousing with cold water; I tried to describe everything as clearly as possible and share known information. Nothing prevents you from making changes, developing your own method. I repeat that I am quite thin and that a complete person It is easily tolerated, previously it could have immediately led me to illness, so I had to draw up a plan for gradual hardening. And I’ll tell you a secret that the main thing is not only read the article, but also start doing it!

Hardening the body is a comprehensive system of preventive measures that increase the body’s resistance to the effects of external environment. Hardening the body with cold water helps improve blood circulation, normalize metabolic processes, and increase the tone of the central nervous and immune systems. How to temper correctly to get maximum benefit from this process?

Hardening can be carried out different ways, each of which has its own benefits, advantages and disadvantages. Distinguish following methods hardening the body:

Aerotherapy - air baths, long walks, staying on fresh air. They are carried out at any time of the year, regardless of weather conditions and temperature conditions. Aerotherapy is one of the most simple ways strengthening the body by normalizing thermoregulation processes. Air hardening strengthens immune system, normalizes work internal organs, stabilizes psycho-emotional state. It is with aerotherapy that experts recommend starting to harden the human body.
Heliotherapy - sunbathing, strengthening the body through exposure to the sun. This technique normalizes metabolic processes, increases the overall resistance of the body, has a beneficial effect on the state of the muscular and nervous system, and has a general tonic effect. It is important to follow certain recommendations to avoid adverse consequences like sunstroke.
Water procedures with cold water are considered one of the most effective, effective methods. Exposure to different temperature conditions activates microcirculation, blood circulation, strengthens and tones the body.

The main types of water hardening of the body:

Rubbing is the first step in hardening the body; it has an extremely soft and delicate effect. Rubbing is done with soft sponges soaked in cold water, rubbing skin body with energetic massaging movements.
Pouring cold water is a very effective tonic procedure; it can be either local (pouring the legs) or general. After the procedure, you need to thoroughly rub the skin with a dry towel.
Contrast shower - alternating temperature conditions, has a pronounced strengthening effect on blood vessels.
Winter swimming or winter swimming is one of the most effective ways hardening and strengthening of the body, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of almost all organs and systems, normalizing thermoregulatory processes and the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

It is important to understand that it is recommended to begin the hardening process with cold water with the most gentle procedures - rubbing and dousing, gradually preparing the body for winter swimming. It is for this reason that swimming in an ice hole for baptism without preliminary preparation, and non-compliance certain rules can become very dangerous for an unseasoned person and plunge the body into a state of severe stress.

Benefits and harms

What is the benefit of dousing with cold water or is it harmful to humans? This procedure has a lot of advantages and has positive impact on the body. Improvement in the thermoregulation system, which occurs as a result of changing temperature conditions during dousing, accelerates metabolism, metabolism, and activates intense blood flow to the area of internal organs.

For weight loss, dousing with water is very effective, especially cold.

The skin restores its tone, cellulite and subcutaneous body fat as a result of improved metabolism. The procedure strengthens the immune system and central nervous system, improves sleep, eliminates anxiety and irritability,

Experts say that dousing yourself with cold water regularly in the morning helps achieve the following positive results:

improving the condition of hair and skin;
prevention of varicose veins;
normalization of hormonal levels;
improved mood.

Pouring water, especially cold water, is not recommended for osteochondrosis. For patients suffering from this disease, it is better to give preference to more soft method contrasting rubdowns. This procedure removes painful sensations and reduces joint sensitivity to temperature changes.

Get even brighter pronounced effect you can use infusions for rubbing medicinal herbs that have a positive effect on the condition of the articular-ligamentous apparatus. ethnoscience For these purposes, he recommends using decoctions of tansy, yarrow, and thyme.

For severe hypertension, dousing with cold water is contraindicated.

A negative reaction to cold can occur if a person has the following contraindications To this method hardening:

traumatic damage to the skin;
elevated or excessive decreased performance blood pressure;
influenza, viral, respiratory diseases;
period of exacerbation of chronic diseases;
increased intraocular pressure;
heart failure;
ischemic disease, arrhythmias, tachycardia.

If you have serious health problems, you should consult your doctor before starting hardening procedures. The doctor will help identify possible contraindications and select the most optimal ones, safe methods hardening the body.

