Life of Wisdom

Do you realise that hot water could actually be ruining your life?

…well, OK, maybe “ruining” is too strong a word. The temperature of the water you use isn’t going to affect your next job interview, or give you any more luck in relationships. That’s not what I mean (although, as I explain later, those things could be helped by what I’m about to tell you…).

First, a disclaimer. Let me stress that I’m not a doctor- I’m just a guy giving my opinion based on my own, personal experience and things I’ve learnt. Please don’t take my advice over that of a doctor. I always suggest that you should do your own further research if you are interested.

Now that’s out the way, let me explain what I’m talking about.

How hot Water can actually be harmful

Let’s be a bit more specific now- I’m not against you using hot water in your tea or coffee, and I’m certainly not against you using it when shaving or cooking! No, but I am specifically talking about something that you probably do every single day, using hot or warm water: showering.

You shower every day, right? At least, I hope you do! Either every day, or every other day- depending on your preference. Now, if you’re like the majority of people, when you shower you’re using hot water (steam, bubbles etc…). Am I right?

That is where you just may be missing out. You see, when your body is exposed to hot water, the pores on your skin open up to allow heat to escape. The heat of the water also makes the natural oil on your skin softer (just like anything else that is exposed to heat can get softer). The combination of softer skin oil and soap leads to this layer of oil being washed away every time you shower.

Surely this is good? Well, while it is true that this process will remove dirt and excess grease- i.e. the whole point of a shower in the first place- you shouldn’t forget that it’s this natural oil in our skin that keeps it feeling soft and hydrated. Therefore, if you remove this layer every day, you may actually be causing your skin to dry out. I’m going to guess that you don’t want dry, itchy skin, am I right? I’m also going to guess that you don’t particularly want greasy, oily skin! The trick is- of course- to find a balance, but stripping the oils every day can only upset this balance.

If that isn’t enough, the other effect of the heat- opening your pores- can cause your body to absorb some of the chemicals and soap. Pores are like tiny, little holes through your skin. Usually they allow the natural oil and sweat to come out, but they also let other things in. All those chemicals in the shower gel may be good at cleaning your skin…on the outside…but I’m not too sure they’ll do any good on the inside!

So what’s the solution? Yup, you’ve guessed it…

The Health Benefits of Cold Showers

Not only could hot showers possibly be bad for you, there is also evidence to suggest that cold showers are actually good for you! They key is to find a cold temperature that you can just about put up with. Many people decide to try this method by starting out with warm water and then gradually reducing the temperature over the course of the shower. For me, I just turn it on cold right away- each to his or her own preference.

Actually, I tell a lie. I used to use lukewarm water to start off with and then turned the temperature down as I went (this method is especially good in winter when the temperature outside is in minus figures and there is no heating). Now I’m used to it, though, it’s easier to just go straight in cold because my shower is one of those ones that is just attached to the taps.

Healthier Skin and Hair

So, if hot water causes your pores to open (i.e. relax), cold water does just the opposite- it closes them. This action has it’s own benefits as it can literally squeeze toxins and waste products out of your skin, leaving you feeling (and looking) refreshed. The same process can also make your hair look shinier because it closes down the cuticles on your hair shaft.

This process also aids in the circulation of something called lymph, which is something that carries waste produces through the “lymphatic system”. The lymphatic system is a part of your immune system, I believe, only lymph isn’t pumped around your body like blood is. In order to get lymph to circulate (and at the same time taking the toxins out of your system), it relies more on muscle contractions. If you’ve ever been under cold water you’ll realise that one of the first things to happen is that your muscles contract! This, then, is perfect for getting those toxins out of your body!

Improved Circulation

In fact, your whole body feels the effect of this, and your blood vessels will also do something called “vasoconstriction”. Pretty much what it says on the tin- they constrict, or “tighten”. This process allows the blood to circulate at a higher pressure.

