Frost is an assistant to our health. The benefits of frosty air: the effect of cold on the human body

Friends, with the end of the winter holidays, with the end of countless celebrations and the beginning of your working life! They also say that when you start your first day of work, this year will be so fruitful :) So, get rid of laziness and go ahead! I'm re-posting here old article, so please forgive me who has already read this.

Winter is a common thing in Russia and, according to ethnographers, it has always been perceived by the people as a festive season and a symbol of fertility. By its arrival, the future of the harvest was determined; by the amount of snow, they judged what the harvest would be like.

Snow was used as a ritual for fortune telling and other rites: it was customary to bury newlyweds in a snowdrift so that future offspring would be healthy. It’s a pity that there’s not enough snow in the cities, every year there’s less and less snow. Wherever there’s plenty of this goodness, take it into service; feel free to bury the bride and groom in their wedding attire in the snowdrifts for the good of the future!!!

The benefits of cold for the body

It is believed that warm, sunny summer weather is beneficial for the body. As is known, with the onset of the autumn-winter period the probability of colds. This is explained by the fact that protective properties The body weakens at low temperatures and is unable to repel viral attacks.

And the sun, which is a natural antibacterial emitter, shines less and at a different angle. All this leads to an increase in frequency. However, not everything is so or not entirely so.

Scientists have carefully studied the effect of cold on human body, found that low temperatures contribute to the health of the body and even have a beneficial effect on appearance. It is frost that disinfects the air, destroying viruses, allergens, and filtering out harmful particles. Low temperatures activate the body's protective properties. Hence the opinion that winter children much healthier than their peers born in other seasons. A Siberian Health has become a household word!

This is my very happy daughter Anna - a lover of winter rides.

Benefits of sleeping in the cold

on a winter night it is especially sweet. And not only thanks to the long dark nights, which contribute to the production of melatonin in the body, which is also responsible for sleep. It is the cold outside that is the key to a good sleep.
There is scientific evidence that bedroom temperature affects a person's health and weight. Thus, the most optimal temperature is considered to be from 19º to 21º, it is in this range that special enzymes are formed in the body at night that promote fat burning. For those who dream lose weight - sleep with the window open.
In addition, frosty air keeps our psyche in good shape, thereby increasing resistance. That’s why in winter people are more calm, balanced, cheerful, and optimistic.

The effect of frost on the beauty and condition of the skin

At first glance, heavy winter clothes hide feminine beauty and charms. But only at first glance. In the course of research, it was found that it is in winter that men find women especially attractive. After all, it is during the cold months in male body most produced large quantity sex hormones, causing men to be sensitive to women.
Yes, women blossom in the cold, thanks increased blood flow at low temperatures, which stimulates biological activity cells. That's why after winter walks the skin becomes fresh, smooth and elastic. And the blush on the cheeks makes even an ordinary simpleton look beautiful.
Cosmetologists recommend washing cold water and rubbing the face with ice cubes, while taking some care so as not to chill the skin or cause damage to it. And everyone has known for a long time what effect contrast baths give!
Don't forget about your lips in cold weather; they are also vulnerable to low temperatures and wind. Lubricate them with hygienic lipstick, oily gloss containing glycerin, before going to bed with any aroma oil or vegetable oil will do.

Take two basins with hot and cold water, alternately lower your face into them and hold for 2-3 minutes, and so on for 15-20 minutes, then similar contrast procedures at least 2 times a week will give a lasting effect of skin rejuvenation and prevention of wrinkles. In addition, these procedures improve vision.

Cold in human life

Cold is good for the body and even helps in the following cases:

As they say: In the cold, everyone is young!

Severe frost and low temperatures. Who is harmed by frost?

However, it should be remembered that cold in moderation, when frost within -15º-20º is useful for strong and healthy people. Abnormally low temperatures below -20º with normal humidity and absence of wind, but in the presence of these factors, even at -15º can hardly be called useful. Rather, it causes inconvenience for the body. Such frost does nothing but harm the body and is often fraught with consequences.