How to harden correctly?

Hardening gives a positive, long-lasting result and improves health only if the procedures are carried out in accordance with all basic rules. Otherwise, you may not only not get the expected effect, but also seriously harm your body.

Basic principles of hardening the body:

It is necessary to increase the intensity of the hardening effect moderately and smoothly. For example, the temperature of water for dousing should be reduced gradually, by 1–2 degrees. It is strictly contraindicated for beginners to swim in an ice hole in winter; such overloads are fraught with serious consequences.
Hardening procedures are required to be carried out regularly and systematically. Even short breaks (3-4 weeks) will lead to the loss of the results obtained, and everything will have to start all over again.
You should consider your own individual characteristics- age category, body weight, general state health.
It is recommended to keep mobile, active image life. Physical activity, physical exercise and hardening of the body must take place in combination.
During the procedures, you must carefully monitor your body’s reactions, monitor your pulse and blood pressure.

You need to carry out procedures with pleasure, without violence against yourself. In addition, it is important to remember that hardening is one of the elements of a healthy lifestyle, which includes proper balanced diet, refusal bad habits, playing sports.

Pouring cold water

Pouring cold water - effective procedure. From shower to in this case It's better to refuse because long-term exposure cold jets can have a negative impact on your health.

You need to fill the bucket with water. Moreover, 1 hardening should be carried out with water at a temperature not lower than 30 degrees. Gradually temperature conditions can be lowered.

The correct dousing scheme is presented in the following table:

It is best to start the procedure with rubbing. Perfect time for water procedures - morning hours.

First you need to rub your arms, legs, chest, face and stomach, throat with a towel dipped in cold water. An excellent continuation could be partial dousing - washing, pouring cold water over your hands and feet.

At the next stage, standing in the bathroom, you can proceed to full dousing, pouring a bucket over yourself cold water. It is absolutely not necessary to carry out complete douches over the head. This kind of sessions can be recommended for patients suffering from migraine attacks, severe headaches, and dizziness.

At similar procedures It is important to adhere to the pattern of alternating temperature regimes. Experts advise watering your head and face warm water for 7 minutes and only 1 minute - cold. After completing the session, the head must be thoroughly dried with a towel to prevent hypothermia.

It is important to ensure that there are no drafts in the room. At first, the skin can be rubbed with a dry towel and vigorous massage movements. In the future, as you adapt, it is better to stop wiping, allowing the water droplets to dry on their own, naturally.

Cold shower

A cold shower is the next stage of hardening the body. The best place to start is with contrast shower. For a minute, you need to douse yourself with warm water, gradually increase the temperature and immerse yourself in running hot water for 0.5-2 minutes, then suddenly turn on cold water (for about the same time). The recommended number of alternations of temperature conditions is from 3 to 5 times.

After 1.5-2 weeks, you can switch from a contrast shower to a cold one. The procedure is very effective, increases vitality, activates natural defense mechanisms body. The water temperature should be lowered gradually, minimum indicators- from 15 to 12 degrees.

To increase efficiency and reduce the risk of possible hypothermia, it is recommended to exercise before the procedure. morning exercises to warm up the body. The duration of the procedure is about 2 minutes, after which the same amount of time must be spent vigorously rubbing the body with a terry towel.

Hardening in an ice hole

Swimming in an ice hole is one of the most effective and effective methods hardening, gaining enormous popularity. Such hardening of the body activates almost everything physiological processes, has a rejuvenating effect, gives a boost of vigor and energy.

But this technique requires caution and compliance with certain rules. Also, swimming in an ice hole has certain contraindications:

cystitis;
bronchial asthma;
epileptic syndrome;
neuritis;
traumatic injuries of the skull;
enterocolitis;
pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
inflammatory processes localized in the prostate gland;
diabetes;
glaucoma;
gynecological diseases of an inflammatory nature;
tuberculosis;
inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, nasal cavity;
sclerosis of cerebral vessels;
pneumonia;
conjunctivitis;
sexually transmitted infectious diseases;
severe form of renal pathologies.

It is strictly forbidden to bathe babies or children in the ice hole. age category under 16 years old. Such extreme procedures are not recommended for persons old age, over 70. Severe hypothermia when diving into an ice hole is stress for the body, which can be dangerous for older people with serious problems with health.

