The essence of hardening to cold is the gradual build-up of the cooling effect on the body. It is best to start such recreational activities by taking air baths at an ambient temperature close to room temperature. For 2-3 first weeks, the duration of such procedures should be increased from a few minutes to an hour and a half. At the next stage of hardening it is possible to proceed to water procedures - dousing with water, bathing, taking a shower and bath. It is very important to correctly regulate the temperature regime: at the initial stage, the water temperature should be approximately 18-22 ° C, and then every 5 days it is necessary to reduce these values by 1-2 ° C. As a result, water procedures during hardening should be carried out already at the temperature of cold tap water.
For those who are very susceptible to catarrhal diseases, it will be correct to begin the procedure of hardening with very simple procedures. For example, daily washing can be used in the tempering process. To do this, the person is first washed several times with warm water, and then washed three times with a cool one. Rinse throat can also be used to form resistance to the effects of cold. To do this, rinse with an initial water temperature of approximately 30 ° C, then every week to reduce this figure by 1-2 * C. This procedure should be performed 2-3 times a day throughout the year.
An important stage of hardening is everyday washing feet. The water temperature for this must initially be 28 - 30? C, and every 5 to 7 days it should be lowered by 1 - 2 * C.
In spring, beginning with the first days of May, you can start using one more component of hardening - sunbathing. At the same time, it is again important to carry out this procedure correctly, paying attention to the principle of gradual increase in the load. Sunbaths should be taken no earlier than an hour and a half after eating. However, you should know that in some chronic diseases this procedure should not be carried out, so if you want to exercise with a sun bath, you must first consult with your doctor.
Getting used to periodic cold exposure during hardening, a person thereby increases his resistance to infectious diseases and frostbite. With a constant and correct holding of hardening measures, a slight increase in the thickness of the stratum corneum is noted. This increases its thermal insulation properties and also helps to better tolerate the effects of low temperatures.
The healing effect of quenching procedures is due to the systematic effect of the irritating factor of the environment (cold) and the gradual increase in its dosage. However, if a person wants to constantly maintain his increased resistance to the effects of cold, then a set of hardening procedures should be carried out regularly, without allowing long breaks. In the event of termination of the necessary exercises, the previously hardened effect after a while also disappears.