Many people like to take hot showers: it helps relieve muscle tension, relax after a hard day's work and warm up. But if you do it every day, you're taking a serious health risk. And here's why:
To begin with, a very hot shower strips your hair and body of its natural oils. This can lead to dryness, flaking and itching, hair breakage, loss of shine and split ends. Moreover, washing your scalp with hot water can provoke the problem of hair loss. Under the influence of hot moisture, the scalp swells, which slows down blood flow. Deteriorated blood circulation, in turn, weakens the hair. In addition, hot water opens the pores, which weakens the hair roots, making it easier for hair loss to occur.
At the same time, overuse of hot showers causes dry skin and aggravation of dermatological diseases, including psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. People with such diseases should avoid hot showers, otherwise the skin will become even more itchy, cracked and even bleeding. It is better to take a short and moderately cold shower for 5-10 minutes.
It's not just skin and hair that are at risk. Showering too hot can also compromise your immune system by stripping your skin of its first line of defense against infection and pollution – skin proteins and oils.
Hot showers are also harmful to people diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Under a hot shower, the body heats up quickly, which leads to an increased strain on the heart. The body forces blood to rush to the epidermis to expel excess heat. The heart increases the number of contractions. Water dilates the vessels, the pressure drops, because of which the hypotonic person can simply lose consciousness.
In addition, the steam from hot water can cause breathing problems and also affect oxygenation of the brain.
And that's not all!
Hot showers can really mess up your sleep. And there's a scientific explanation for this. According to scientists, although hot showers may seem relaxing at first, the increase in body temperature can disrupt the body's natural cooling process necessary for sleep. Cooling signals the body that it's time to sleep, and a hot shower before bed can slow that process down, making it harder to fall asleep.
People with diabetes should not take a hot shower immediately after an insulin injection. Hot water stimulates blood flow and insulin is absorbed faster than it should be. In addition, diabetes can impair thermoregulation, so hot showers can easily lead to overheating.
To protect yourself from the above risks, I recommend taking a warm and short shower. I would also note that it is better to shower not every day, but once every 2-3 days. Scientists have long proved: our skin does not like frequent and thorough washing. Therefore, dermatologists strongly recommend giving up the habit of washing every day, using a sponge or body scrubs. It is enough to rinse with warm water, and wash your hands and feet with mild soap. Of course, if you sweat a lot during a workout or get dirty, a full body wash is appropriate.