Bathing can help us cleanse our bodies, relax our minds, and improve the quality of our sleep.
However, did you know that bathing also has certain risks, if you don't pay attention to the method and time of bathing, it may lead to some adverse reactions in the body, and even life-threatening.
Previously, a 53-year-old man had a cerebral infarction while taking a bath and unfortunately passed away, which made people feel sorry and alarmed.
It is understood that the man is usually in good health and does not have any chronic diseases or diseases such as high blood pressure.
That night, he was about to take a hot shower as usual, but he collapsed on the floor shortly after entering the bathroom, and his family immediately called the 120 emergency number when they found out, but the doctor had already pronounced him dead when he arrived. After examination, it was found that his cerebral blood vessels were blocked, resulting in a cerebral infarction.
Such an accident makes people wonder: Why does bathing cause cerebral infarction, and are there any bathing habits that we should change?
Benefits of bathing in winter
During the cold winter months, taking a hot bath not only brings warmth to the body, but also has multiple health benefits, from cleansing the skin to boosting metabolism to relieving the discomfort of the cold.
(1) As the largest organ of the human body, the skin is not only the first line of defense of the body, but also the organ that secretes sebum through the sebaceous glands to keep itself moist.
During the winter months, colder climates can make the skin drier, and sebum production may decrease, allowing more dirt and dead skin to accumulate on the skin's surface.
A hot bath helps to open pores with a warm water temperature, effectively removing these dirt and build-ups, leaving the skin clean and smooth again.
(2) Taking a hot bath can promote the body's metabolism and blood circulation. The warm stimulation of hot water on the skin helps to speed up blood flow and promote blood circulation in all parts of the body.
This accelerated blood circulation not only helps the body eliminate metabolic waste products more quickly, but also improves the body's ability to absorb oxygen and nutrients efficiently, thereby promoting overall health.
The acceleration of metabolism also means that the body can use energy more efficiently, which has a positive effect on maintaining body temperature and enhancing body vitality.
(3) Taking a hot bath can be one of the effective means of resisting the cold in winter. When the external ambient temperature is low, the body reduces heat loss by constricting blood vessels, a process that can make a person feel even colder.
Taking a hot bath can temporarily raise the temperature of the body's surface, directly heating the skin through the warm stream of water, helping the body to quickly recover its warmth and reduce the discomfort of cold weather.
However, what is not known is that winter is the season of high incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and some seemingly ordinary bathing habits, such as improper temperature control, may even become a hidden danger of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents.
3 bad habits to take a bath or "terrible"
According to statistics, from November to around the Spring Festival every year, the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases is 2-3 times that of other periods. What is unexpected is that a seemingly simple bath may become one of the factors triggering cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
(1) The choice of water temperature when bathing is crucial. The excessively cold water temperature stimulates the rapid contraction of blood vessels in the skin, which not only increases the burden on the heart, but also may cause an increase in blood pressure, thereby increasing the risk of serious consequences such as cerebral hemorrhage and sudden death.
At the same time, the overheated water temperature is not suitable, because it will cause the epidermal blood vessels to dilate, and the blood flow to the surface of the body, thereby reducing the blood supply to the heart and brain, which may also cause accidents in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
In order to avoid these risks, it is important to choose the right water temperature. Studies have shown that the ideal water temperature for taking a warm bath before going to bed should be between 40 and 42.8 degrees.
Such a water temperature can not only improve the quality of sleep, but also ensure the comfort of the body while avoiding excessive stimulation of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system.
(2) In addition to water temperature, the control of bath time is also the key to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents. It is best to keep the bath time to less than 30 minutes.
Excessive time can not only lead to a decrease in blood supply to the brain, triggering a temporary hypoxia state, but also may induce coronary artery spasm, severe arrhythmias, and other problems, increasing the risk of fainting or sudden death.
Choose the right time to take a bath
(1) Take a shower immediately after exercising with extra care. After exercise, the burden on the heart and blood vessels is relatively heavy due to the accelerated blood circulation in the body.
At this time, if you take a bath with cold water immediately, the stimulation of cold water will cause the blood vessels to contract suddenly, further increasing the burden on the heart, which may lead to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.
Therefore, it is advisable to take a short rest after exercising, wait for the body to return to a calm state before taking a bath, and use warm water.
(2) Taking a shower after drinking alcohol is another moment to avoid. Alcohol temporarily inhibits liver function, affecting the liver's release of glycogen, and the body's energy expenditure increases when bathing.
If the blood sugar is not replenished in time at this time, it may cause symptoms of hypoglycemia such as dizziness and fatigue, and in severe cases, it may even lead to loss of consciousness. Therefore, you should avoid bathing immediately after drinking alcohol and wait until your body has completely metabolized the alcohol.