I know, high blood pressure is a bad thing, right? Well, yes…but in this case you’re actually exercising the muscles that control this process, which will lead to better circulation overall. Anyway, the process is only in effect while you’re in the cold. As soon as you step out of the water, your vessels will dilate again and your blood pressure could even be lower than in was before the shower. I have tested this myself, and I have noticed that my blood pressure is lower after I shower. I’m not saying the same effects hold for everyone, though.

I would also point out that the increase in blood pressure initially might be bad news if you currently suffer from high blood pressure. Pushing it up further will only increase your chances of heart attack or stroke. So use with caution!

Helps regulate Temperature

Of course, forcing your body to have to deal with (moderately) extreme cold will test out it’s ability to regulate your internal temperature. Remember me saying earlier how I had become more used to the cold water over time? Well, that’s actually because the systems your body uses to stabilise your internal temperature become improved over time when showering in cold water.

It’s something to do with the type of fat we have stored. You see, your body will burn fat to produce heat. There are two types of fat cells- white fat, and brown fat. Those aren’t random names- they actually are those colours! Sometimes white fat is called “yellow fat”, but it’s the same stuff. As is my understanding, when your body wants to increase it’s temperature, you start to burn the brown fat, from the brown fat cells. This is really a good thing, because once the brown cells have run out of their own fat supply, they turn to the white fat cells and use the fat there instead. This whole process is strengthened and made more efficient when your body is regularly exposed to cold water, or cold air.

Oh, and talking about burning fat, that’s another advantage of cold showers…

Increased Metabolism

The speed of your metabolism is the speed at which your body is burning calories. When you take regular, cold showers you increase the amount of brown fat cells, blood pressure, and body temperature. These three things will speed up your metabolism and make it more efficient- which is great if you’re trying to lose weight. An increased metabolism means you’ll be burning more calories than before, and it also means increased repair and growth of muscles- meaning you’ll be fitter overall.

Deeper Breathing

What’s the first thing you do when stepping under cold water? That’s right- a sharp intake of breath! In fact, you’ll need to breathe more deeply in order to combat the stress of the cold. Having cold showers can therefore, increase your lung capacity and enable you to take in more oxygen. Higher levels of oxygen are great for things such as: not feeling tired and having a lot of energy throughout the day.

Helps Sleep

I’m not quite sure why, but apparently cold showers just before bedtime can help you to sleep better. I’ve heard that it’s recommended to insomniacs to help them wind down at the end of the day. Could be worth a try if you struggle to get to sleep?

The Secret of the Hormesis Hypothesis

Now lets look at some of the reasons why this is all going on. There is something called the hormesis hypothesis, which says that if you’re exposed to low levels of something stressful, it can have very positive results. The hypothesis is controversial, but it does make some sense- look at things like: alcohol (which is bad in high doses, but is apparently good for your heart in moderation), or exercise (where too much is a bad thing, but the right amount is very beneficial for your whole body). Again, it must come down to moderation.

Cold showers are also thought to stimulate the immune system- probably due to the stress you’re under. People who regularly take cold showers have been shown to be at less risk of cancer, cold and flu, varicose veins…and- believe it or not- depression.

Yup, if you suffer from depression, a cold shower might be just what the doctor ordered! It has been shown that cold showers activate the brain’s “blue spot”- which is responsible for mood. From my own experience, I do feel very refreshed and happier just after taking a cold shower. Again, try it out yourself to find out if it works for you.

There is one huge benefit that I’ve found from taking cold showers, though, and it can be summed up in three words…

Fortes Fortuna Adiuvat

OK, they happen to be Latin words…but those are still three words! The phrase “fortes fortuna adiuvat” means something like “fortune favours the brave”, and I think it really applies here. One of the main benefits I’ve experienced from cold showers is that it forces you to be brave. By starting the day with an act of courage, you set yourself up for the rest of the day with the mindset that you can really overcome more if you just put your mind to it.

