"Apparently, cold showers do more than relieve sexual tension. They also alleviate the symptoms of, and could even prevent, depression, according to a recent study in Medical Hypothesis. The study authors believe that the blues might be triggered by a lack of physical stressors. Because our skin contains three to ten times more cold receptors than those registering warmth, cool water is the equivalent of mild electroshock therapy. It activates the sympathetic nervous system, causing the brain to release noradrenaline, a chemical with antidepressant effects. The study authors recommend spending two to three minutes in 68-degree water."In my personal opinion this is pretty crazy mostly because I have a strong tendency to avoid cold water... but that's just me.
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Of course you can also work on alleviating depression through other more active ways such as going for a walk or doing virtually any other form of exercise as this has been proven to be virtually as effective at treating depression as drugs have. Thinking about this a little more however I can't help but think that we all take nearly daily showers. It probably wouldn't hurt to take a minute or three of this time at a low temperature. A good mood for the day might just be worth the time.
Source
Best Life, Aug '08
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