Various means of hardening the body can be used not only for preventive purposes, but also for therapeutic purposes.
Consider the main types and methods of hardening (by increasing the degree of impact on the body) such as:
1) air hardening;
2) sunbathing;
3) water procedures (wiping, dousing, showering, swimming in natural reservoirs, pools or sea water);
4) rubbing with snow;
5) walking barefoot;
6) bath or sauna with bathing in cold water;
7) winter swimming.
Air hardening.
Air baths are available to a person at any time of the year and in any conditions. Fresh cold air, when exposed to a partially or completely naked human body, irritates the nerve endings in the skin, which reflexively contributes to better oxygen saturation, enhances skin respiration and trains the thermoregulation system. At the same time, the metabolic rate in the body increases, sleep and appetite improve.
The positive effect of air baths depends on temperature, air humidity, purity and ionization of the atmosphere.
Air hardening begins at a temperature of 18-20 degrees. Initially, the duration of air procedures should be no more than 10-15 minutes, then every day it should be increased by 5-10 minutes, gradually increasing to 1.5-2 hours. At the same time, you need to dress according to the weather. If the air temperature is below 10 degrees, then hardening must be combined with physical exercises. After taking air baths, it is recommended to take a warm shower and vigorously rub the body. Air baths, when used correctly, improve blood circulation and metabolism, contribute to the development of resistance to acute respiratory diseases, and increase the tone of the nervous system. However, the duration of the air bath is determined by the reaction of the body. The appearance of "goose bumps", chills or trembling indicates an excessive duration of the bath and is a signal to stop it.
Under adverse weather conditions (rain, fog, high or low atmospheric pressure, strong wind) it is not recommended to take air baths.
It is also impossible to carry out air hardening in case of acute diseases with fever, acute neuritis or myositis, as well as in case of exacerbation of chronic joint diseases (arthritis, arthrosis) and rheumatism.
sunbathing
Ultraviolet rays, which are completely absorbed by the skin, have the most active effect on the body and, if used correctly, are most useful for it. Ultraviolet rays have a complex biological effect on the body, improve metabolism, stimulate the activity of the nervous and endocrine systems, and contribute to the production of vitamin D in the body.
Sunbathing for the purpose of hardening should be taken wisely, otherwise, instead of being useful, they can be harmful, cause burns, overheating, sunstroke, overexcitation of the nervous system. It is necessary to dose them especially strictly on the beach (depending on age, gender, state of health, degree of resistance to ultraviolet rays). It is best to sunbathe in the morning hours from 9 to 12, and in the south from 16 to 19 hours. In this case, a person needs to periodically change his position so that the sun's rays affect all parts of the body evenly.
The duration of the procedure on the first day should not exceed 10 minutes. Then it is gradually recommended to increase the amount of time spent in the sun by 5-10 minutes, eventually bringing it up to 2 hours. After sunbathing, it is advisable to swim or take a shower. Sunbathing after swimming is not recommended.
It must be remembered that sunbathing should not be taken in acute diseases and exacerbations of chronic diseases.
Precautions against heat and sunstroke:
1) it is not advisable to take a bath on an empty stomach, as well as immediately after eating;
2) the head must be covered with a hat, panama or umbrella;
3) it is better to protect your eyes with special dark sunglasses;
4) it is better to take a bath in the first half of the day, from 11 am to 1 pm;
5) be sure to use sunscreen lotion or cream;
6) children are not recommended to immediately completely undress. First, the child should be allowed to walk in the heat in panties and a T-shirt, and only then, after 10-15 minutes, remove the T-shirt. We should not forget that the head of the child must be covered with a headdress;
7) it is advisable for the elderly to take sun baths for no more than 20-30 minutes, preferably in the shade, before 11 am or after 4-5 pm.
You should not get too carried away with sunbathing. Excessive sun exposure can cause heat or sunstroke, fever, headache, fatigue, and irritability.
water procedures.
Water procedures as a hardening agent act most effectively and quickly. Water differs in these qualities because it has good thermal conductivity (28 times greater than the thermal conductivity of air) and a mechanical action that causes more thermal irritation than air of the same temperature. Thermal irritation of skin receptors caused by water affects the entire body and, above all, the circulatory organs, tissue respiration, and the nervous system.
Start hardening with water in the morning, immediately after sleep and morning exercises, which contributes to uniform warming of the body. The duration of water procedures should be the less, the lower the water temperature.
Hardening with water is done by dousing with cool water and cold rubbing with a wet towel, sponge or hand moistened with cold water. First wipe the upper half of the body, then dry the skin, and then the bottom. The duration of this procedure should be 4-5 minutes. Daily rubdowns increase immunity, contribute to the development of the body's resistance to colds.
Pouring. Initially, the water for dousing should have a temperature of + 37-38 ° C. At the end of each week, the water temperature is reduced by 1 °C. The duration of the procedures is initially 1 minute and gradually increases to 2-3 minutes.