Think about it: how many things in life are you holding back from because you are afraid of the negative consequences? Some things in life are just like a cold shower- the first time (or the first few seconds) is the worst part. After you’re through the worst of it, you can truly appreciate and understand the benefits that you would have missed out on otherwise. You may decide that cold showers are not for you, but I encourage you to at least give it a try, just because acts of courage, such as this, can help us to grow and develop as people.

That’s my experience, anyway. I’ve found myself becoming generally braver and more confident since taking colder showers. This is what could help you with that job interview, as I was saying earlier!

So, what do you think? Are you going to give this a try, or have you already been doing this for years without realising the benefits? What’s your story? Seen any improvements, or negative consequences? Let’s hear your thoughts!

By Wikipedia Loves Art participant “nathanne”, via Wikimedia Commons

In today’s very stressful world, we often get so wrapped up in the day to day routine and stresses that we start to neglect our health. You may not even realise you’re doing it, but everyday levels of stress can start to add up if you’re not careful! Did you know, you can learn how to meditate in a way that can not only reduce your stress levels, but there is some scientific evidence that you can actually improve your health this way?

Even better than that, this only takes 15 to 20 minutes a day. In only 20 minutes you could leave yourself feeling revitalised, healthier and free of chronic stress.

Now, I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you about the negative consequences of chronic stress! It goes beyond just feeling crappy, there are medical effects too, such as:

• Increase blood pressure
• Memory problems
• Loss of sex drive
• Rapid Heartbeat
• Nausea and Dizziness
• Weakened immune system
• Disrupted sleep
• Depression

I mean, if there was a way to avoid- or at least reduce the effects of- the above, you would, right?

Why “Chronic” Stress?

The reason we’re talking about chronic stress here is that a small amount of stress is actually good for you. Your body’s stress response is what allows you to quickly slam on the breaks to avoid an accident, or to stay focused during that intense interview. Historically, of course, this would be the reaction we’ve evolved to keep us from being eaten by lions, or sabre toothed tigers.

That kind of stress isn’t the problem- it’s what keeps you on your toes and keeps you feeling alive (provided you weren’t eaten by the lion…). The problem is when the stress is constant, or chronic. Our bodies just weren’t designed to cope with constant stress. You run from a lion once and you either reach safety, or get eaten- the stress is there and then it’s gone. If you’re constantly under intense stress, you’ll eventually just burn out (hence all the negative effects in the list above), because that’s not what we evolved to do. We’re not designed to be constantly under pressure, and when we are, things start to break and go wrong.

Meditation strengthens the Brain

As if stress reduction wasn’t enough of a reason, did you know that practising meditation actually strengthens your brain? Studies have indicated that regular meditation can actually stimulate blood flow to your brain, improve your memory, and improvements in other areas such as verbal fluency. Other sources also indicate that taking the time to relax and keep stress levels low could improve your attention span. Meditation is actually believed to strengthen and physically thicken parts of the brain’s cerebral cortex- responsible for attention, memory and decision making.

Research by Sara Lazar, of Massachusetts General Hospital, found that the brains of 20 men and women who meditated for just 40 minutes a day were thicker and stronger than those who did not. These studies were conducted on normal people- not Buddhist monks. This means that even basic meditation can slow the thinning of the brain that happens with age. Meditation is like exercise for the brain, and- just like any part of us- the more we exercise our brains, then better they get. So, you could be getting smarter by meditating!

Thinking about it, it does stand to reason. I mean, look at what is happening in the world today- daily stress levels are increasing, but at the same time attention spans seem to be decreasing! Of course, it could just be that there are so many ways to stay entertained nowadays that don’t require too much concentration (TV, Facebook, YouTube…). Maybe the response to all this stress is that the world produces more videos of cats?

There is nothing wrong with cat videos on YouTube, but they’re more of a distraction from stress, than a solution to it! Meditation is a way in which you can consciously take the time to yourself, to combat the stress that you were never designed to handle in the first place. This kind of stress shouldn’t even be there- and in a perfect world, it wouldn’t be. Sadly, this world is not even close to perfect!

