Air hardening. The most common air hardening procedure is air baths (general and local). If they are carried out indoors, then it must be pre-ventilated. It is also recommended to take air baths on the balcony, open veranda in combination with elements of morning exercises or while running in the yard, in the park, in the forest, etc. The most beneficial effect on the body is provided by air baths on the shores of a lake, river, or in the forest, where the air is saturated with air ions and phytoncides. Depending on the sensation of heat, which is influenced by the speed of air movement and its humidity, air baths are divided into warm (over 22 °C), indifferent (21-22 °C), cool (17-20 °C), moderately cold (9-20 °C). 16 °C), cold (0-8 °C) and very cold (below 0 °C).
Hardening begins by taking air baths in a room with an air temperature of at least 17 °C. The first baths should not exceed 5 minutes. Subsequently, the duration of the procedure is increased every day by 5 minutes, bringing it to 60 minutes or more. Air baths help increase the body's resistance to slow and prolonged weak cold influences. Then you can move on to air baths at lower temperatures. When hardening in the optimal mode, mainly moderately cold air baths (9-16 ° C) are used. After air cooling, water procedures are desirable. During an air bath, do not let yourself get chills. To prevent it, do some exercise, go for a run, or do self-massage.
Air hardening baths are well complemented by walking barefoot. At the same time, remember that hot sand, asphalt, snow, ice, stones, slag and pine cones excite the nervous system, and soft grass, warm sand, road dust, indoor carpet, on the contrary, have a calming effect. After each walk barefoot, you need to wash your feet with water at room temperature and massage them for 2-3 minutes.
One of the hardening elements is contrasting air baths. Their essence is that the person being hardened from a warm room (for example, a bathroom) goes outside (balcony), where he stays until “goose bumps” appear, after which he returns to the room. And he repeats this 5-6 times. The greater the temperature difference, the shorter the contrast procedure. Finally, it is necessary to perform hygienic water procedures.
In addition to air baths, it is also rational to sleep in the fresh air or in a constantly ventilated room. Night sleep is carried out with an open vent or an open window all year round. Sleeping outdoors should begin in the summer at a temperature of 18-16 °C. As the temperature drops, the thermal insulation properties of blankets or a sleeping bag should be increased so that the cold is not felt during sleep. When the air temperature is 5 °C, sleeping on the balcony should be stopped. Only persons training under a special hardening regime can continue it at lower temperatures.
And a few more tips that significantly affect a person’s well-being and the effectiveness of health measures: 1) make it a rule to do daily morning exercises naked to the waist. In the cool season at an air temperature of 16-18 ° C in the room; in warm weather - outdoors in any weather; 2) make sure that your breathing is correct, that your inhalation is deep. Improper breathing dramatically weakens the beneficial effects of fresh air; 3) while staying in the fresh air, do not wrap yourself up! Clothing should be light, not restrict movement and not cause perspiration during normal walking. Wearing lightweight clothing is one of the forms of hardening; 4) train yourself to walk in any weather, especially to and from work, at least part of the way. Take daily evening walks lasting 20-30 minutes, which also have a tempering effect 1-2 hours before bedtime; 5) try to spend weekends and free days outside the city, in the forest or by the river; 6) air hardening, like any other type of hardening, is an important part of a healthy lifestyle aimed at strengthening the body. It is good to combine it with other components of a healthy lifestyle - balanced nutrition, physical activity, psychophysical training, etc.
At the same time, air procedures are the easiest form of hardening; But they act on the body from the moment a person is born and for almost his entire life. Fresh air is the basis of hardening. It stimulates metabolism, improves mood and immunity, improves sleep and appetite.
An important and exclusive feature of air procedures as a hardening agent is that they are available to people of all ages and can be widely used not only by healthy people, but also by those suffering from certain diseases. Moreover, for a number of diseases (neurasthenia, hypertension, angina), these procedures are prescribed as a remedy.
The hardening effect of air on the body helps to increase the tone of the nervous and endocrine systems. Under the influence of air baths, digestion processes improve, the activity of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems improves, and the morphological composition of the blood changes (the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin levels increase).
Staying in the fresh air improves a person’s overall well-being, influencing his emotional state and causing a feeling of vigor and freshness.
The hardening effect of air on the body is the result of the complex influence of a number of physical factors: temperature, humidity, direction and speed of movement. In addition, especially on the seashore, a person is influenced by the chemical composition of the air, which is saturated with salts contained in sea water.
Japanese doctors say that the more a person goes naked, the longer he will live. Moreover, it is believed that this prevents the development of neuroses, menopause and even cancer. Therefore, you need to dress taking into account the principles of hardening. It is most beneficial to take air baths while undressed.
This type of hardening must begin with developing the habit of fresh air. Walking is of great importance for improving health.