Traditional winter swimming in an ice hole at Epiphany - good decision only for experienced and trained people, otherwise extremely undesirable consequences, up to heart attacks and strokes.

Swimming after visiting a bathhouse in an ice hole, as a result of a sharp change in temperature conditions, activates regeneration processes, strengthens blood vessels and the heart, saturates the cells and tissues of the body with oxygen, and improves general condition. But it is necessary to remember the contraindications listed above.

You should start preparing for diving into an ice hole in the summer, swimming in lakes and rivers, preparing your body. Exist following rules hardening the body by immersing in an ice hole:

Start diving in small ice holes made near the shore, under the supervision of specialists.
Warm up your body before diving. For these purposes, a standard warm-up is suitable - squats, rubbing, jumping.
Immerse yourself in water gradually and refrain from diving headlong, as such actions are fraught dangerous consequences, up to sharp spasms of cerebral vessels.
The optimal dive time is a minute. For beginners, 10–20 seconds will be enough to avoid hypothermia.
After leaving the ice hole, you need to thoroughly rub your body with a vigorous towel. active movements and put on dry, warm clothes and underwear.

Swimming in an ice hole is strictly prohibited from combining alcoholic drinks. Alcohol promotes expansion blood vessels, and a person loses heat faster. You should also stop smoking, which interferes with blood circulation.

Warm up after diving ice water Warm will help a lot Herb tea, which is recommended to take with you in a thermos when going for water-healing treatments.

How to harden children?

The greatest care should be taken when carrying out hardening procedures for children. Firstly, the child’s body is more sensitive to cold and has less resistance. Secondly, acceptable indicators Minimum temperature conditions for children and adults differ significantly.

It is also important to consider the age of the child. For example, dousing with cold water is not suitable for babies and infants.

Such babies can only be hardened by contrasting rubdowns. It is necessary to begin the process of strengthening the baby’s body with sun and air baths. When performing water procedures, monitor the microclimate in the room; it is best to start such activities in the summer.

Hardening can be carried out after bathing the child, using for this purpose a shower with a water temperature a couple of degrees lower than in the bathroom. If negative reactions The baby does not have any symptoms of cold, the temperature can be further lowered, but the change must be carried out smoothly and gradually.

Experts recommend making the water during hardening procedures colder by 1 degree for 3–5 days. This rule will allow the child’s body to adapt, avoid hypothermia and its attendant adverse consequences.

When hardening children over 2 years of age, you need to follow standard scheme, recommended for adults as well. You need to start water procedures by pouring over the baby’s arms and legs, gradually moving to the whole body. Pediatricians do not recommend dousing a child’s head and face, at least for initial stages because it could become severe stress for the baby.

To increase the effectiveness and safety of procedures, parents should pay attention to the following recommendations from experts:

Systematicity and regularity, healthy image life should become a habit for the baby.
Multifactorial. For complete hardening child's body it is important to alternate exposure to different external factors, such as air, water, sun.
Periodic changes in temperature conditions and duration of sessions.
Physical activity - exercises and active outdoor games - significantly increase the effectiveness of the hardening process and reduce the likelihood of hypothermia.

Very important has a positive psycho-emotional attitude of the child. We must try to turn hardening into interesting game, which will gradually become an integral part of the little man’s life.

If a child reacts inadequately to the cold, cries, or is capricious, you need to listen to these signals. It may be worth changing the temperature conditions, the scheme of procedures, or taking the baby for a consultation with a doctor.

Hardening the body with cold water is a holistic complex aimed at healing and strengthening the body. Pouring, rubbing, diving - increase general tone, activate the body’s internal reserves and its natural defense mechanisms, and have a rejuvenating effect. But to receive positive effect without risk to health, consistency and caution must be exercised, especially if we're talking about about small children, elderly people, people suffering from serious illnesses.

Some call water hardening a salvation from all diseases, others call it a senseless mockery of oneself. Who is right? Challenger medical expert Dima Solovyov analyzes cold douches from a scientific point of view.

