The healthier way to shower - recovery tips from the shower experts at hansgrohe
How do you shower when you are exhausted after exercise or have partied through the night? And what is the best way to rinse off after a sauna? Showering is not just a case of cranking up the water. You can do so much to boost your health and well-being through even the smallest of changes in your showering routine. The following tips aim to help you recover faster.
The healthier way to shower - after exercise
Just been jogging, cycling or to a Pilates class? Now it’s time to shower. But please don’t do it straight away. If you are used to jumping in the shower straight after exercise, our advice is: Give your exhausted body a break for a moment. Humans need about five minutes to stop producing sweat. If you absolutely must shower during this time, it would be best to turn on the cold water for a while because your pores and veins open up during exercise. This cool-down makes them close again.
Sore muscles? Spider veins? Varicose veins? No, thanks!
If you like a hot shower, we recommend at least running cold water over your legs briefly to begin with, as this strengthens the vascular muscles. It also helps to counteract inflammations and muscle aches, and protects your skin against spider veins and varicose veins. You can then start to run hotter water and enjoy your indulgent shower just the way you like it. A lovely and warm shower stimulates the blood flow, regenerates cells, and helps you to relax after intensive exercise.
Showering like a pro: Cyclist Peter Sagan likes contrast showering. Preferably with his Raindance Select hand shower with PowderRain, which also has an effective massage spray.
Warm showers are welcome to stimulate blood flow and promote recovery
Even if your mantra is “the hotter the better”, cold bursts are cool. Using contrast showers, a method that alternates between hot and cold water, is perfect because this promotes health and firms up connective tissue. If you want to take this to the next level, use different spray types for your contrast showers: sometimes gentle, sometimes powerful. hansgrohe recommends a hand shower with a massage spray that can alleviate slight tensions in the shoulder and neck area. But beware: Long, hot showers consume valuable resources and leave your skin feeling dry. Why? Because they wash epidermal lipids out of the skin and destroy the skin’s natural acid mantle. The rule of thumb is: The drier your skin, the cooler the shower water and shorter the shower time. If you suffer from dry, irritable skin, it is best to use mild shower gels that contain oils and rich body lotions.
Ice water challenge: Shower like the pros
Even pro athletes have the occasional ice bath after exercise. Our question to you: Do you accept the challenge? Experts also recommend amateur athletes have ice water baths because of their many positive effects: They are refreshing, wake you up, and alleviate pain. The science behind it is simple. Intense physical exercise causes fine tears in the cell membrane, which can lead to painful local inflammations. An extreme cool-down after exercise reduces this risk. The hydrostatic water pressure that can be generated in a slightly deeper ice bath also creates the same effect as a compression sock and can reduce swelling. If you do not have ice to hand, you can simply run a bath with cold water. The temperature should be between 10 and 15 °C.
Did you have an amazing time partying and dancing last night? Great! If only hangovers didn’t exist... Tired, unmotivated, with a banging headache, you wonder: What’s the fastest way to get out of this depressing mood and stamina slump? This helpful hansgrohe guide recommends plenty of water, healthy eating, and a walk in the fresh air.
The morning after: plenty of water, inside and out
A shower really can work wonders after a night out. The brave among us will step under the ice-cold shower the day after the night before to clear our heads. There is nothing better to kick-start the circulation. However, this is not for everybody, especially not in winter. Even with an alcohol-induced illness, the perfect compromise between showering with cold and hot water is a hot and cold contrast shower. It stimulates the circulation and gives you a quick jump-start. The best way to end your contrast shower is with a cold phase: move the shower head slowly from the feet upwards, towards the heart.
A hot and cold contrast shower and then: Feeding the hangover
Even though it’s tempting because it’s so blissful: Do not rely on long, hot showers the day after drinking. Not even if you are freezing cold, as your circulation will take a dive. A hot bath is a hangover taboo. Even if you think a hot bubble bath is really relaxing, it causes enormous strain on your weakened body. Drinking hot tea is so much better for you. It warms you up, rinses out the stressed detoxification organs, and helps your headache. You should also eat healthy, salty meals and lots of vegetables to neutralise the acids in your body.
For an even firmer footing in the shower: load-bearing shower rails
hansgrohe recommends load-bearing grab bars to mitigate the risk of slipping – and not just for days when you are not feeling fit on your feet. The Unica Comfort shower rail and Comfort foot support and grab bar ensure extra safety and stability. You can operate the shower system with your eyes closed using hansgrohe Select technology, which can be used to control hand showers and overhead showers and all their spray types intuitively at the touch of a button. Afterwards, dry yourself off and go for a long walk in the woods. And take deep breaths!
Shower rail, grab bar, and foot support: The Unica Comfort series guarantees more safety and stability in the shower. Even on days when you are feeling fit on your feet.
Had a stressful day? Frozen to the core? Many swear by saunas and see the deliberate act of sweating and cooling off as a cure-all. You can also boost your physical and mental health in your favourite sauna by showering correctly. How? Everyone knows you must shower before entering the sauna for hygiene reasons. But it is also important that you dry off thoroughly, as entering the sauna when you are too wet delays the desired sweating process.
Relax, recover, refresh
Cooling off after the sauna is important because you can catch a cold if you stay sweating after the sauna. Sauna-goers should leave enough time to cool down before warming up again. If you can, don’t have a shower straight after the sauna. It is better for the body if you cool off in the fresh air first. Once outside, take slow, deep breaths to fill up on oxygen. Then go and wash the sweat off your body in the shower. The water does not need to be ice cold. But it is useful to have a quick cold shower afterwards or take a dip in the ice-cold plunge pool. Cold water cools and soothes the skin and the airways, regulates your body temperature, and stimulates your muscles.
A heavenly spa for your home
Do you like the shower systems at your favourite spa and want a large overhead shower of your own? Transform your bathroom into a private spa with hansgrohe Raindance overhead showers and Select technology. You can use the Select function to change the water spray type easily at the touch of a button. Whether you want a massaging jet, luxurious gush spray or soft beads of water: hansgrohe showers are indulgent and extremely relaxing. Just like in the sauna.
Showering your very own spa
The central control unit for indulgent and relaxing showers: Control overhead and hand showers intuitively at the touch of a button with RainSelect. In a high-quality glass and metal design.
XXL showering performance: The linear Rainmaker overhead shower with ShowerTablet thermostatic mixer. Feel like you are in your favourite sauna from the comfort of your own home.
The Rainmaker Select 460 3jet Showerpipe is the no-fuss solution for the rain shower. The system is simply installed on existing connections, and you're good to go.
With its 580 x 260 mm shower head, the Rainmaker Select 580 overhead shower becomes a defining design feature in your bathroom, one which looks light and elegant despite its size.
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