It is believed that hardening helps to strengthen the immune system and people who are resistant to low temperatures are less likely to get sick. 

“It is better and safer to start hardening in the summer or late spring - after the decline in the incidence of SARS,” the expert explained.

According to her, hardening can be started at any age, the main thing is to do it correctly and gradually.

“The body must adapt to temperature changes.

Initially, the procedures should be short - from a few seconds, with a gradual increase in time.

Contraindications to hardening: SARS, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the genitourinary system, the stage of exacerbation of chronic diseases, allergies to cold, ”the specialist warned.

As the therapist added, there are many methods of hardening, but they are all based on two main principles: gradualness and regularity.

“If you immediately pour a bucket of cold water on yourself, you risk getting sick or exacerbating chronic diseases and will only harm your body.


It is better to start hardening with air procedures.

Ventilate the room more often, gradually lowering the temperature to 19-17 ° C, while clothing should be as light as possible, ”the doctor advised.

Then, explained Konstantinova, turn on the wash with cold water - 20-22 ° C.

“Dousing also needs to be done correctly: the water temperature must be reduced by 1-2 ° C every 5-7 days.

For the first two weeks, pour over only the hands and feet, then gradually connect the knees and elbows, and only then the whole body, ”she emphasized. 

The interlocutor of RT added that hardening is the process of developing the body's response to changing environmental conditions: cold, heat, wind, sun, barometric pressure.

“That is, hardening is the process of formation of the corresponding autonomic conditioned reflexes.

Hardening helps to avoid many diseases, to prolong life, because a hardened person does not get sick or gets sick very rarely and easily.

The role of hardening in the prevention of colds is especially great.

But it must be remembered that hardening should bring cheerfulness and joy.

If symptoms of malaise appear, it is necessary to stop hardening and consult a doctor, ”the doctor concluded.

Earlier, pediatrician Myagkova advised not to combine hardening of children with vaccination.