People suffering from a number of diseases should generally be careful and should avoid hypothermia in case of diseases such as:

Allergy to frost, which manifests itself as redness of the tissues and further peeling skin;
Asthma, in which the patient, due to a decrease in oxygen in the air, experiences more big problems with breathing
Reno's disease - poor blood supply to the blood vessels of the fingers; in this case, the fingers first turn red, then turn white and even turn blue;
Polyneuropathy of the extremities - with high sensitivity Low foot temperatures may cause loss of coordination.
Particularly low temperatures, when a person is in the open air, and even limited in movement, are fraught with frostbite, which can lead to severe consequences, up to amputation of limbs and skin grafts.

How to protect yourself in the cold

It is important, in regions where there are severe frosts, to remember this and have warm clothes made from natural materials in your wardrobe: fur coats, warm coats, hats, felt boots, warm mittens, not gloves and other equipment, especially for people going on a trip . So that this journey does not turn into a thriller with dire consequences. If possible, it is worth reducing your exposure to severe frost.

Strong frost should be avoided if possible, do not go outside unnecessarily and do not let children go for walks.
Dress warmly, replace gloves with warm mittens, use scarves, replace boots with felt boots, besides, now it’s fashionable. It is important that the clothes are natural or using nano-technologies, thermal mobility.

Hats are slowly disappearing from the life of a modern urban person - but in vain. In cold weather, you should not provoke the blood vessels of the brain by repeatedly narrowing (outdoors) and expanding (indoors) them. And then low temperatures cause injury hair follicles. A terrible disease, miningitis, which occurs from severe cooling of the blood vessels of the brain, has not yet been canceled either. So, those who are concerned about their health and care about the beauty of their hair - put on a hat and go ahead!

More important aspect When it comes to clothes in winter, it’s multi-layered, that is, it’s better to wear two sweaters than one warm and thick one. This creates air between the layers, which better retains body heat.
We protect exposed areas that are especially vulnerable to frost with special creams that do not contain water. Regular cosmetical tools won't fit here, maybe more from them more harm, because in products in the cold it crystallizes, causing frostbite.
We eat properly in the cold winter, mainly hot food rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, read about this in the article " .

How to stay warm in the cold

If by type of service, work, somehow life situations you need to be outside in the cold, consider a few recommendations. How not to freeze in the cold:

As a rule, the face freezes first, because it is open to frost and wind. Apply mittens to your cheeks or pull a scarf for a while. As soon as our cheeks are warmed, we lower the scarf down so that there is no greenhouse effect, very harmful to the respiratory tract. Therefore, never wrap your babies completely, covering their mouth and nose, avoiding frost on their clothes.
If you still feel that areas of your face are tingling and loss of sensitivity - frostbite - immediately rub them with your lungs massage movements, better with your hands. But you can’t use mittens and especially snow, as previously recommended from old advice, microcracks can form and infection can occur.

For a long time, scientists considered warm weather to be the most comfortable for the body. But, having carefully studied the effect of cold on the body, they found that low temperatures are most beneficial for health.

“Contrary to popular belief, people get sick most of all not in the cold, but in the slushy off-season and during thaw periods,” says Alexander Karabinenko, professor of the Department of Hospital Therapy of the Russian National Research Medical University named after. Pirogov. - Frost disinfects the air, destroying viruses, germs and allergens, and conditions it, filtering out harmful particles.

It is also known that low temperatures activate protective forces body. This partly explains the fact, not proven by science, but known to all pediatricians: winter children are the strongest and healthiest.

A winter's night's dream

It is known that good sleep- a guarantee of health and wellness. And people sleep best in winter.

Chris Idikowski, professor of sleep medicine international center in Ottawa, I found out that this is explained not only by long dark nights, which contribute to the maximum production of melatonin in the body, thanks to which we sleep soundly. Have a good sleep the cold outside the window also contributes to cool room falls asleep quickly and sleeps more soundly.

Frosty air is also good for the psyche

- Low temperatures keep the vegetative system in good shape nervous system, which is responsible for countering stress,” explains Svetlana Shishkova, candidate of psychological sciences, neuropsychologist. - Therefore, people reflect, become depressed and start wars and revolutions mainly in the spring and autumn, and in winter period usually remain calm, cheerful, optimistic and even-tempered.

