Scottish Shower Function
No It is not just as you might suspect a shower made in Scotland! The term 'Scottish shower' may have some links to the unpredictable change in weather over this northern area of the UK but only by name.
The term in fact refers to a shower in which the water temperature fluctuates between hot and cold, the theory behind this relates to the health benefits cause by the rapid expansion and contraction of you vascular system which improved blood flow and reduces the risk of a number of diseases.
So lets look a little further into what exactly a Scottish shower is and what its benefits are.
Where did it come from?
It has been suggested that the term 'Scottish showers' originates from the weather in Scotland where there seems to be endless shower showers of cold water however, evidence of using cold water to improve bodily health can be seen right back to ancient times. Even when the Greeks had developed methods of heating water for their baths they still made use of cold baths on a regular basis. The Scandinavians and the Finnish often bath in frozzen pools and are well know for working up a sweat in a sauna and then taking a quick dip in a ice pool this is called 'avantouinti'.
Originally this practise was only really carried out in health spas however, many commercial and home use showers now have this functionality built in so you can enjoy the health benefits and bracing wake up call in your own bathroom.
What happens?
Basically when your body heats up, in this case under hot water, your veins rise to the surface of your skin in order to release some of your body heat and keep your core temperate at a constant 37 degrees. At the opposite end of the scale when your body becomes cold you veins pump more warm blood to your organs to keep them warm, this increases your heart rate and blood flow.
The rapid change between these two sates is suggested (with much research behind it) to improve circulation, heart function and general well being as well as reducing the risk of several serious diseases (see below.)
Why do it?
There are a number of simple reasons to try a Scottish shower, for example:
- It is guaranteed to revive you from your sleepy state when getting up for work
- It improves your circulatory system and blood flow
- It helps to relieve depression and the production of noradrenaline
- Keeps hair and skin healthy where as hot water dries them out
- Increases Fertility
- Strengthens your immune system and encourages the growth in levels of white blood cells
- Increases your production of testosterone (for the boys)
These are all great reasons to try a Scottish shower and you can already see some brillaint benefits. There are infact some more serious reasons to consider trying it as research has shown that it reduces the risk of heart disease and coronary failure .
Further Resources
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-scottish-shower.htm
http://www.buylivebetter.com/2007/10/hydrotherapy-scottish-shower.html