Health and fitness: Ways to cool down your body after an intense workout

Intense workout sessions raise body temperature and heart-beat. Abruptly stopping the physical exercise and coming down to zero from sixty is never advised and increases heart risks. Cooling down exercises help avoid that by gradually recovering the pre-work heartbeat and blood pressure. Here are ways to cool your body down after an intense workout.

Slow jog or run

To bring heart rate to its normal resting rate, one must ensure a gradual yet continuous decrease in exercise intensity. For example, after a session of an hour of jogging, continue jogging at a slow pace towards the end of the session. Another example would be, after a fast-paced walking session, continue walking at a slower pace for around two to three minutes more depending upon the individual’s heart rate.

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Stretching

Stretching is considered as a warm-up exercise by most of the people but is an excellent cooling down exercise as well. It helps the body muscles to build elasticity and prevents the soreness of muscles. Stretching is aids in cooling down the body temperature and in removing lactic acid from the muscles, increasing flexibility.

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Hot and cold water showers

After a workout session, it is advised to take a cold water shower first and then follow it with a hot water shower. The cold water shower decreases blood flow and reduces inflammation, stiffness of muscles and joints, thus decreasing pain. When a cold water shower is followed by a hot water shower, it helps fastens muscle and joint recovery. This aids in reducing stiffness and prevents soreness of muscles and in turn helps the body relax at a better pace, relieving it from body tension and muscle pain.

Tips: Other important things to keep in mind

1. Stay hydrated - Staying hydrated helps in regulating body temperature and blood flow.

2. Wearing breathable clothes allows your body to relax better and sweat out faster, hence regulating blood pressure and body temperature. Sweating helps the body to stay cool.

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