How to Meditate

So, if there are really so many benefits to meditation, how do you do it? How can you get these stress reducing effects(I hear you ask)? Well, luckily meditation isn’t very difficult to do at all, you just need to find a comfortable place to sit- away from distractions or loud noises- and the time to do it in.

I prefer to listen to music when I meditate- but lets not fall into stereotypes, you don’t have to listen to classical music while sitting up a mountain and growing a long flowing beard! Personally, I like to listen to some relaxing music, your mileage may vary.

The basic steps towards meditation shouldn’t take you too long to master. Remember, this is about taking your time and consciously relaxing. Once you’ve found your distraction-free spot, sit comfortably. There is no need to adopt the “lotus position” (you know, the one where it’s like being cross legged, but a bit more “twisty” with your feet above your knees?). Just sit how you’re comfortable sitting. Sometimes I meditate laying down- it’s all about what’s comfortable for you.

Now, if you’re sitting comfortably, close your eyes and look up towards your “third eye”. Your third eye is something that is often referred to in spiritual contexts and basically just means somewhere about the middle of your forehead. Just sort of turn your eyes to look at this imaginary point, and it should help you to relax. Feeling relaxed? Good! Next, I want you to focus on the natural rhythm of your breathing- inhale…and exhale. Don’t try to force yourself or take control of your breathing in any way, just let it naturally find it’s own rhythm.

This is the important concept of meditation- you should be almost just observing your natural rhythms, not trying to specifically do anything with them. If you are truly relaxed, your breathing should be pretty slow and deep. If it isn’t, don’t worry- and definitely don’t try and force yourself to breath slower than you naturally are. The idea is to just follow the rhythm of your breathing, and be concious of it.

Isn’t this a Religion?

No. Not at all! You should now be in a state of total relaxation. This is at the heart of what meditation is all about- relaxation. It’s not a religion- although it is sometimes done in a spiritual or religious context. It’s more of a method of purposeful relaxation- a “time out” in which you can contemplate your life, and your surroundings. This is what we so often don’t get time to do, and we should because the time you set aside to meditate is time you’ve set aside just for yourself.

The reason I want you to focus on your breathing is that it helps to clear your mind. Over the day, our minds pick up all sorts of clutter, and can sometimes be in need of a clear-out. If your mind doesn’t go completely clear, this is a sign that you’ve picked up this clutter. The worst thing you can do in this situation is to try and force your mind to empty. If there is something on your mind, it’s likely there for a reason! If a thought comes into your head, just observe it- in a similar way to what you’ve been doing with your breathing. If you start to think about it too much, it’ll start to cause you stress- which you’re meaning to avoid.

Just let any thoughts enter your mind or leave as they see fit- don’t even try to control it. This can take practise at first, it did for me. If a thought pops into your head it can be hard not to act on it, or to think about it more. You’ll just have to learn to resist that urge, and “go with the flow” of what your mind is doing. Meditation is a time of contemplation and observation- a time where you get to just think and not worry about anything.

How often should You meditate?

That’s a good question! Ideally, you would be meditating every day for at least 10 minutes, but if that isn’t possible for you, then maybe every other day, or once a week would be better. The reality is: there are no set rules, here. The more you can do it, the greater the benefits, but even meditating only once a month is probably better than never at all!

So it’s really up to you how often, or for how long you want to do this for.

What’s happening Here?

What’s happening when you meditate is that you’re putting things in a bit more perspective. Apart from the physical relaxation side of things, you’re allowing your thoughts to sort themselves out. During meditation, you realise that things that seemed so important under the stress of daily life can be pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes it’s good to let go, when the chronic stress of life has got you so worked up that anyone would think the world was going to end…

Sometimes, maybe you should be looking within and asking yourself what’s really important in life.

Do you meditate, or are you inspired to start? I would be interested to hear your thoughts: what effects have you noticed? Have you become less stressed, calmer? Or have you tried meditating and found it wasn’t for you?

Let me know your own experiences,
Rob.