After dousing, it is recommended to rub the whole body with a terry towel. It is very useful to carry out contrast procedures, ie. alternating dousing with hot and cool water. This effectively stimulates the activity of skin receptors, strengthens blood vessels, and has a general strengthening effect on the body.
Cold and hot shower. This is an alternation of pouring hot and cool water. Its effect on the body consists not only in temperature, but also in mechanical irritation of skin receptors. A change in temperature causes the vessels to alternately narrow and expand, which helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improves blood circulation, color and elasticity of the skin.
For one procedure, it is recommended to change the temperature of the water 4-5 times, while it is better to start with warm water. The difference between the temperature of hot and cold water should be minimal at first, but over time it rises to the maximum tolerable.
Swimming in open water. Is a valuable hardening method is. You can swim both in the pool and in open water bodies (in a pond, lake, river, sea). At the same time, the body is affected not only by the temperature, but also by the mechanical factor of water, and when swimming in an open reservoir, the sun and air also affect it. In addition, sea water has a beneficial effect on the body due to the rich set of dissolved mineral salts contained in it.
In addition to the hardening effect, bathing increases the intensity of metabolism, trains the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
The bathing and swimming season begins in early spring at a water temperature of at least 18 ° C. The best time for swimming is in the morning and evening hours, not earlier than 1-2 hours after eating. Thanks to gradual training, you can swim and swim in water with a temperature below 5-10 ° C.
It should be noted that swimming in open water should not be at elevated body temperature, with acute and infectious diseases, with certain diseases of the heart and blood vessels, as well as with the tendency of the body to bleed.
Bathing rules.
1) before you start swimming, you should bask a little in the sun, you can do some physical exercises for 5-10 minutes;
2) the most favorable time for swimming in open water is before 12 noon and after 4 pm. It must be remembered that you can not swim immediately after eating. It is better to do this 1-2 hours after eating;
3) to enter the water, especially cool, it is better to gradually, so that the body has time to get used to the temperature of the water;
5) After bathing, wipe yourself with a clean towel. It is not recommended to dry in the air;
6) children, especially small ones, must bathe in the presence of adults, while it is unacceptable to leave a child alone even for a minute.
When swimming in open water, safety rules must be followed to prevent drowning. In particular, you can not swim, especially dive in an unfamiliar place or in places not intended for swimming.
snow baths
Snow baths are performed in calm snowy weather to increase the body's resistance to the effects of cold.
Procedure for snow baths:
1) remove clothes from the upper body;
2) grab a handful of snow, rub it on your face and neck. Then again collect snow in the palm of your hand and rub your chest and stomach. Then, in exactly the same way, rub the shoulders with snow and, finally, the arms.
The total duration of rubbing with snow is 10-15 s. Then gradually over 12 sessions it is brought up to 20-30 s.
Walking barefoot. Good hardening effect. Take off your shoes on the beach, in the country, when walking in the forest, etc. You can walk barefoot and at home on carpet or parquet, but you need to get used to this gradually, starting from a few minutes. First, walk on the floor in socks and, only getting used to it, slowly move on to walking barefoot.
Bath or sauna with swimming in the pool. Thermal procedures are a good hardening agent. At the same time, there is an improvement in the consistency of all mechanisms of thermoregulation - the nervous system, cardiovascular, pulmonary and activation of the functions of the sebaceous and sweat glands, which in total increases the heat transfer of the body and ensures the constancy of normal body temperature.
Sauna as a remedy is indicated for chronic bronchitis (with a non-purulent form), allergic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis without damage to internal organs, colds (rhinitis, bronchitis, catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract, etc.)
In order to speed up the recovery processes after heavy physical exertion, it is recommended to enter the sauna 1-2 times for 5-10 minutes. With an air temperature of 70-90 degrees and 5-15%, followed by a warm shower.
Of no small importance is the so-called massage of the skin blood vessels, their alternating narrowing and expansion, which increases their elasticity and improves metabolism.
It is useful to combine tempering procedures with self-massage and physical exercises. So, in a dry-air bath, pools are used, while in which self-massage of the abdomen and limbs should be carried out, as well as some physical exercises, for example, strength for the arms and swimming movements for the legs.
4.7 Winter swimming. This is swimming in open water in winter. According to the degree of impact on the body, it is the most powerful hardening procedure.
You can start winter swimming only after preliminary intensive cold hardening for a long time. Before the procedure, it is necessary to consult a doctor, because when bathing in water with a temperature below +5 ° C, a significant expenditure of energy occurs in the human body, the body temperature decreases, the heart rate and respiratory movements increase, and blood pressure rises. It is not recommended to start winter swimming after the age of 50 years.
It is necessary to start the procedure by being in ice water for 20-30 seconds, then gradually increase the duration of bathing to 1 minute. It is not recommended to spend more than the specified time in the water. At the same time, you should be naked in the cold air as little as possible. In winter, you can swim no more than 2-3 times a week.