Rosy beauty

It is believed that bulky winter clothes do not allow women to show off their beauty. Misconception! Researchers from Harvard University have proven that men find women most attractive when... winter time of the year. As it turned out, during the cold months men produce greatest number sex hormones, which makes them treat women especially carefully.

Yes and women blossom in the cold.

“Low temperatures activate blood flow and stimulate the biological activity of cells,” says Anna Stenko, doctor medical sciences, head of the department of the Beauty Institute on Arbat. - Therefore, after winter walks, the skin becomes fresh, smooth and elastic and acquires a pink tint.

That’s why, by the way, cosmetologists recommend morning washing with cold water and wiping your face and neck with ice cubes. And in professional cosmetology, cryoprocedures are actively used, which cause forced activation of cellular metabolism and literally erase wrinkles from women’s faces.

“However, frost procedures - both home and professional - require caution,” warns Anna Stenko, “an overdose of cold can lead to rosacea and frostbite, which not only does not work, but also requires rehabilitation.

But you definitely shouldn’t sit at home in the cold. Winter walks and especially active ones winter views sports (skiing, skating, etc.) activate blood circulation and keep muscles toned, therefore they are actively recommended by doctors to maintain health, beauty and prolong life!

Cold helps

When intoxicated- the easiest way to sober up quickly is to go to Fresh air. However, be careful: if you are very intoxicated, you can fall asleep right in a snowdrift.

For headaches- a compress of ice cubes will narrow dilated blood vessels.

For bruises- You can quickly remove a bruise using a cold compress. The main thing is to apply the cold without delay!

For sore throat- Americans treat sore throats with ice cream: they believe that the cold anesthetizes and relieves swelling.

For joint pain- local dosed exposure to cold relieves swelling, inflammation and spasms.

Hello friends!

In these new year holidays, for a couple of days, we had severe frosts, such that when you go outside, your body instantly binds.

The skin on the face begins to burn, turn red and as if covered with an ice crust. In order not to freeze, you start walking faster, running, moving your arms...

In general, do everything to get your blood pumping, increase your heat exchange and keep warm☺

BUT, it turns out that such walks in the cold are very useful!

They launch powerful rejuvenation processes in the body, help lose weight, strengthen the immune system and increase the level of endorphins, making us more optimistic people!!!

I’ll try to tell you in more detail why this happens...

In general, look what Interesting Facts walks in the cold and about “frost rejuvenation”, I managed to dig up☺

Walking in cold weather - how is it useful?

Frost hardens and strengthens the immune system

The fact is not surprising, but very important!

People who are accustomed to low temperatures generate heat more actively. Intense blood circulation helps avoid frostbite.

Frost stimulates cold prevention and production.

Frost helps you lose weight!!!

In order for our body to function normally, the body keeps its internal temperature at 36–38 degrees. The number of receptors responsive to cold is much greater than that of heat receptors.

In the cold, these receptors begin to immediately transmit signals to the brain. The body begins to regulate temperature. At low temperature air, the body begins to generate heat.

And fat begins to be processed into energy faster, metabolism increases, helping to burn calories!!!

Simultaneously burned bad cholesterol, bringing additional great benefits to the cardiovascular system.

Frost rejuvenates!

Many cosmetic procedures are based on cold exposure.

For example, this includes cryochambers. Their action is based on the fact that with the dosed action of cold, blood flow begins to the internal organs and the smallest blood vessels– capillaries.

And this improves nutrition internal organs oxygen and glucose. A capillary network starts working in the desired mode.

Scientists from the same Harvard University confirm that cold wind tightens skin pores, reduces puffiness, and improves overall color faces.

But all this happens if the walks do not exceed 15 minutes. If your walk is longer, do not forget to use protective cream. I use it for such purposes baby cream"Morozko" or

Frost improves brain function

Scientists at Harvard University have found that in winter we get 30% more pure oxygen than in summer.

This means that the blood during walks is more quickly enriched with oxygen and increases mental activity. Moderate cold has been proven to increase mental stability and mental alertness.

Frost helps prevent depression

Scientists from the Canadian University of Toronto claim that walking in low temperatures for 15 minutes a day increases the production of the “happiness hormone” - serotonin. And the fresh frosty air relieves stress well!

Sunday walks in the cold are a great way to relax after a hard week of work!

