The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about a cold shower is refreshing. But a cold shower before bed may not necessarily improve your sleep, so it doesn't specifically have sleep benefits. This is because exposure to low-temperature water increases cortisol and norepinephrine levels. What's the connection? 

Cortisol is supposed to decrease before bedtime, in order to keep our alert levels down, so we don't stay awake longer. When levels rise before bedtime, of course, the quality of sleep becomes poor. On the other hand, norepinephrine, when active, triggers a reaction in the blood vessels to redistribute blood and warm the body.

Cold showers, on the other hand, are potentially good, but not related to sleep quality. Athletes immerse themselves in low-temperature water after an evening workout. Through this, they are able to get a good night's sleep within the first 3 hours. Cold showers can also reduce symptoms of soreness or muscle tightness caused by exercise and reduce heart rate faster. However, again, not all studies show the same results.

The benefits of cold showers on sleep quality are still being debated

Potential to boost the immune system

A study involving 3000 participants showed that running cold water for about 1 minute after a hot shower can reduce the intensity of pain symptoms, allowing them to work as usual. But keep in mind, this may not be the case for everyone.

Cold Water Versus Warm Water Before Bed

The benefits of taking a warm bath before bed are more researched than cold water. Warm water is believed to improve sleep quality in several ways, such as the stimulation of warm water feels more soothing, it can lower blood pressure in older people, and make sleep earlier in the elderly. 

Tips

Cold showers and warm showers before bedtime affect each person differently. Thus, the emphasis is more on personal preference. Choose the one that you feel is most beneficial for your sleep quality. Furthermore, the key to improving sleep quality is to practice sleep hygiene, such as

• Set a clock: go to bed and wake up at the same time every day and stick to it.

• Comfortable environment: make sure the mattress, pillow and sheets are soft, minimize the use of lights, and the room temperature is cool.

• Stay away from gadgets: put smartphones, tablets, or any electronics that emit blue light in a place that is hard to reach

• The bed is only a place to sleep, not for other activities, such as watching, scrolling social media, or playing games.

• Limit caffeine intake

The key to a good night's sleep is good sleep hygiene.

So, whether you want to take a cold or warm shower before bed, it depends on your personal preference. If a cold shower is more refreshing so you can sleep better or a warm shower feels soothing, Ladies just choose which one gives the best impact. The important thing to remember is that the quality of sleep is not only determined by the temperature of the bath, but sleep hygiene.

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