Winter swimming cannot be performed in case of certain diseases of the cardiovascular system and respiratory organs (with hypertension, atherosclerosis, bronchial asthma, chronic pneumonia, etc.), as well as for children under 18 years of age
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The benefits of hardening
Hardening is a system of preventive measures aimed at the body's resistance to adverse environmental factors. Improving hardening helps the body to increase adaptation to environmental conditions. That is, a hardened organism, even with significant fluctuations in ambient temperature, maintains the temperature of internal organs within fairly narrow limits. For example: with a sharp decrease or increase in the temperature of the external environment, a hardened organism will react sharply by narrowing or expanding blood vessels to the threat of possible strong cooling or overheating, and will limit or increase heat transfer. Whereas an unhardened organism will not be able to react so quickly, and will get hypothermia or overheating.
In addition, hardening a person increases the endurance of the body, strengthens the nervous system, increases immunity and resistance to diseases. Hardening is considered one of the best ways to maintain health.
Types of hardening
Hardening of the body can be divided into several types depending on the procedures performed:
- Aerotherapy - hardening with air.
This type of hardening includes air baths and long walks in the fresh air. Fresh air hardens the body by cooling the skin receptors and nerve endings of the mucosa and thereby improves the body's thermoregulation. Hardening with air is useful for the psycho-emotional state of a person, increasing immunity, saturating the body with oxygen, and thereby contributes to the normalization of the work of most organs and body systems.
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Air hardening is the simplest and most affordable hardening method. You need to spend more time outdoors, regardless of the weather and season. You need to try to spend more time walking in parks, forests, near water bodies, since in summer the air in such places is saturated with useful active substances that are released by plants. In winter, walks in forests and parks are also very important, since winter air contains practically no microbes, is more saturated with oxygen and has a healing effect on the entire body.
- Heliotherapy - hardening by the sun, exposure of the body to sunlight and heat.
Hardening by the sun increases the stability of the nervous system, accelerates the body's metabolic processes, increases the body's resistance, improves blood circulation, improves the functioning of the muscular system, and has a tonic effect on almost all body functions.
Hardening by the sun can not only be beneficial, but also very harmful, so this type of hardening must be treated very responsibly and all the rules of hardening by the sun must be observed. In no case should burns, overheating and thermal shock be allowed. Improper hardening by the sun can lead to serious illnesses. Hardening by the sun should occur gradually and take into account age, human health, climatic conditions and other factors.
- Walking barefoot. This type of hardening is useful for both children and adults. There are a large number of biologically active points on the feet of a person, which, when walking barefoot, are stimulated and help to normalize the work of many organs and systems of the body. Walking barefoot increases the body's resistance to colds, improves immunity. This type of hardening is a good prevention of many diseases.
- Hardening with water.
Hardening with water is a very useful procedure for the human body. With water hardening, blood circulation in the body is more intense, bringing additional oxygen and nutrients to the organs and systems of the body. Water hardening can be divided into several types:
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Rubbing. Rubbing is the most gentle and sparing of all hardening procedures with water. Rubbing can be applied from the earliest childhood. Rubbing can be done with a sponge, hand or towel dipped in water. First they wipe the upper part of the body, then rub it with a dry towel, and then they wipe the lower part of the body and also rub it with a dry towel.
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Pouring. Dousing is a more effective procedure than wiping. Pouring can be general, that is, the whole body and local - dousing the legs. After the dousing procedure, it is necessary to rub the body with a dry towel.
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Shower. Shower hardening is an even more effective hardening procedure than rubbing and dousing. There are two options for hardening with a shower, this is a cool (cold) shower and.
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Therapeutic bathing and ice swimming. This type of water hardening is becoming more and more popular every year. Therapeutic bathing and winter swimming have a great effect on all organs and systems of the human body, the work of the heart and lungs improves, the thermoregulation system improves. This type of hardening involves the strictest observance of all the rules for this type. It is necessary to start winter swimming after consulting a doctor.
hardening rules
- It is necessary to start hardening procedures when a person is completely healthy. Children and people suffering from various diseases can start hardening with sparing procedures and only after consulting a doctor.
. - The principle of gradualism must be observed. This applies to both the temperature regime and the time frame of hardening procedures. When hardening with water, you need to start the procedure with water at room temperature, gradually lowering it by 1-2 degrees. When hardening by the sun, it is also necessary to observe the principle of gradualness and start exposure to the sun from a few minutes, gradually increasing the time spent in the sun.
. - It is also very important to carry out hardening procedures regularly, without long intervals, in any weather and season. If, nevertheless, it so happened that you interrupted hardening for a long time, then it is necessary to resume it with more gentle procedures.
. - Combine hardening with. This will greatly increase the effectiveness of hardening procedures and have a beneficial effect on the entire body.
. - Hardening should bring cheerfulness and joy. If you feel unwell after hardening procedures, then you need to stop hardening and consult a doctor.
. - When hardening, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of a person, the state of health, the season, natural and climatic conditions, and so on.
. - Performing hardening procedures, it is necessary to carry out self-control. Assess general health, pulse, blood pressure, appetite and other indicators depending on the individual characteristics of the body.