Frost relieves pain

Some techniques alternative medicine involve the use of cold to treat sore joints and various types pain.

When outside the window below 5 degrees sensitivity disappears nerve endings, so the pain signal stops entering the brain.

Frost kills germs

Therapists claim that when the air temperature is no more than five degrees below zero, and even with high humidity, viruses and microbes live and actively develop.

Therefore, this is exactly the temperature environment in winter it is dangerous for people. Microbes and viruses stop reproducing at a temperature of about minus 10-15 degrees. And that’s why flu and colds don’t like the cold.

So frost is the best natural filter for diseases.

Important points!!!

Friends, of course, everything is good in moderation.☺

In this whole matter, the main thing is not to get too cold or get frostbite.

Remember that temperatures below minus 10 degrees can be dangerous, especially for the skin of the face, head and hands.

Therefore it is imperative:

Protect your head with a hat (by the way, walking without a hat at temperatures below minus 5 is dangerous - a scientifically proven fact!)
And don't skimp on winter shoes. All feet should be dry and warm.
It is advisable to wear mittens on your hands rather than gloves.

And of course, when walking in the cold, you need to move more. I love going to the skating rink when it’s cold, I just love it☺ There’s such an atmosphere there that you don’t even think about the cold...

I rode for an hour, rejuvenated, lost weight, recharged myself with positivity and was ready for a new working day☺

So like this! How do you feel about going for a walk in the cold?

Alena Yasneva was with you, bye everyone!

With the onset of cold weather, the issue of insulation and maintaining one’s health becomes increasingly relevant. Mittens and sweaters, hats and jackets, scarves and fur coats are used, however warm clothes does not always save you from respiratory diseases. And all because frost is different from frost!

For the inhabitants of the southern latitudes, frost of -2°C and sleet are considered a real disaster, while residents of the north are forced to live in conditions where the thermometer does not rise above -20°C for most of the year, and in critical cases it shows -55 °C. And if in a slight frost a person experiences slight discomfort, then in severe frost his body temperature drops significantly. And this can become a serious threat to health and even life!

Unpleasant prospects of being in extreme cold

The simplest and most understandable prospect of a long stay in the cold is hypothermia of the body, which easily causes inflammatory process. If you have a cold throat, you risk getting a sore throat, and if you have a cold larynx, you risk getting laryngitis. Moreover, you can catch a cold in your lungs and earn this dangerous disease like pneumonia. Such consequences will please few people, but they can still be prevented, because the inflammatory process does not develop immediately, which means that a person has time to get to warm room, take a warming bath, drink warm tea or rub your body with alcohol to minimize the effects of hypothermia.

There is another one, no less dangerous prospect being in very cold weather. Due to local hypothermia of the respiratory tract, bronchospasm or laryngospasm may occur - narrowing of the airways, which can result in a complete cessation of breathing. For an “asthmatic” person, this situation can become critical and result in suffocation, but even for a completely healthy person the same effect cannot be ruled out due to the narrowing of the airway lumen.

Let's also say that there are completely normal, protective reactions of the body to extreme cold, such as:

instant protective reaction - occurs in severe frost, when under the influence of signals respiratory center the diaphragm immediately stops working and the person simply cannot inhale air. This effect is called “expiratory respiratory arrest”;
urgent protective reaction - in this case, breathing does not stop completely, but under the influence of signals from the respiratory center, the depth of inspiration is sharply limited.

Speaking in simple language When breathing in extreme cold, a person experiences a feeling of lack of oxygen, which is accompanied by shortness of breath. And if, in addition to this, his voice disappears, the person experiences a panic attack, which seriously worsens an already dangerous condition!

Moreover, according to polar explorers who have encountered similar situations more than once, the more severe the hypothermia, the more pronounced the signs of breathing problems. That is, a person who left a warm room into a cold room at –20°C has high probability encounter bronchospasm than a person walking down the street at a similar temperature for at least 10–15 minutes. However, even on the way, the probability of “catching” such apnea is quite high. This may be affected physical exercise in the cold, for example, the need to go for a run. If the body warmed up, and after the end of the load began to cool down sharply, the same effect is created as when leaving a warm room, but already away from a warm shelter. And if a situation arises when there is no way to inhale air, a person begins to panic, and attempts to frantically swallow air are accompanied by dizziness, bordering on loss of consciousness. Being far from home and having no outside help, a person may simply not reach a warm shelter!

