What’s the right tempering?

What's the right tempering

The off-season is the most disgusting period: slush, high humidity, deceptively warm spring sunshine and icy wind in winter… At this time you do not know how to dress, and it is not surprising that having taken off your headdress or scarf earlier, the next day you can fall down with fever, runny nose or sore throat. In addition, microbes and viruses begin to be active in wet, wet weather. Frosts control their spread, so it is not surprising that outbreaks of influenza and ODS begin just as warming begins. Add to this the weakened immunity – and it becomes clear why many of us get sick in late winter – early spring. And some, tired of colds and constant runny nose, decide to improve their immunity and engage in hardening. The main thing is not to rush. Let’s try to figure out what it is.

Tempered is a person who is able to withstand severe temperature changes and has “trained” body defenses. So what does hardening of the body give us? In addition to general recovery, increases the tone of the nervous system, normalizes metabolism, improves blood circulation, increases muscle strength … In short, the advantages are many. In addition, the contrast of temperatures becomes a kind of gymnastics for blood vessels, improves their tone.

The most important principles of hardening are regularity and graduality. Especially when it comes to hardening the child. Unprepared novices can be seriously harmed by walrus, ice watering or snowing. Such “extreme” and unexpected for the body hardening leads to excessive strain on its defenses, and then often there is a failure of immunity. And it takes a long time to restore health.

For cold and contrasting temperatures you need to get used to gradually, for example, each week lowering the water temperature by one or two degrees. You can start by wiping your body with a towel soaked in cool water – literally three or four degrees below body temperature, poured cool water on your feet – and gradually lower the temperature. The contrast shower is easier to bear after a bath or sauna (but again, start with a slight temperature difference). If you feel unwell or have a cold, postpone the hardening process. And it should be noted that hardening is not just walrus and ice water pouring. It is also all water procedures without exception, including a visit to the pool, and even air and sunbathing (ie, walks in the fresh air) …

What's the right tempering

When is it better to start hardening? Doctors believe that you can start it any time of year. But – a very important condition – you must be absolutely healthy at this moment. If you do not get out of colds in spring and constantly sniff your nose, it is better to wait until summer. In the meantime, just take care of your health and try to strengthen your immunity in another way.

And another important fact: as many doctors say, hardening – a kind of conditional reflex, which should be “maintained” in the body all the time. If you stop hardening, this reflex “fades” – in adults after about two or three weeks, and in children – a week. Therefore, if there is a long break in hardening, it will have to be started from scratch again.