How to properly toughen up. Izvestia's instructions

Hardening is not just pouring cold water, but a systematic approach to strengthening the immune system. With the right approach, this procedure can significantly increase the body's resistance to temperature fluctuations, reduce the frequency of colds and improve overall tone. How to start hardening and how to avoid common mistakes, tell Izvestia.

What is tempering?

Hardening is a complex of wellness procedures aimed at strengthening the immune system and increasing the body's adaptation to temperature fluctuations. The main purpose of the procedure is to train thermoregulatory mechanisms, so that the body reacts faster and more effectively to environmental changes.

This leads to optimization of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, stimulation of metabolic processes and strengthening of immunity. However, it is important to remember that hardening is not a cure for diseases, but only a way to strengthen the body. Before you start to harden, you should definitely consult with your doctor.

You can only start the procedure if you are completely healthy. With severely weakened immune systems and certain diseases, such as hypertension, bronchial asthma, pregnancy, myocardial infarction or stroke, cold douches and other methods can only harm.

Traditional hardening methods

There are several time-tested hardening methods that can be combined or mastered separately.

Air baths: considered to be the mildest and safest way to train the body. They can be taken in a ventilated room, on a balcony or in nature, starting from 5-10 minutes at a comfortable temperature and gradually increasing the duration. The procedure can be performed both at rest and in combination with physical activity.

Sunbathing, or heliotherapy: an ancient method of treating and preventing diseases based on the use of solar radiation. It involves walking barefoot on the ground, grass, sand or pebbles in the warm season, which not only hardens, but also stimulates the biologically active points of the foot.

Pouring cold water after a bath or sauna: this ritual, popular among many peoples, is a contrasting procedure that trains blood vessels. In the summer, if there is a river or lake nearby, it can be replaced by swimming in natural reservoirs. In winter, to wipe the body with snow.

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Ice hole dipping: This type of hardening requires good health and preparation. It is best to plunge up to the neck, without wetting your head, in order to avoid reflexive narrowing of the cerebral vessels. Before bathing, you need to warm up your body — do a warm-up or jog.

Walrus diving, or winter swimming: the most extreme type of hardening. This practice is suitable only for experienced, seasoned people with a thorough long-term preparation of the body. For an untrained person, walrus can lead to extremely serious consequences.

How to start tempering

It is recommended to start hardening with gentle techniques that do not involve extreme stress on the body. For example, by taking an air bath in a ventilated room at a comfortable temperature of about 18-20 °C. The first sessions should last no more than 5-10 minutes, they can be combined with morning exercises.

At the same time, you should develop the habit of washing with cool water with a gradual decrease in temperature. To this, you can add contrasting foot douches, alternately using warm and cool water. After adaptation, you can switch to wiping your entire body with a damp towel, and then to a cool shower or douche, lowering the water temperature by 1-2 degrees every week.

The key rule at the start is consistency and regularity of procedures, not their intensity. They should be conducted daily, as long breaks will negate all the results achieved. At the same time, the temperature of the water or the duration of exposure to cold must be reduced smoothly, giving the body time to adapt and train thermoregulation naturally.

It is also worth adjusting your daily habits: do not wrap yourself in warm blankets at home, ventilate the rooms more often and take time for walks in nature — in light but weather-appropriate clothes.

Tempering rules for different ages

The approach to hardening should take into account not only the state of health, but also age. Doctors recommend following the following tempering rules, which are tailored to different age groups, taking into account their physiological characteristics.

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For children (up to 12 years old), the key principle is the form of play and the maximum naturalness of the processes. You should start with frequent walks in any weather and keep the temperature in the room no higher than 22 °C. Water treatments, such as dousing the feet or a cool shower after bathing, should be short and evoke positive emotions in the child.

For teenagers (12-18 years old) More active methods can be introduced, such as contrast showers or swimming in open waters during the warm season. It is important to form a conscious habit, explaining the benefits of the procedures, and monitor the regularity. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid extreme stress such as walrus and to take into account the increased emotional lability of age, without forcing procedures.

For adults (18-60 years old), the widest range of techniques is acceptable — from air baths to cold water douches. The process should be systematic and combined with general physical activity. Adults should listen especially carefully to the body's signals and not force the load, striving for a quick result.

For the elderly (over 60 years old), priority is given to gentle, gentle procedures, the main purpose of which is to improve blood microcirculation and maintain tone. Short-term air baths, warm foot baths and wiping with warm water with a gradual decrease in temperature are ideal. Sudden temperature changes, such as contrast showers or bathing in icy water, are strictly contraindicated.

The general rule for all ages is that hardening is carried out only when completely healthy. In case of malaise, colds, fever and symptoms of any acute diseases, the procedures are resumed after recovery, starting from a milder stage.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the danger of Epiphany bathing for some categories of citizens.

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