Today we're going to talk about what we do every day – taking a shower.
Sounds pretty simple, right? But did you know that there is a lot of attention to taking a bath, and if you don't pay attention, you may fall into the mistake of "reverse bathing"!
Choice of bath time
Most people are Xi to take a shower before going to bed at night, and feel that after taking a hot bath, the fatigue of the day seems to be washed away. In winter, the warm water dispels the cold, making people feel very happy when they lie under the covers. But you may not know that Chinese medicine believes that taking a bath at night is not a good Xi, because at this time the human organs need to rest, and bathing will make the qi and blood active again, which may lead to endocrine disorders, which is not good for the body.
There are also problems with taking a bath in the morning. Many people take a bath on an empty stomach, but at this time, blood sugar is low, blood vessels are constricted, and bathing in hot or cold water will make the blood vessels dilate rapidly, consume more energy, and may make people feel more tired, or even faint. There are also people who eat something temporarily in order to avoid taking a bath on an empty stomach, but this is not good, because after eating, the blood will be concentrated in the stomach to help digestion, and when taking a bath, it will concentrate on the skin, affecting the work of the stomach, which is not good for the body in the long run.
Actually, it's okay to take a shower at night, but it's best not to be too late, try to finish it before 10 p.m., so as not to disturb your body's rest.
Xi mud rubbing when taking a bath
Many people like to rub mud in the bath, believing that the more they rub, the cleaner it will be. But in fact, the "mud" rubbed off is mainly a product of skin metabolism, similar to dandruff. Sometimes we rub out black mud, which is a real stain and needs to be cleaned. The white mud is actually cells that have not yet aged, and they have been rubbed off in advance. If you rub it like this often, it will damage the stratum corneum of the skin, reduce the skin's resistance, and may lead to bacterial infection.
So, just rub off the black mud when you take a bath, and don't overexert yourself. The skin is very fragile, and excessive scrubbing can damage the stratum corneum. Moreover, under normal circumstances, the human body produces very little "mud", if you can rub out the mud every time you take a bath, it may be that the working environment is not clean, or the skin is too oily, so you should pay attention to your diet and rest.
How often to take a bath
Nowadays, many people are Xi to taking a bath every day and think that it is cleaner. But in reality, bathing often can dry out your skin, as water and scrubbing can destroy the oil and stratum corneum on the skin's surface. Without these protective layers, the skin can't lock in moisture and will naturally become dry.
If you sweat a lot in summer, you can take a bath often, especially when northerners take a shower at home, if you don't rub your back too much, it's okay to take a bath often. But in winter, when the weather is cold, it is recommended to take a bath every two to three days. Of course, this depends on personal Xi and physical condition.
The order of bathing
Many people wash their hair first and then their bodies when they take a bath. This may seem reasonable, but it's not the best option. When you wash your hair, the oil and dirt from your scalp will flow to your body with the water, and if you wash your hair first, these dirt may still remain on your skin by the time you finish washing.
Therefore, the correct bathing sequence should be to wash the body first, especially the back and feet, because these areas are prone to dirt and dirt. Then wash your hair. This will prevent the dirt from the scalp from staining the body again.
The temperature of the bath water
Everyone loves to take hot baths, especially in winter, but hot baths are not the best option. Hot water causes the blood vessels on the surface of the skin to dilate, raising the surface temperature of the skin, which accelerates the evaporation of water and causes the skin to dry out. After taking a hot bath for a long time, the oil in the skin will be washed away and the skin will become drier and drier.
The ideal water temperature should be lukewarm water close to body temperature, around 35-37 degrees Celsius. Such a water temperature can help the body relax without causing too much damage to the skin.
Post-bath care
After bathing, the moisture in the skin will evaporate quickly, so it's best to apply a body lotion or body lotion within 3-5 minutes. This can help lock in moisture and avoid dry skin. Especially in winter, the skin is more prone to dryness, so it is even more important to apply a body lotion.
Also, after taking a shower, it is better not to get dressed immediately. Give the skin a little time to let it dry naturally, which will reduce the chances of bacterial growth.
Other precautions for bathing
- Don't use your phone while taking a shower. Many people like to look at their phones while taking a shower, but this is easy to distract and may slip or other dangers occur.
- Don't eat in the shower. Some people like to eat snacks while bathing, but this can easily cause food to get into the water, pollute the water quality, and is unhygienic.
- Pay attention to the time of bathing. Don't wash for too long, otherwise it will consume too much water and will also expose the skin to water for a long time, resulting in dry skin.
epilogue
In short, the seemingly simple thing of taking a bath actually has a lot to learn. I hope that through this article, everyone can take a more scientific and healthy bath, enjoy the fun of bathing, and protect their skin at the same time.