Outdoor walks are held at any time of the year, regardless of the weather. The duration of walks is set individually for each person depending on their state of health and age. An increase in walking time should be carried out gradually, taking into account both the listed factors and the degree of fitness of the body, as well as air temperature. It is advisable to combine time in the air with active movements: in winter - skating, skiing, and in summer - playing ball and other outdoor games.
There should be fresh air during morning exercises, other physical exercises, and during sleep. To do this, you need to ventilate the room 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes through the transom. At least once a day, conduct through ventilation of the apartment. Take small children to another room during this time.
The best time for air hardening is in the morning, after sleep, in combination with hygienic gymnastics. At other times of the day, air baths are not recommended to be taken less than an hour and a half after a meal or on an empty stomach. When hardening with air, in addition to temperature, humidity and air speed must be taken into account. Relative humidity is expressed as the ratio of absolute humidity to the maximum humidity at a given air temperature and is calculated as a percentage. Air, depending on its saturation with water vapor, is usually divided into dry - up to 55%, moderately dry - from 56 to 70%, moderately humid - from 71 to 85%, very humid - above 86%.
Air procedures for the purpose of hardening can be used either in the form of a clothed person staying in the open air (walks, sports activities), or in the form of air baths, in which a short-term effect of air of a certain temperature occurs on the naked surface of the human body.
Air baths prepare the body for subsequent hardening procedures, for example, water hardening.
The dosage of air baths is carried out in two ways: a gradual decrease in air temperature and an increase in the duration of the procedure at the same temperature.
You should start taking air baths indoors; as they harden, they are transferred to the open air. The best place for procedures is shaded areas with green spaces, away from sources of air pollution by dust and gases.
An air bath can be general, when the entire surface of the body is exposed to air, or partial, when only part of it is exposed (torso, neck, arms, legs). The hardening effect is associated with the temperature difference between the air and the surface of the skin.
According to temperature sensations, the following types of air baths are distinguished: hot (over 30 °C), warm (over 22 °C), indifferent (21-22 °C), cool (17-21 °C), moderately cold (13-17 °C) C), cold (4-13 °C), very cold (below 4 °C).
It must be borne in mind that the irritating effect of air has an effect on skin receptors the more sharply, the greater the difference in temperature between the skin and air.
Exposure to cold air over a large surface area of the body causes a certain reaction in the body. At the first moment, due to the large transfer of heat, a feeling of cold arises, then the blood vessels of the skin dilate, blood flow to the skin increases, and the feeling of cold is replaced by a feeling of pleasant warmth.
Cool and moderately cold air baths have a more pronounced effect. By taking increasingly cooler air baths for the purpose of hardening, we thereby train the body to cope with low environmental temperatures by activating compensatory mechanisms that ensure thermoregulatory processes. As a result of hardening, first of all, the mobility of vascular reactions is trained, acting as a protective barrier that protects the body from sudden changes in external temperature.
Take air baths in a lying, reclining, or moving position. However, if it gets cold or chills appear, immediately get dressed and do a short jog or a few gymnastic exercises. After air baths, water procedures are useful.
Warm baths, while not providing hardening, nevertheless have a positive effect on the body, improving oxidative processes. For healthy people, the first air baths last 20-30 minutes at an air temperature of 15-20 °C. Subsequently, the duration of the procedures increases each time by 5-10 minutes and is gradually increased to 2 hours.
The next stage of air hardening is air baths at a temperature of 5-10 ° C for up to 15-20 minutes.
Cold baths can be taken by already seasoned people; The duration of such baths should not exceed 5-10 minutes.
Air humidity in combination with fluctuations in its temperature can have different effects on the body's thermoregulation processes. The intensity of moisture evaporation from the surface of the skin and lungs depends on the relative humidity of the air. In dry air, a person can easily tolerate a much higher temperature than in humid air. Dry air causes the body to lose moisture.
Air mobility (wind) is also important when taking air baths. The wind affects the body due to its strength and speed, and its direction also matters. It, by helping to enhance heat transfer by the body, increases the cooling power of the air.
So, you need to start taking air baths in a room, regardless of the time of year, at a temperature not lower than 15-16 ° C, and only after some time you can move to the open air. Air baths are taken in a well-ventilated area. Having exposed your body, you should remain in this state at the beginning of the hardening course for no more than 3-5 minutes (further increasing the time). When taking cool and especially cold baths, it is recommended to perform active movements: gymnastic exercises, walking, running in place.
After appropriate preliminary preparation, you can proceed to taking air baths in the open air. They should be taken in places protected from direct sunlight and strong winds. You should start taking air baths in the open air at an indifferent air temperature, i.e. 20-22 °C. The first air bath should last no more than 15 minutes, each subsequent one should be 10-15 minutes longer. Only well-seasoned people can take very cold baths. Their duration is no more than 1-2 minutes, with a gradual increase to 8-10 minutes.
