I don’t know why, but personally I just love going to the steam room in winter. During the snowy season, a certain magic is felt in the bathhouse, penetrating into the most secret corners of the soul. In addition, in the frosty season, when the earth basks in the fluffy embrace of a snow-white fur coat, visiting a health resort is extremely useful. Velvet steam combined with pristine snow is a life-giving balm that fills all the cracks of a wounded soul and a body tormented by disease.
What? Have you ever jumped into the snow after a bath? Yes..., dear friends, you simply cannot imagine what sensations this procedure can give! “Swimming” in the snow is rapture, bliss, euphoria, pleasure. I could select words to describe this procedure endlessly, but they will not be able to approximately convey the sensations experienced by a person jumping into a fluffy fresh snowdrift.
Want to try? Great. In that case, I think you will be interested in reading this article. I will tell you about the dangers and benefits, the opinions of doctors regarding this procedure and the rules for its implementation. So, let's begin?
Medical irrefutable evidence
How did people in the past, who knew nothing about medicine, come up with the idea of improving their health in this way? Nobody knows - we can only speculate. But it is obvious that they were not mistaken. Confirmation is a medical report after many experiments. For example, modern devices have recorded a positive reaction of the body to a sharp temperature change.
The equipment confirmed that when a person runs out into the street after a steam room and throws himself into a snowdrift, the body produces a powerful charge of energy. Such a “shake” launches all processes that, for one reason or another, were “in sleep mode.” In general, experienced and novice bathhouse attendants, jumping into the snow after a steam room is a guarantee of indescribable feelings, good health and magical beauty!
Hardening process
When starting to harden, you need to be patient - the result will not come instantly. It takes time for the body to adapt to temperature changes. You need to harden your body gradually, starting with a few seconds spent in the steam room and ending with the same short cool shower.
The hardening procedure in the bath is divided into three stages:
- 1Heating
- 2Cooling
- 3Rest
You can repeat the steps up to five times.
The duration of each stage is determined by the level of hardening of an individual person. The maximum time a seasoned person spends in a bathhouse is 10-15 minutes. Cooling is achieved through a cold shower, diving into a pool or cold air. The less hardened a person is, the smaller the temperature difference between heating and cooling should be. Some people prefer swimming in an ice hole or rubbing themselves with snow. The main thing is not to get too cold. You should stop cooling when you feel the desire to warm up. In case of hypothermia, take a warm shower, dry yourself and go take a steam bath.
The rest stage is the final stage of hardening. In general, you need to harden yourself in a sauna or bathhouse slowly and deliberately. Rest should take up about half of the total time spent in the bathhouse. Sufficient rest is the key to good health and pleasant sensations. Allow your body to recover from its ordeal by thoroughly warming up and cooling down.
Before a bath or sauna, it is recommended to take a shower and dry yourself well.
The benefits of “bathing” in the snow after a steam room
So, what exactly is the benefit of swimming in the snow after a steam bath? Doctors say that the procedure helps:
- active weight loss;
- burning fat;
- eliminating cellulite;
- production of collagen and elastin fibers;
- improving mood;
- smoothing out small wrinkles;
- strengthening muscle tone;
- slowing down the process of biological aging;
- getting rid of depression;
- strengthening the immune system;
- improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
- normalization and regulation of the endocrine system;
- stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract;
- acceleration of blood circulation;
- removing harmful substances from the body;
- improving performance;
- treatment of insomnia;
- reducing the manifestations of inflammatory processes;
- relieving nervous and physical tension;
- normalization and regulation of the sebaceous and sweat glands.
Quite a list, isn't it? In addition, jumping into soft, fresh snow contributes to the production of happiness hormones - endorphins.
Benefits of a bath
- The bath trains breathing. It becomes deeper and more frequent, which stimulates air exchange in the lungs and increases the flow of oxygen.
- The bath stimulates metabolism. Beneficial substances are absorbed faster, and harmful substances are eliminated along with sweat and exhaled air.
- The bathhouse promotes the biosynthesis of proteins, on which such important processes in the body as digestion and regulation of blood pressure depend.
- The bath helps get rid of blood stagnation, which promotes blood supply to the muscles, increases the body's resistance to infections, and improves general condition.