The main principle of breathing in severe frost

To avoid such critical situations, it is enough to know and follow main principle breathing in severe frost - the inhaled air should be as warm as possible! To achieve this, it is extremely important to breathe through the nose so that the air passing through the narrow nasal passages has time to warm up.

But in practice this is not so easy to achieve, because at temperatures from –25°C and below, even in windless weather, the nasal sinuses narrow no less than the respiratory tract, and the nose stops breathing literally a minute after it appears in the frosty air. And if the burning cold is accompanied by a blizzard wind, breathing through your nose becomes completely impossible! In this case, the person is simply forced to breathe through the mouth, which brings us back to the apnea already described above and a serious threat to life. To avoid this, let’s get acquainted with the basic rules of breathing in such extreme conditions.

8 rules for breathing in extreme cold from a polar explorer

1. Breathe slowly and smoothly
Regardless of whether you breathe through your mouth or nose, you should inhale slowly. The slower the air moves through respiratory system, the better it warms up. Moreover, the slower carbon dioxide leaves the lungs, the better it warms the frozen respiratory system.

2. Try to breathe through your nose
We have already said that breathing through the nose saves Airways from hypothermia. Such breathing is not always possible, but in any conditions it is necessary to try to inhale air through the nose at least once, because every extra breath taken through the nose will work for the benefit of the body.

3. Breathe through the narrow opening of your mouth
Even if you cannot breathe through your nose, inhale and exhale through your mouth, but only correctly. Don't open your mouth wide to take in as much as possible. frosty air. On the contrary, purse your lips, leaving a small gap between them, or stretch your lips into a tube and press your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Of course, breathing in this case will be uncomfortable, but it is safe for health.

4. Don’t inhale to the full depth of your lungs.
The most great danger for the body - inhale frosty air to the full depth of the lungs. In this case, the concentration of cold air will be prohibitive, which means you cannot avoid bronchospasm! At the same time, if frosty air is mixed with air heated to body temperature in a 1:2 ratio, this will not cause harm to health. Therefore, try not to do deep breaths. Remember, it is better to take a couple of small breaths than one deep one.

5. No jerking or effort
It should also be said about physical activity in severe frost. Any physical labor performed in such extreme conditions must be slow and monotonous, be it movement or physical work. Running or jumping will only cause your lungs to demand more oxygen, forcing you to breathe deeper. That is why remember: there should be no running, jumping or other sudden efforts in extreme cold!

6. Avoid panic attacks
Even when faced with immediate defensive reaction body and severe shortness of breath, remember - under no circumstances should you panic! The more nervous you become, the more air your lungs will need, and the less warm the air you inhale will be. But complete calm will keep your breathing normal and will not aggravate its condition.

7. Create a heat-intensive layer
When thinking about how to protect your breath in severe frost, do not neglect the opportunity to create an artificial heat buffer using a scarf or other items of clothing. It is enough just to remember the children who were not allowed out into the street without first covering their face with a scarf. Thanks to such a heat-intensive layer, it is not the lips that cool down when you inhale and heat up when you exhale, which means you are provided with comfortable breathing and protection from bronchospasm. By the way, in addition to a scarf, a motorcycle balaclava, a ski mask with slits, or a balaclava are quite suitable for creating a thermal layer. The main thing is that the material is porous and allows air to pass through well.

To be fair, it is worth noting that not all doctors agree with this point. According to them, the habit of covering your chin with a scarf and breathing into it can result in frostbite and illness. The fact is that while breathing through a scarf, condensation accumulates in it, which is a favorable environment for various microbes. In addition, such a habit can cause cold allergies, in which the skin begins to peel and turn red, which means you definitely shouldn’t get carried away with this method of breathing protection.