. - Remember that hardening is one of the components of a healthy lifestyle. Remember to pay attention to other aspects of your life as well.
Temper with pleasure and be healthy!
And a little more about hardening:
hardening is a system of special training of the body's thermoregulatory processes, which includes procedures aimed at increasing the body's resistance to hypothermia or overheating. Under the action of these environmental factors, a complex physiological complex of responses arises in the body, in which not individual organs participate, but functional systems organized and subordinated to each other in a certain way, aimed at maintaining body temperature at a constant level.
Various means of hardening the body can be used not only for preventive purposes, but also for therapeutic purposes. 1) air hardening; 2) sunbathing; 3) water procedures (wiping, dousing, showering, swimming in natural reservoirs, pools or sea water); 4) rubbing with snow; 5) walking barefoot; 6) bath or sauna with bathing in cold water; 7) winter swimming.
Air hardening. Air baths are available to a person at any time of the year and in any conditions. Fresh cold air, when exposed to a partially or completely naked human body, irritates the nerve endings in the skin, which reflexively contributes to better oxygen saturation, enhances skin respiration and trains the thermoregulation system. At the same time, the metabolic rate in the body increases, sleep and appetite improve. The positive effect of air baths depends on temperature, air humidity, purity and ionization of the atmosphere. Air hardening begins at a temperature of 18-20 degrees. Initially, the duration of air procedures should be no more than 10-15 minutes, then every day it should be increased by 5-10 minutes, gradually increasing to 1.5-2 hours. At the same time, you need to dress according to the weather. If the air temperature is below 10 degrees, then hardening must be combined with physical exercises. After taking air baths, it is recommended to take a warm shower and vigorously rub the body. Air baths, when used correctly, improve blood circulation and metabolism, contribute to the development of resistance to acute respiratory diseases, and increase the tone of the nervous system. However, the duration of the air bath is determined by the reaction of the body. The appearance of "goose bumps", chills or trembling indicates an excessive duration of the bath and is a signal to stop it. Under adverse weather conditions (rain, fog, high or low atmospheric pressure, strong wind) it is not recommended to take air baths. It is also impossible to carry out air hardening in case of acute diseases with fever, acute neuritis or myositis, as well as in case of exacerbation of chronic joint diseases (arthritis, arthrosis) and rheumatism. Sunbathing The most active effect on the body and, if used correctly, the most useful for it is ultraviolet rays, which are completely absorbed by the skin. Ultraviolet rays have a complex biological effect on the body, improve metabolism, stimulate the activity of the nervous and endocrine systems, promote the production of vitamin D in the body. shock, overexcitation of the nervous system. It is necessary to dose them especially strictly on the beach (depending on age, gender, state of health, degree of resistance to ultraviolet rays). It is best to sunbathe in the morning hours from 9 to 12, and in the south from 16 to 19 hours. In this case, a person needs to periodically change his position so that the sun's rays affect all parts of the body evenly. The duration of the procedure on the first day should not exceed 10 minutes. Then it is gradually recommended to increase the amount of time spent in the sun by 5-10 minutes, eventually bringing it up to 2 hours. After sunbathing, it is advisable to swim or take a shower. Sunbathing after swimming is not recommended. It must be remembered that sunbathing should not be taken in acute diseases and exacerbations of chronic diseases. Precautions against heat and sunstroke: 1) it is not advisable to take a bath on an empty stomach, as well as immediately after eating; 2) the head must be covered with a hat, panama or umbrella; 3) it is better to protect your eyes with special dark sunglasses; 4) it is better to take a bath in the first half of the day, from 11 am to 1 pm; 5) be sure to use sunscreen lotion or cream; 6) children are not recommended to immediately completely undress. First, the child should be allowed to walk in the heat in panties and a T-shirt, and only then, after 10-15 minutes, remove the T-shirt.