- The bath rejuvenates the body by ridding the skin of dead cells, which makes it possible for new cells to appear. As a result of improved metabolism, cholesterol is burned. Thus, the entire body is rejuvenated.
Contraindications
ATTENTION! If you decide to visit the bathhouse in winter and “swim” in a fluffy snowdrift, you MUST undergo examination for the presence of certain diseases. It is PROHIBITED to make a decision without the recommendations of a family doctor regarding visiting the steam room and jumping in the snow!
REMEMBER! Going to the bathhouse and jumping in the snow without a doctor’s permission is fraught with:
- at best - exacerbation and cold;
- in the worst case, serious health problems!
It is strictly forbidden for people with the following health problems to jump in the snow:
- hypertension;
- hypotension;
- renal failure;
- liver failure;
- extensive injuries;
- bronchial asthma;
- stomach ulcer;
- glaucoma;
- conjunctivitis;
- epilepsy;
- encephalitis;
- sclerosis;
- diabetes;
- tuberculosis;
- emphysema;
- chronic diseases during exacerbation.
Dear readers, the list of ailments for which “swimming” in the snow and visiting the steam room is prohibited is, alas, endless. But I think it’s worth stopping at this...
It is important to know!
It is possible to achieve the desired results with the right approach to hardening and compliance with all rules and precautions. Before you begin to harden, it is necessary to take into account the physical condition of a person, his age, general health, and ability to withstand loads.
For certain diseases, baths and saunas are strictly contraindicated: tumors (any), problems with cardiac activity, previous heart attacks and strokes, diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, etc. Therefore, you should make a decision about visiting a bath or sauna together with your doctor.
Pouring cold water
Pouring cold water is an effective procedure. In this case, it is better to avoid taking a shower, since prolonged exposure to a cold stream can adversely affect 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. Temperature conditions can be gradually lowered.
The correct dousing scheme is presented in the following table:
| Hardening days | Water temperature indicators |
| 1-3 | 34 |
| 4-7 | 30-33 |
| 8-11 | 28 |
| 12-15 | 25-27 |
| 16-20 | 24 |
| 21-25 | 21-22 |
| 26-35 | 19 |
| 36-40 | 16-17 |
| 41-45 | 15 |
| 46-50 | 14 |
| 51-56 | 13 |
| From day 57 | 12 |
It is best to start the procedure with rubbing. The ideal time for water procedures is the morning.
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 complete douches by pouring a bucket of cold water over yourself. 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.
With such procedures, it is important to adhere to the pattern of alternating temperature conditions. Experts advise pouring warm water over your head and face for 7 minutes and cold water for only 1 minute. 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.
Method of hardening the body in a bath
Hardening in a bathhouse is an effective means of preventing diseases and increasing immunity.
- Entering the steam room for the first time means warming up the body through exposure to heat. This is how the first heating of the body occurs.
- According to the scheme, now you need to cool the body (under a cool shower, plunge into a well with cold water, or throw a bucket of water over yourself), the surface of the body immediately warms up. As a result of a short-term decrease in body temperature, heating occurs. This is the secret of hardening. This is how the second heating occurs.
- Following the scheme, you should again visit the steam room. This is how the third heating occurs, which is considered the most effective and strongest.
Hardening methods
Hardening can be carried out in different ways, each of which has its own benefits, advantages and disadvantages. There are the following methods of hardening the body:
- Aerotherapy - air baths, long walks, spending time in the fresh air. They are carried out at any time of the year, regardless of weather conditions and temperature conditions. Aerotherapy is one of the simplest ways to strengthen the body by normalizing thermoregulation processes. Air hardening strengthens the immune system, normalizes the functioning of internal organs, and stabilizes the 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 effects such as sunstroke.
- Water procedures with cold water are considered one of the most effective and efficient 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 the skin of the body with vigorous 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 to harden and strengthen the body, having 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 start 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 prior preparation, and failure to follow certain rules, can become very dangerous for an unseasoned person and plunge the body into a state of extreme stress.
Hardening the body
Cold water has healing and hardening properties - this is no longer a secret to anyone. Even the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates himself considered it a very effective therapeutic agent. Therefore, hardening is a very popular method of healing and strengthening the body. But currently there are many opinions about the benefits for humans of dousing with ice water and swimming in ice holes. Let's look at this issue in more detail.
