What is best for you—a cold water bath or a hot water bath? A cold water bath? Is it time to discard the geyser in your bathroom and save some money on electricity bills in the process? Heck-NO! That’s not what I am trying to say. Because, cold water bath and hot water bath have their respective advantages. And, you must choose what suits you best at a given point of time.
Benefits of Cold Water Bath
First of all, a cold water bath saves you time and money involved in the process of heating water.
The second important reason for taking a cold water bath is that it prevents colds.
Thirdly, cold water baths help tighten the skin. By doing that, it delays formation of wrinkles and signs of aging on your face and other parts of the body.
Fourthly, cold water baths reduce tension in the mind because it has a soothing effect on us. Now you know why.
Fifthly, cold water baths stimulate the immune system. It also helps overcome the general tendency to avoid a cold water bath.
Lastly, it accelerates metabolism.
Benefits of Hot Water Bath
In the first place, a hot water bath reduces tiredness as it relaxes the muscles.
Secondly, it reduces headaches.
Thirdly, it relieves nasal congestion which is one of the symptoms of cold.
Finally, it opens pores and cleanses the skin. This helps in eliminating toxins and generally helps in improving your health condition.
What to do?
Don’t ask me. Don’t ask anybody. Keep your own counsel and decide what is best for you considering the above observations. Neither option is good or bad. Both have their advantages. Base your decision on which one suits the occasion and you, better. Whatever you do, make sure that you don’t take a shower immediately after you return home from somewhere. Let your body get used to the room temperature before you decide to have a shower.
What you must remember, however, is that it might not be a good idea to have a hot water bath immediately after exposing yourself to cold weather. By the same token, you should avoid taking a cold water bath if you are sweating all over. Either way, it might affect your health in some way. In India, we say: ‘Tanda-garam ho gaya’ when that happens. It means the problem was caused due to the combination of heat and cold.
