Showering: Cold or warm?
How often should you shower?
We shower to cleanse ourselves, cool down, or warm up. Many people shower daily, some even several times a day due to work, while others shower only every second day or once a week. There is no strict right or wrong here—at least not universally. The individual condition of the skin plays an important role, as the skin’s protective acid mantle is affected by washing with soap or shower gel and needs time to rebuild.
For our sewage systems, frequent (or at least regular) showering is beneficial, as they are designed to be flushed regularly. If too much water is saved, bacteria can multiply. Utility providers then have to flush the pipes and pass the costs on to consumers.
Whether you prefer a warm or cold shower is, of course, a matter of personal preference. However, the water temperature influences more than just individual well-being.
The impact of shower temperature
Showering with warm water feels pleasant and comforting, giving us a sense of security. Muscles relax, and in case of colds, the steam can help clear the airways. However, high temperatures affect the skin more strongly than lower ones. Hot showers can dry out the skin, requiring more moisturizing. This effect can be avoided with cold or lukewarm water. In addition, warm water can make you feel tired.
A cold shower—at a constant temperature of around 20 degrees or even lower—improves blood circulation. This increases oxygen demand and leads to deeper breathing, which helps wake you up. For this reason, experts recommend a cold shower in the morning to start the day alert rather than drowsy.
An alternative to warm showers is contrast showering. This means switching the water to a lower temperature (between 10 and 12 degrees) for 30 to 90 seconds after a warm shower. Ideally, you work your way from the lower body upward with the cold water.
How to do contrast showers:
- Start with the right leg.
- Then the left leg.
- Follow with the arms.
- Finally, shower the rest of the body with cold water.
Whether this strengthens the immune system cannot be conclusively proven. However, it does stimulate circulation, and people who regularly take cold or contrast showers tend to feel less ill.
It is important to note that cold showers are not suitable for everyone: people with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or other illnesses should consult a doctor before incorporating cold showers into their routine.
Costs: how expensive is a warm shower?
Every shower has an impact on both the environment and our wallets. We use about 10 liters of water per minute while showering—depending on the shower head. Depending on the duration and water temperature, a single shower can cost around €1.68. (Source: Consumer advice center of North Rhine-Westphalia; water temperature 38°C, shower duration 8 minutes, water flow 12 l/min).
By using lower water temperatures and shortening your shower time, you can save money. You can also replace your shower head with a model that uses less water per minute. Modern technology ensures that the difference in water flow is usually hardly noticeable.
After the shower: wrap up warmly
Whether you always shower cold, alternate between hot and cold water, or can’t go below 38 degrees—after showering, you can wrap yourself in a soft towel or slip into a cozy bathrobe. Depending on the season and outdoor temperature, different options are suitable. Even in summer, you don’t have to do without a bathrobe. Have you already discovered our particularly lightweight kimonos from the MÖVE HOMEWEAR collection?