We should not forget that the head of the child must be covered with a headdress; 7) it is advisable for the elderly to take sunbathing for no more than 20-30 minutes, preferably in the shade, before 11 am or after 4-5 pm. You should not get too carried away with sunbathing. Excessive sun exposure can cause heat or sunstroke, fever, headache, fatigue, and irritability. water procedures. Water procedures as a hardening agent act most effectively and quickly. Water differs in these qualities because it has good thermal conductivity (28 times greater than the thermal conductivity of air) and a mechanical action that causes more thermal irritation than air of the same temperature. Thermal irritation of skin receptors caused by water affects the entire body and, above all, the circulatory organs, tissue respiration, and the nervous system. Start hardening with water in the morning, immediately after sleep and morning exercises, which contributes to uniform warming of the body. The duration of water procedures should be the less, the lower the water temperature. Hardening with water is done by dousing with cool water and cold rubbing with a wet towel, sponge or hand moistened with cold water. First wipe the upper half of the body, then dry the skin, and then the bottom. The duration of this procedure should be 4-5 minutes. Daily rubdowns increase immunity, contribute to the development of the body's resistance to colds. Pouring. Initially, the water for dousing should have a temperature of + 37-38 ° C. At the end of each week, the water temperature is reduced by 1 °C. The duration of the procedures is initially 1 minute and gradually increases to 2-3 minutes. After dousing, it is recommended to rub the whole body with a terry towel. It is very useful to carry out contrast procedures, ie. alternating dousing with hot and cool water. This effectively stimulates the activity of skin receptors, strengthens blood vessels, and has a general strengthening effect on the body. Cold and hot shower. This is an alternation of pouring hot and cool water. Its effect on the body consists not only in temperature, but also in mechanical irritation of skin receptors. A change in temperature causes the vessels to alternately narrow and expand, which helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improves blood circulation, color and elasticity of the skin. For one procedure, it is recommended to change the temperature of the water 4-5 times, while it is better to start with warm water. The difference between the temperature of hot and cold water should be minimal at first, but over time it rises to the maximum tolerable. Swimming in open water. Is a valuable hardening method is. You can swim both in the pool and in open water bodies (in a pond, lake, river, sea). At the same time, the body is affected not only by the temperature, but also by the mechanical factor of water, and when swimming in an open reservoir, the sun and air also affect it. In addition, sea water has a beneficial effect on the body due to the rich set of dissolved mineral salts contained in it. In addition to the hardening effect, bathing increases the intensity of metabolism, trains the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The bathing and swimming season begins in early spring at a water temperature of at least 18 ° C. The best time for swimming is in the morning and evening hours, not earlier than 1-2 hours after eating. Thanks to gradual training, you can swim and swim in water with a temperature below 5-10 ° C. It should be noted that swimming in open water should not be at elevated body temperature, with acute and infectious diseases, with certain diseases of the heart and blood vessels, as well as with the tendency of the body to bleed. Bathing rules. 1) before you start swimming, you should bask a little in the sun, you can do some physical exercises for 5-10 minutes; 2) the most favorable time for swimming in open water is before 12 noon and after 4 pm. It must be remembered that you can not swim immediately after eating. It is better to do this 1-2 hours after eating; 3) to enter the water, especially cool, it is better to gradually, so that the body has time to get used to the temperature of the water; 4) in the water it is recommended to move all the time, swim, so as not to freeze.
In no case should you swim before the appearance of "goose bumps" - this is a sign of hypothermia; 5) After bathing, wipe yourself with a clean towel. It is not recommended to dry in the air; 6) children, especially small ones, must bathe in the presence of adults, while it is unacceptable to leave a child alone even for a minute. When swimming in open water, safety rules must be followed to prevent drowning. In particular, you can not swim, especially dive in an unfamiliar place or in places not intended for swimming. Snow baths Snow baths are performed in calm snowy weather to increase the body's resistance to the effects of cold. Before they are carried out, it is recommended to perform the above dynamic exercises for the arms, legs and spine. The procedure for snow baths: 1) remove clothes from the upper body; 2) grab a handful of snow, rub it on your face and neck. Then again collect snow in the palm of your hand and rub your chest and stomach. Then, in exactly the same way, rub the shoulders with snow and, finally, the arms. The total duration of rubbing with snow is 10-15 s. Then gradually over 12 sessions it is brought up to 20-30 s. Walking barefoot. Good hardening effect. Take off your shoes on the beach, in the country, when walking in the forest, etc. You can walk barefoot and at home on carpet or parquet, but you need to get used to this gradually, starting from a few minutes. First, walk on the floor in socks and, only getting used to it, slowly move on to walking barefoot. Bath or sauna with swimming in the pool. Thermal procedures are a good hardening agent. At the same time, there is an improvement in the consistency of all mechanisms of thermoregulation - the nervous system, cardiovascular, pulmonary and activation of the functions of the sebaceous and sweat glands, which in total increases the heat transfer of the body and ensures the constancy of normal body temperature. Sauna as a remedy is indicated for chronic bronchitis (with a non-purulent form), allergic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis without damage to internal organs, colds (rhinitis, bronchitis, catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract, etc.) In order to accelerate recovery processes after heavy physical exertion, it is recommended 1 -2 visits to the sauna for 5-10 minutes. With an air temperature of 70-90 degrees and 5-15%, followed by a warm shower. Of no small importance is the so-called massage of the skin blood vessels, their alternating narrowing and expansion, which increases their elasticity and improves metabolism. It is useful to combine tempering procedures with self-massage and physical exercises. So, in a dry-air bath, pools are used, while in which self-massage of the abdomen and limbs should be carried out, as well as some physical exercises, for example, strength for the arms and swimming movements for the legs. 4.7 Winter swimming. This is swimming in open water in winter. According to the degree of impact on the body, it is the most powerful hardening procedure. You can start winter swimming only after preliminary intensive cold hardening for a long time. Before the procedure, it is necessary to consult a doctor, because when bathing in water with a temperature below +5 ° C, a significant expenditure of energy occurs in the human body, the body temperature decreases, the heart rate and respiratory movements increase, and blood pressure rises. It is not recommended to start winter swimming after the age of 50 years. It is necessary to start the procedure by being in ice water for 20-30 seconds, then gradually increase the duration of bathing to 1 minute. It is not recommended to spend more than the specified time in the water. At the same time, you should be naked in the cold air as little as possible. In winter, you can swim no more than 2-3 times a week. Winter swimming cannot be performed in case of certain diseases of the cardiovascular system and respiratory organs (with hypertension, atherosclerosis, bronchial asthma, chronic pneumonia, etc.), as well as for children under 18 years of age
The familiar word "hardening" carries a deep meaning. In the medical sense, hardening measures imply a set of specific procedures that actively stimulate natural immunity, increase resistance to all adverse environmental factors, improve thermoregulation and form vitality. In simple words, hardening means the natural training of the body's protective barrier with the help of natural factors. Hardening gives a person a complete physical and spiritual balance, increases all the potentials of the body.