(3) Bathing while full or on an empty stomach also has its own potential risks. Bathing immediately after a full meal will cause a large amount of blood to flow to the surface of the skin, thus reducing the amount of blood supplied to the gastrointestinal tract, affecting the digestion and absorption of food, and may cause indigestion or abdominal pain.
On the other hand, taking a shower on an empty stomach may cause fainting due to a drop in blood sugar levels in the body.
Therefore, the best time to take a bath should be about an hour after a meal, which can not only avoid interfering with digestion and absorption, but also ensure that blood sugar levels are relatively stable.
For older adults, standing for long periods of time in the bath may cause fatigue and increase the risk of slipping. It is advisable to use a small bench in the bath so that you can sit down and rest if necessary, reducing the discomfort and risk of slipping due to prolonged standing.
Drink plenty of water after bathing to replenish the water lost through sweat during bathing to help maintain the body's water balance.
Bathing is a simple activity in daily life, but proper bathing habits are very important for maintaining good physical health.
Tips for bathing in winter
(1) The 3 minutes after bathing is known as the golden period for skin hydration. This is because there are still droplets or steam on the surface of the skin, and the pores are slightly open, which is better able to absorb the moisture and nutrients in the moisturizer.
Therefore, applying a moisturizer during this time period maximizes hydration and helps the skin stay hydrated for a long time.
If you stick to this habit for a long time, the texture of your skin will gradually become more delicate and smooth, which can effectively prevent dryness, peeling and other problems that are common in winter.
(2) The choice of bath water temperature has a great impact on skin health. The ideal water temperature should be close to or slightly higher than the human body temperature, that is, 37°C~40°C, which can not only effectively cleanse the skin, but also avoid irritation to the skin due to too high or too low temperature.
For patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, more attention should be paid to controlling the water temperature at about 35°C to avoid increasing the burden on the heart and blood vessels due to excessive water temperature.
(3) When taking a bath, it is not necessary to use body soap every time. Overuse or use of cleansing products such as alkaline soaps can disrupt the skin's pH balance, exacerbating dryness and itching.
Reducing the frequency of use of body wash and choosing gentle cleansing products can help maintain your skin's natural barrier.
(4) Excessive bathing or vigorous rubbing of the skin will cause mechanical damage to the skin, making the skin more sensitive and fragile. After bathing, you should gently pat the skin dry and avoid rubbing too hard.
The shower time should be controlled within 3~5 minutes, 1~2 times a week can be bathed, and the bath time should not exceed 20 minutes, especially for the elderly, the bathing time should be further shortened to reduce the risk of slipping and protect cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health.
By taking these measures, we can not only keep our skin healthy and beautiful in the cold winter, but also enjoy the comfort and relaxation that comes with bathing. Proper bathing habits and meticulous skin care make our winter life more comfortable and healthy.
Itchy skin in winter, be careful of other problems
Dry and itchy skin is usually more common in winter, and cold and dry climates can lead to skin moisture loss, especially in middle-aged and older adults, as the skin's ability to retain moisture gradually decreases as we age.
This type of itching is usually not accompanied by significant skin damage and can be effectively relieved by increasing the skin's moisturization and lubrication.
Another condition is diseases of the skin itself, such as dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis, which cause itchy skin with skin damage. For itching caused by this type of skin disease, finding the cause and treating the symptoms is the key to alleviating the symptoms.
In addition to itching caused directly by skin problems, some systemic diseases can also cause itching of the skin, which requires adequate attention.
(1) Liver problems: Jaundice caused by liver disease may cause generalized itching, accompanied by yellowing of the skin and eyes, which requires timely medical diagnosis and treatment.
(2) Kidney disease: Severe kidney disease will cause toxins in the body to be excreted through the skin, stimulating the skin to produce itching. To keep your kidneys healthy, it's important to have regular checkups of your kidney function.
(3) Diabetes: Diabetic patients may experience local itching, accompanied by symptoms such as polydipsia, polyuria, and weight loss, and controlling blood sugar is the main way to relieve itching.
(4) Allergies: Allergic reactions may cause itchy skin, common symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, etc., avoiding contact with allergens is an effective way to relieve itching.
(5) Tumors: Some tumors may also cause skin itching, especially tumors in the lymphatic system, stomach, intestines, liver, ovaries and other parts, as well as prostate cancer. If the itching is long-term and no obvious cause cannot be found, you should seek medical attention in time.
When confronted with itchy skin, the right thing to do is to identify the underlying cause of itching and treat it accordingly. For itching caused by dryness, increasing the moisture of the skin is a simple and effective solution.
For pruritus caused by systemic diseases, targeted treatment of the underlying disease is required.
In all cases, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and good personal hygiene are very important to prevent itchy skin and promote skin health.