Taking air baths in the open air should begin no earlier than 1.5-2 hours after meals, and finish hardening 30 minutes before meals. An important condition for the effectiveness of outdoor hardening is wearing clothing appropriate to weather conditions. Clothing should allow free air circulation.
A special type of air bath is hardening with an air flow or, simply put, a draft.
To do this you need to take a fan. Hardening should begin with an air flow at a temperature not lower than 21-22 ° C. The distance to the fan should be approximately 6 meters, and the motor speed should be minimal. Then you can bring the fan closer to such a distance that you can feel a barely noticeable air movement. The duration of the first procedure, as a rule, is no more than 20 seconds. In this case, the body should be blown from the front and back for 10 seconds. Every other day, you can increase the duration of the procedure by 20 seconds and reduce the air temperature by 1 °C. The minimum temperature is 9 °C - this is the lower limit of moderately cold air baths. You can bring the air baths to lower temperatures, but be sure to move at the same time.
As already indicated, the sensitivity of the skin of individual parts of the body to air temperature is different. Parts of the body that are usually covered by clothing are more sensitive to cold. This makes it advisable to carry out air hardening, if possible, naked or semi-naked, in order to influence a larger surface of the body and obtain stronger responses. The hardening effect is also achieved when staying in the cold in lightweight clothing. Therefore, all winter sports are associated with hardening the body. In the summer, the hardening effect during physical exercise is much weaker due to the lesser cooling effect of the air. However, due to prolonged exposure to a light suit outdoors under changing meteorological conditions, summer sports are also associated with air hardening. Therefore, with systematic outdoor exercises, there is no need for special air baths.
Air hardening - the most accessible and most common form of hardening the body. Almost everyone can do these procedures: children and adults, healthy and sick. There are even diseases (hypertension, angina pectoris, neurasthenia, etc.) for which air hardening is prescribed as one of the additional treatment methods. Yes, there are other ways to harden the body, for example, with the help of the sun or water, but it is best to start health procedures with air hardening.
There are several methods of air hardening:
- Stay outside in light clothing;
- Sleeping in the fresh air;
- Air baths.
But what should you choose first?
Staying outside in light clothing is the first method of air hardening.
The first type of hardening is useful when you have a good route through a forest, field, seashore or river. But avoid rotting swamps and stagnant bodies of water contaminated with industrial waste, especially runoff from chemical plants. Air saturated with vehicle exhaust gases and significant amounts of dust is also harmful to health (so stay away from major highways or railways).
Some people may experience complications even from the aroma of flowering gardens or meadows, an allergic runny nose, skin rashes, bronchitis, etc. In this case, you should consult a doctor and find out the cause of the allergy, and change your walking route accordingly.
Sleeping in the fresh air - II method of air hardening.
Sleeping in the fresh air is also good for health. Let's say that the majority of long-livers in the Caucasus rest this way. However, even in temperate latitudes in warm weather it is very useful to sleep on a balcony or veranda.
Air baths - III method of air hardening.
Hardening with the help of air baths is done by undressing completely or to the waist. Baths can be cold (air temperature does not exceed 6-14 0 C), cool (14-20 0 C), indifferent (20-22 0 C), warm (22-30 0 C), hot (over 30 0 C) .
When taking air baths, you need to take into account the effect of the wind. It not only changes the air temperature at any moment, but also excites the skin receptors of open parts of the body (as if massaging them, therefore, activating the formation of heat in the body). It is best to start hardening with air baths in the summer at a temperature of about 20-22 0 C, gradually accustoming the body to colder air.
The first procedures should be performed in the room, but after 2-3 days you can already go outside.
The first time for 5 minutes, and then daily increase the duration of the baths by the same amount, bringing the stay in the air to 40-60 minutes. First, it is best to go outside when there is no wind or find a secluded place. In the future, once you get used to it, you can do exercises even in worse weather.
When hardening with air, it is important to learn how to accurately determine weather, seasonal and meteorological environmental factors. This will help you choose the right clothes and hardening products. For example, it is useful to know that in a calm wind the leaves on the trees are motionless, in a light wind individual leaves sway, in a fresh wind small branches tremble, in a strong wind dust rises and large branches sway.
If you feel unwell, do not take air baths without your doctor’s permission.
There are many subtleties in air healing. For example, it is not recommended to perform even light procedures on an empty stomach or immediately after eating. It is important to choose the right position in which you will take air baths: moving, lying down or reclining. In cool weather, it is best to perform gymnastic exercises in the air, and then move on to water procedures.