Did your hot water suddenly turn off? Well, we have an idea: it's time to try cold douses. No jokes: cold shower It will give you strength and energy, and if taken regularly, it will also help avoid some health problems. It sounds tempting, but are the benefits of a cold shower really true?

Coffee substitute

Many people feel, frankly, unwell in the morning. Modern rhythm life is not at all conducive to long and good sleep, and having to get up early can easily turn you into a sleepy zombie. The usual way to finally wake up and come to your senses is a cup of coffee. Or two. When they stop helping - three and so on. Actually, coffee has a lot of positive qualities but they are all in the shadow of one important drawback: Coffee should not be overused. Like all nervous system stimulants, caffeine is somewhat addictive, and to achieve invigorating effect over time it is needed more and more. Meanwhile, excess caffeine can cause problems heart rate and a number of other dangerous consequences.

In a situation where your usual morning coffee no longer helps, it’s a good idea to experiment with a cold shower. It may not give you the same feeling of comfort as coffee, but it will certainly invigorate you and make you wake up. It is not at all necessary to immediately get into an ice-cold shower: you can start with warm water, and after a minute, when your skin gets used to the water, gradually cool it. In half a minute the sleep will disappear.

Steel character

A cold shower has one more advantage, the presence of which is difficult to argue with. Despite the benefits of cold douches, it is not a pleasant experience. Anyway, warm bath much more comfortable, and, at least at first, you will have to to make yourself take a cold shower. This means you will develop willpower and tenacity of character. And when you succeed, you will feel like a winner - why not? the best option to start the day?

According to , regular cold showers help even with depression. it's connected with beneficial influence cold water on the dopaminergic system of the brain. Of course, with severe depression, hardening with water is unlikely to help, but with mild emotional disorders it may be useful. However, cold showers have not yet been included in treatment recommendations: there is too little scientific data yet.

Recovery after training

Cold showers have long been used in their practice by doctors and physiotherapists working with athletes. Under the influence low temperatures the blood supply to the muscles changes, which prevents inflammation in areas of microtrauma, relieves pain and muscle stiffness. Despite the exact mechanism of this process, research has been repeated and convincing: after heavy exertion, cold showers or baths noticeably speed up recovery. This even applies to the Russian football team!

"Healthy" fat

Regular hardening with water helps the body accumulate fat to keep warm. However, there is no need to worry: this is not the kind of fat that can ruin your waist size. We are talking about “brown fat” - a type of adipose tissue that was previously thought to be present only in children. showed that this fat is also found in adults, and not at all in the abdomen or hips, but in the area chest and neck. By its origin, this fat has a lot in common with muscles (a paradox!), and its main purpose is to help us warm up: in cold conditions it breaks down and releases heat. Scientists suggest that with regular dousing with cold water, more " brown fat”, and on the contrary, there is less ordinary, “harmful” fat.

But what about hot shower? It has its benefits: it relaxes, helps relieve stress or even relieve symptoms mild cold. You can alternate cold showers with hot ones and determine which is right for you.

Antioxidant Help

In the mid-1990s, German scientists grouped a group of swimmers who regularly swam in cold water. The indicators caught their attention uric acid and glutathione in the blood. With regular immersion in cold water, the level of uric acid decreased, and the concentration of glutathione, on the contrary, began to increase. Such changes indicate increased antioxidant activity. In addition, reducing uric acid levels is in itself positive sign, as it causes gout and is dangerous for people with high blood pressure blood.

Strengthening the immune system

There is a common belief that hardening with water strengthens the immune system and a person gets sick less often. Physiology explains this by adaptation: regularly exposed to cold water, the body adapts and becomes less sensitive to hypothermia. Of course, hypothermia itself cannot cause illness, but it makes us more susceptible to infections. Simply put, if you get wet feet and are terribly cold on a cold autumn day, this will not make you sick. But if there is a person with a cold next to you, you are at high risk of becoming infected.

Taking regularly cool shower, you can teach your body to tolerate hypothermia more easily and reduce the risk of catching a cold. However, if you have chronic infections (for example due to chronic sinusitis your nose is constantly stuffy), then a cold shower can play a cruel joke on you. In this case, a constant source of microbes is located directly in your body, and after a cold shower it can “wake up” and lead to an exacerbation. So people with chronic infections you must first get rid of them, and only then start dousing them.