Without implying it, we train our body by visiting a bathhouse, swimming in ponds or walking in the fresh air. But in order to call these seemingly ordinary actions true hardening, certain principles must be strictly observed:
- Before proceeding with the hardening itself, you need to make sure that the body is absolutely ready for this. This implies that there should be no acute diseases and exacerbated chronic diseases (in some of which hardening is prohibited or limited). It is necessary to sanitize all infectious foci in the body (teeth with caries, inflamed tonsils, etc.).
- In addition to physical readiness, there must be a clear and motivated psychological attitude, i.e. awareness that everything is done for the benefit of one's own health and strong confidence in the success of these events. And only a positive attitude!
- Hardening is a system that is implemented continuously, i.e. daily. It should be understood that in order to achieve excellent health indicators, one should work long and hard, although it is difficult to call it work - after all, all the techniques are so pleasant and do not require much effort on oneself. Good reasons for temporary interruption of hardening procedures are health problems.
- The strength and duration of hardening procedures increase day by day, but smoothly, without extreme actions. This is a very important rule. Many, having felt a significant surge of strength and vigor after 3-4 hardening procedures, are ready to dive into the hole the next day. You will have to pay for such “impulses” with your own health. Everything should increase moderately and gradually, and nothing else.
- When hardening, a reasonable sequence of procedures is also important. You should start the hardening training of the body with soft and gentle methods, and then move on to more serious effects. For example, start hardening with water with foot baths and smoothly move on to dousing, first local, then full-fledged general.
- No matter how well the hardening procedures are perceived, one should still take into account the individual reactions of the person and the state of health. Hardening at the first stages is a kind of shake-up of the body, and during this period various dormant sores can come out. Therefore, having decided to harden, in any case, you should consult a doctor.
- In addition to hardening, it is necessary to use physical exercises, active games and sports. All this strengthens the results achieved and helps to fully train your body.
Methods for hardening the body
The natural resistance of the body must be formed to all natural factors without exception.
The main systems and methods of hardening (as the impact on the body increases):
1. Air baths. The technique is used for therapeutic purposes and preventive measures. It is based on the effect of the natural air environment on open skin.
The system is phased, begins with hardening indoors at a temperature range of 15 - 16 ° C with a time interval of 3-5 minutes. After 4-5 days, you can start a ten-minute hardening effect on the skin in the open air, but at t not less than 20 - 22 ° C. In the future, the time spent outdoors gradually increases. This method is optimal for untrained people.
Hardening with cold air masses (from 4 to 13 ° C) can only be used by trained, well-hardened people. Start exposure from a couple of minutes and gradually bring this time to 10 minutes, but no more.
Air baths train the system of thermoregulation, normalize and optimize the functionality of the heart and blood vessels, the respiratory system, digestion and have a beneficial effect on the state of mental balance.
2. Sunbathing. The technique consists in a positive effect on the body of direct sunlight. More effective results are obtained by the simultaneous application of hardening by the sun and air.
The sun's rays are a fairly aggressive natural factor that can lead to burns and heat or sunstroke. Therefore, the following are very important: the time of the procedure (morning between 9-11 am or evening between 17-19 hours) and the duration of exposure (start from 3-4 minutes and increase to 1 hour, gradually adding a few minutes). The head and cornea of the eyes should be protected from direct sunlight. The last meal before tanning should be at least an hour and a half before sun exposure. When tanning, the sun should “look” at your feet, you should not stand or sit, it is better to lie down.
Solar infrared light has an active thermal effect. Sweating and evaporation from the skin of released moisture increase, subcutaneous vessels expand, and general blood flow increases. The body actively produces vitamin D, which normalizes and activates metabolic processes and is involved in the formation of highly active products of protein metabolism. As a result of this, the blood composition improves, and the overall resistance to diseases of any etiology increases.
3. Hardening with water. The most common among the inhabitants and loved by many techniques. It is best to start water hardening in the morning, after charging. The water temperature starts at 37°C natural for the skin, then gradually decreases by 1-2 degrees every day. Each water method has its own temperature limit, which we will discuss below.