8. Don't breathe against the wind
It should be noted that frost accompanied by wind is ten times worse than frost in complete calm. That is why, regardless of the direction of your movement, under no circumstances should you breathe against the wind! Not only will the wind increase the speed of inhalation against your desire, but it will also freeze your lips and nose, which must be kept warm so that they heat the air when you inhale. In this regard, the wind in the back is not a problem; with a side wind, protect your mouth with your palm placed on the rib on the blown side, and if the wind is directly in your face, tilt your head and “breathe down.” In this case, you should also protect your mouth from the direct flow of wind with your mittened palm.

By the way, there is a warming method that can help you in extreme situations. To do this, try to slowly draw in air through your nose, then close your right nostril and exhale air through your left, in parts, with short breaks of one second. According to doctors, during the process of breathing in this way, the body’s thermoregulation is restored, and the person gradually warms up. Repeat it breathing exercise until you feel you are warm enough.

It only remains to add that with all the care about breathing at low temperatures, one should not forget about the need to insulate the body, especially the neck and chest. The body can be cooled not only from the inside, by frosty air penetrating into the lungs, but also from the outside, getting into all sorts of cracks, such as a zipper on clothes or a poorly buttoned collar. A universal remedy In this regard, there is a wide woolen scarf that perfectly wraps the neck and fits the edges to the chest. And in order to protect yourself as much as possible from the piercing wind, consider purchasing a winter jacket with a one-piece hood and a wide bell in front of the face, which will save you from side winds. If strong wind blows into your eyes, causing them to water, making it difficult to move, you should think about purchasing safety glasses. The following tips will help you cope with extreme cold, and thus keep you healthy or even alive in extreme cold conditions. Take care of yourself!

Contrary to popular belief, people get sick most of all not in cold weather, but in the slushy off-season and during thaw periods, says Alexander Karabinenko, Professor of the Department of Hospital Therapy, Russian National Research Medical University named after. Pirogov.- Frost disinfects the air, destroying viruses, germs and allergens, and conditions it, filtering out harmful particles.

It is also known that low temperatures activate the body's defenses. This partly explains the fact, not proven by science, but known to all pediatricians: winter children are the strongest and healthiest.

A winter's night's dream

It is known that adequate sleep is the key to health and well-being. And people sleep best in winter.

Chris Idikowski, a professor of sleep medicine at the International Center in Ottawa, found that this is due not only to long dark nights, which contribute to the maximum production of melatonin in the body, thanks to which we sleep soundly. The cold outside the window also contributes to good sleep - in a cool room you quickly fall asleep and sleep better.

Frosty air is also good for the psyche.

Low temperatures keep the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for counteracting stress, in good shape, explains Svetlana Shishkova, candidate of psychological sciences, neuropsychologist.- Therefore, people reflect, become depressed and start wars and revolutions mainly in the spring and autumn, and in the winter they usually remain calm, cheerful, optimistic and even-tempered.

Rosy beauty

It is believed that bulky winter clothes do not allow women to show off their beauty. Misconception! Researchers from Harvard University have proven that men find women most attractive during the winter season. As it turned out, during the cold months, men produce the greatest amount of sex hormones, which makes them treat women especially carefully.

And women bloom in the cold.

Low temperatures activate blood flow and stimulate the biological activity of cells, says Anna Stenko, Doctor of Medical Sciences, head of the department of the Beauty Institute on Arbat. - Therefore, after winter walks, the skin becomes fresh, smooth and elastic and acquires a pink tint.

However, frost procedures - both home and professional - require caution, warns Anna Stenko, - an overdose of cold can lead to rosacea and frostbite, which not only does not work, but also requires rehabilitation.

But you definitely shouldn’t sit at home in the cold. Winter walks and especially active winter sports (skiing, skating, etc.) activate blood circulation and keep muscles toned, therefore they are actively recommended by doctors to maintain health, beauty and prolong life!

Cold helps

When intoxicated- The easiest way to sober up quickly is to go out into the fresh air. However, be careful: if you are very intoxicated, you can fall asleep right in a snowdrift.

For headaches- a compress of ice cubes will narrow dilated blood vessels.

For bruises- You can quickly remove a bruise using a cold compress. The main thing is to apply the cold without delay!

For sore throat- Americans treat sore throats with ice cream: they believe that the cold anesthetizes and relieves swelling.

For joint pain- local dosed exposure to cold relieves swelling, inflammation and spasms.