What are the benefits of dousing with cold water?
Of course, ice water itself does not cure the human body, but, without any doubt, it increases its internal potential. By dousing yourself with such water or diving into an ice hole, a person receives a certain “shock” that lasts only 1.5 minutes. After it, hidden energy resources are awakened in the body, which are responsible for the functioning of the thermoregulation mechanism. Interestingly, with such “shock” therapy, the temperature of the skin becomes lower, and the flow of blood to the internal organs increases, which leads to an increase in heat generation by 10 times or even more.
Thanks to hardening, the body's metabolism is normalized, excess fat is burned, and body weight is reduced. The level of cholesterol and blood sugar also decreases, the production of sex hormones increases, and the withering of cells slows down. After such “cold” procedures, a person usually experiences joy and a surge of strength. This occurs due to the release of joy hormones into the blood.
A seasoned person is better adapted to changing weather and cold climates, very rarely suffers from colds, is cheerful, has a strong nervous system and is often in excellent spirits. Any beginner who swims in an ice hole for the first time will confirm that a feeling of lightness and pleasant warmth appears in the body, even if it is frosty outside, and the mood improves.
Contraindications to dousing
- exacerbation of chronic diseases,
- heart failure,
- cardiac ischemia,
- tachycardia,
- skin diseases,
- eye pressure disorder
- menstruation.
Hypertensive and hypotensive patients should also wait with douches during increases or decreases in pressure.
Where to start pouring cold water
Having decided to seriously strengthen your immunity by dousing yourself with cold water or winter bathing, remember one thing: you should be careful and do everything gradually. Any person knows the feeling of euphoria and a surge of vigor after exposure to cold water. This can give confidence in his limitless powers. This is where the big mistake and danger lies. In this state, a person ceases to adequately assess his physical strength and level of health. Many people immediately want to take a long swim in cold water. Without following certain rules for adapting the body, without conducting systematic training, instead of a healing effect, you can “earn” negative stress for the whole body.
After such thoughtless hypothermia, a person’s skin becomes blue, blood pressure increases, and a negative altered state of consciousness has often been observed. The human body, of course, can recover in a couple of hours, but is it really worth doing such harm to yourself instead of benefit?
Types of hardening - rubbing, shower, dousing, etc.
Remember that winter swimming and dousing should be considered as therapeutic and health procedures, and only then as a sport (this applies to marathon swims). Therefore, you should start gradually, slowly, wisely combining physical and cold exercise. It would be better to start preparing your body and systematic bathing in the warm summer. But those who decide to start training in winter can also safely begin, resorting to various methods of hardening - rubbing, showering, dousing, etc.
Hardening rules
1. Pouring water begins from the knees down -> from the waist down -> right arm from the shoulder down -> back -> left arm from the shoulder down -> chest from the neck down -> and only then the head is poured. Spend 2-3 seconds on each dousing area.
2. At the initial stages of hardening, the water temperature should be such that it will not take your breath away while pouring over your head and back. Lower the water temperature gradually, don’t rush into anything!
3. After dousing, there is no need to rub yourself; it will be enough to lightly blot your body with a terry towel. Why shouldn't you do this? If you start rubbing yourself, there is a chance that you will rub some areas of your body more strongly and some less. As a result of this, some pores will remain closed, some will remain open.
If you follow these tips, then depending on what time you do the hardening, there will be a different effect. In the morning, dousing will invigorate you, and in the evening it will (surprisingly) relax you. Of course, everything is individual, and the results may vary.
Hardening with a contrast shower
A contrast shower prepares the body for sudden temperature changes. The procedure should begin with warm water and end with cold water.
Pouring cold water
This is the best way to start your hardening and a way to prepare for winter swimming. Even a short exposure to cold water on human skin (1-5 seconds) can activate acupuncture points. Due to this, the body temperature rises, and as a result, numerous harmful microorganisms burn like fire, and the human body begins to quickly fight diseases. That is why dousing with cold water is used to treat colds and strengthen the immune system.
We advise everyone who wants to get rid of colds to douse themselves with 2-3 buckets of cold water. For healthy people, to harden the body, it will be enough to pour out one bucket of cold water every morning. If it is not possible to do this outside, then you can do it in the bathroom. There are no excuses!