Under the influence of water, the vessels initially narrow, the skin turns pale, and blood flows to the internal organs. Then the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems is activated, the general metabolism is accelerated, which leads to the reverse flow of blood from the internal organs to the skin. Those. water comprehensively trains the entire body, tones and strengthens blood vessels.
There are several directions of the water hardening system that can be combined.
a) Local water procedures - the hardening effect of water on the feet and throat.
Foot washing can be done daily. The procedure is carried out before bedtime. To begin with, the water used should have t 26 - 28 ° C, then it decreases to 12 - 15 ° C, within a few weeks. After the procedure, the feet are thoroughly rubbed until visible redness.
Gargling is a procedure that should begin the morning and end the evening. Initially, cool water should be 23 - 25 ° C, weekly (not daily!) The temperature is reduced by a degree and brought to 5 - 10 ° C.
b) Rubbing is a very mild water procedure that has no contraindications. Dip a sponge or towel in cool water and wipe the skin. The body is wiped from top to bottom, after the procedure, the skin is rubbed with a towel to redness. The duration of exposure is about 5 minutes.
c) Pouring is the next stage of the water hardening system. They start with water at about + 30 ° C, gradually reduce t to + 15 ° C and below. After the procedure, the skin surface is also rubbed with a towel to hyperemia.
d) Shower is a very effective water procedure. They start from t +30 - 32 ° C and last about a minute. Gradually reduce t to + 15 ° C and increase the procedure time to 2-3 minutes. If the body accepts the ongoing hardening with a shower, they switch to a temperature contrast, alternating water 35 - 40 ° C with water 13 - 20 ° C 2-3 times for three minutes.
e) Swimming in the warm season in a natural open reservoir, starting at 18 - 20 ° C water temperature and 14 - 15 ° C air temperature.
f) Swimming in an ice-hole is the most powerful method available only to the most hardened people. This powerful health-improving technique is referred to the ancient methods of prevention and treatment of many diseases. Indeed, earlier people were healthier both in body and soul, and swimming in the hole itself was not such a curiosity as it is now. On the contrary, this healing ritual was performed by many, from young to old.
The medical history of this method, like hardening, is relatively young, dating back to the late 1800s. Today, traditionally, every Orthodox person strives to experience these unique sensations on the great day of the Baptism of the Lord.
From a medical point of view, swimming in an ice hole is an acute stress with a short-term effect. There is a so-called "dance of the vessels" and the redistribution of blood. First, the vessels lying on the surface narrow and give their blood "to save" the internal organs. Then the internal organs give back this same blood, and the vessels again quickly expand. A huge amount of hormones is released into the blood: adrenaline and endorphins. There is a general stimulation of the body, all systems and organs begin to work more intensively and correctly. The protective function is activated, persistent insensitivity to the effects of pathogenic agents is developed. Emotionally, a person feels indescribably light and joyful. Many say that having experienced swimming in the hole, they began a different life! Bathing in an ice-hole relieves pain in the shoulders, back, joints, relieves insomnia, improves central and peripheral blood circulation and increases cold resistance.
The path to hardening in the hole is long. A person must overcome all of the above methods of hardening, then switch to dousing with ice water, and only then gets acquainted with the hole. You should not engage in this type of water exposure on your own and alone, control by professional "walruses" is required.
Naturally, this procedure requires a state of complete health and psychological readiness. Rules for immersion in an ice hole - gradual dipping with a minimum of time in the water (starts from a few seconds and carefully increases to several minutes). It is very important to wipe yourself dry after dipping, dress warmly (but not hot) and move actively. A cup of herbal tea will further emphasize the beauty of this procedure!
In addition to the listed common methods, hardening includes walking barefoot, a bath, wiping with snow, sleeping in the open air, and others.
Walking barefoot is a hardening method available to every person. They start walking in the warm season and, with good tolerance, continue all year round. The sensations of walking in the snow are so contrasting that it is difficult to describe them, in a word - they cause children's delight in adults! It is important to maintain a balance of walking time: with a decrease in outdoor temperature, the duration of exposure is reduced. And only after getting used to the cold (1.5-2 weeks) slowly increase this time. It is better to walk in a certain place, for example, on the ground with grass.
A kind of barefoot walking, or rather, a more serious version of such hardening is barefooting. This technique means constantly walking barefoot, even in everyday life. Barefooting is common in Western countries, where walking barefoot is officially allowed by the authorities. We also use a softer version of barefooting - walking without shoes in nature.
The largest number of biologically active points is located on the feet. They are actively stimulated when walking barefoot and help to normalize the activity of many organs and body systems. The body becomes resistant to colds, immunity is strengthened.
Bath. The bath helps to achieve the correct reaction of the vascular bed to the effects of the external environment. The body quickly adapts to frequently changing environmental conditions, especially to high and low temperatures. The likelihood of colds is reduced, the heart and blood vessels are toned, and a stable psyche is formed.
But it should be understood that the bath gives a load and is of a training nature. The approach to bath hardening is the same as to other methods: a smooth increase in the time of exposure to heat on the body.
