Speaking of weight loss, many people think about increasing metabolism in order to burn fat, but did you know that warm baths and showers can have a similar effect? While bathing or showering in water warmer than our body temperature, the blood vessels and lymph nodes get stimulated by the heat and water pressure. This stimulation promotes an increase in metabolism which then encourages the detoxification process of our body.
However, not everyone has the time or space to take a long bath every day. But that’s ok! Japanese beauty specialist, Nanami Yuka, has advocated an easier way for everyone to gain similar effects of a long warm bath or shower.
◎Burn the BAT to lose weight more efficiently
BAT (Brown Adipose Tissue) on average is only about 0.1% of an adult’s weight, yet burns up to 20% of BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). As a result, activating your BAT can possibly lead to a leaner body mass. And using the water pressure and temperature from a shower was found to be an efficient way to stimulate your BAT while promoting blood circulation and basal metabolism at the same time.
◎Step by step. Burn your BAT – shower routine
- Massage your neck using warm shower spray
BAT makes up about 5% of the body mass and is located on the back, along the upper half of the spine and toward the shoulders.
When these areas around the neck are stimulated through the shower, metabolism is boosted, and blood circulation is improved because your SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) is activated. Remember, BAT is also located around the neck. As a result, using warm shower spray to massage your neck can efficiently stimulate the BAT and bring the effect of burning fat more easily for your body.
- Cold and warm water take turns to level up your metabolism
After the neck message, you can start to clean your body with cold and warm water. The changes in temperature further stimulates our body which can then help increase our metabolism rate.
- Finish up with cold water
After the shower routine, one can also finish up with a cold rinse in order to give our body that final push to increase its metabolism rate.
Utilizing a cold shower spray at specific areas on our scapula where BAT accumulates helps increase one’s metabolism rate to aid in improving the efficiency of fat burning.
Taking a shower is a great way to relax and clean ourselves daily on the quick. With the right routine however, it is also possible to use our shower time to promote a healthier lifestyle. Give the shower routine a try, and feel the difference for yourself!