The first acquaintance with the steam room should be in a healthy state, outside of physical exertion and an hour or two after eating. It is recommended to take a bath in the evening hours, so that after pleasant procedures you can go to sleep. You should start with 1-2 minutes of being in the steam room, after which you need to take a warm shower and relax. Gradually, the time is increased to a three-four-minute visit to the steam room, and the t of the shower water is reduced to 20-25 ° C. The most optimal is a three-time visit to the steam room, but with a mandatory rest between visits. Trained people can take a contrast shower or swim in a cool and even cold pool. But even here there is a rule - the colder the water, the less time you can stay in it.
Wiping with snow. Only completely healthy people are allowed to perform this invigorating and useful procedure after a preliminary long hardening with cold water. Ideal weather: no wind and temperature around 0°C. Rubbing is carried out from the periphery (hands and feet) to the center. You should not wipe your head and ears, but your face is a must. It is enough to walk over the body 1-2 times, the duration of the procedure: 1-2 minutes.
The therapeutic effect of wiping with snow: the body's defenses are stimulated, especially in the fight against colds.
Sleeping in the open air refers to passive hardening techniques. The main rule is the absence of drafts. Daytime and nighttime sleep can be organized in the bedroom with open windows, on the balcony or loggia, on the veranda. Many are interested, is it possible to sleep on the street? If it is summer time, there is an equipped place, protected from wind and precipitation - then you can. But in the off-season and especially in winter, it is better not to do such extreme actions, because. in a dream, a person’s thermoregulation is imperfect, the body cools down very quickly. And sleeping in a padded jacket and felt boots is very uncomfortable, and there will be absolutely no benefit from such a dream.
Fresh, constantly circulating air is an excellent therapeutic and preventive factor in itself. All microbes and viruses floating in the air are neutralized, and the blood is saturated with oxygen. The result is a fresh and rested appearance after sleep, strong immunity and excellent health.
The positive effect of all the listed hardening procedures on the body has been proven for centuries. An invaluable mechanism for adapting the body to all environmental factors is launched, thanks to which resistance to various diseases is developed, a person becomes healthier, more durable and happier!
Of no small importance in the physical education and health promotion of the student is acquiring. It helps to increase the body's resistance to temperature fluctuations and to the so-called colds. The most accessible and effective are the following types of hardening of the body: air and sun baths and water procedures. The success of hardening, as well as other activities aimed at improving health, can only be achieved with strict adherence to the following rules:
- systematic implementation of all procedures;
- their strict dosing, depending on the age and state of health;
- gradual increase in the intensity of influencing procedures;
- medical observation of the effect of procedures on the body.
Air baths
The simplest and most common type of hardening of the body can be considered air baths which can be done all year round. Air baths have a beneficial effect on the human body. Depending on the air temperature, air baths are divided into- cold - from 12° to 14°,
- cool and moderate - from 14 to 20 °,
- warm - from 20 to 30 °.
Water procedures
Hygienic and physiological significance water procedures plays an important role in human life. Water removes dirt, dust, salt and sweat from the surface of the skin, it cleans the pores and improves skin respiration.. The temperature effect on the body of water procedures is similar to air baths and consists in a greater or lesser cooling effect. Water procedures strengthen the nervous system, increase metabolism, increase muscle tone. They have a beneficial effect on the human psyche, which is expressed in an increase in mood, vigor and efficiency.Rubdown
The weakest water procedure in terms of its effect on the body is rubdown. It consists in sequentially rubbing the entire body with a piece of cloth (canvas, towel) moistened with water of a certain temperature, followed by rubbing the body with a towel until a pleasant warmth is felt. The temperature of the water during the first wiping should be at least 30-22 °. Further, every 2-3 days the temperature can be reduced by 1-2°, but not more than to 12-13°.Pouring
Water procedures that are more powerful in terms of the degree of impact on the body include pouring, you can go to them after 1 - 1.5 months of systematic rubdowns. The temperature of the water during douching should be higher than during the last wiping, that is, about 30 °, with a subsequent decrease in it to 20-19 °.Bathing
The most common and effective type of hardening of the body is bathing. Given the great irritating and cooling effect of this type of water procedures on the human body, they must be approached very carefully and first obtain a doctor's permission.
The first bathing should begin at a water temperature of at least 20-22 ° and continue for 2-4 minutes. The time of subsequent bathing can be gradually lengthened up to 10-15 minutes, but excessive cooling of the body should not be allowed. A very good means of combined hardening is therapeutic and health-improving swimming in an outdoor pool. are a powerful stimulant. They lead to an increase in the activity of the whole organism, an increase in metabolism and an improvement in the functioning of internal organs. The sun's rays, in addition to the healing effect, have pronounced healing properties in a number of diseases. However, inept use of the sun's rays can be harmful. 
In the middle lane, the best time for sunbathing is from 10 to 12 and from 15 to 18 hours. Their duration is from 5 to 10 minutes at the beginning of taking baths up to 1 hour later. Carrying out the above types of hardening of the body teaches a person to respond correctly to the adverse effects of the external environment.