In winter, the safest temperature for outdoor exercise is from 18 0 C to -20 0 C, and if there is no wind, even -25 0 C. If you are tempered by air in a light sports suit, you feel normal at temperatures from -5 0 C to - 10 0 C, then consider that you have achieved good results.
It is of no small importance in physical education and strengthening the student’s health. It helps increase the body's resistance to temperature fluctuations and so-called colds. The most accessible and effective are the following types of body hardening: air and sun baths and water procedures. The success of hardening, as well as other measures aimed at improving health, can be achieved only with strict adherence to the following rules:
- systematic implementation of all procedures;
- their strict dosage depending on age and health status;
- gradual increase in the intensity of impact procedures;
- medical observation of the effects 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 carried out 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, salts and sweat from the surface of the skin, cleanses pores and improves skin respiration. The temperature effect of water procedures on the body is similar to air baths and consists of a greater or lesser cooling effect. Water procedures strengthen the nervous system, increase metabolism, and improve muscle tone. They also have a beneficial effect on the human psyche, which is reflected in increased mood, vigor and performance.Rubdown
The weakest water procedure in terms of its effect on the body is rubdown. It consists of sequentially wiping the entire body with a piece of cloth (canvas, towel) moistened with water at a certain temperature, followed by rubbing the body with a towel until a feeling of pleasant warmth is felt. The water temperature during the first wipes should not be lower than 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 their impact on the body include dousing, you can switch to them after 1 - 1.5 months of systematic rubdowns. The water temperature during douches should be higher than during the last rubdowns, that is, about 30°, with a subsequent decrease to 20-19°.Bathing
The most common and effective type of hardening of the body is bathing. Considering 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 extended 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 hardening agent. They lead to increased activity of the whole body, increased metabolism and improved functioning of internal organs. The sun's rays, in addition to their healing effect, have pronounced healing properties for a number of diseases. However, inappropriate use of the sun's rays can be harmful. 
In the middle zone, 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 to 1 hour later. Carrying out the above types of hardening of the body teaches a person to react correctly to the adverse effects of the external environment. Air hardening- the simplest and most accessible form of self-improvement of the body. Using it regularly, you can achieve the following results:
increase the body's resistance to hypothermia and colds
improve respiratory function, heart function and vascular condition
improve metabolism
The positive effect is manifested both during air baths and simply during a long stay in the fresh air. Hardening the body with air will occur even when a person is outdoors in clothes.
Both of these forms of hardening (let's call them special and arbitrary) can be used regardless of the time of year and weather conditions. For example, during sports training, while working in the garden, while walking with or without a dog, while fishing.
The need for such procedures is indicated by the fact that the human body must be able to withstand the adverse effects of the external environment.
Academician Pavlov I.P. wrote: “The human body is a self-regulating system to the highest degree, correcting itself, restoring and even improving itself.”
One of the results of such self-regulation is the preservation of internal temperature that is optimal for the body’s life. Regardless of changes in this indicator in the external environment. Of course, within certain limits. We are not talking about a person being in the super extreme temperatures of the Far North or Central Africa.
The slightest violation of the body's temperature constant already indicates its illness.
Resistance to diseases is purely individual. It is determined primarily by the state of the body’s defenses, and they largely depend on the degree of its hardening, the tone of blood vessels and muscles. Their ability to provide the required volume of blood flow when the ambient temperature changes.
Everyone needs to prepare their body for such tests, including through taking air baths.
In addition, a seasoned person has increased energy potential, is less susceptible to diseases (not only colds), and is able to remain calm, cheerful and optimistic in any conditions. He is characterized by sobriety of judgment and clarity of thought.
The most accessible are hardening training using the influence of various natural and climatic factors - sun, air and water.
During the air hardening procedure, the complex mechanism of interaction between several body systems is trained.
Signals of cold and heat are perceived by numerous nerve endings located throughout the surface of human skin. The so-called thermoreceptors.
The cold signal received by the thermoregulatory center of the brain reflexively turns on the system of protective reactions. This increases heat generation and releases reserve heat. At the same time, there is a decrease in heat transfer as a result of compression of peripheral vessels. The skin turns pale. The mechanism that compresses the pores is turned on. The so-called “goose bumps” effect is formed.
The benefits of fresh air
For the body benefits of fresh air is to improve metabolism, respiratory function, and the state of the cardiovascular system.
It is better to carry out such hardening of the body in nature.
Here the benefits of fresh air will be much greater than near highways or just in the city.
Fresh sea air is especially beneficial. Since ancient times, it has been considered the most important factor in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory tract and cardiovascular system.
In winter, the air is clean and practically free of germs. The benefit of inhaling fresh frosty air is to enhance the combustion of high-energy metabolic products in the body, from a sharp increase in the rate of redox reactions.
Hardening with air baths
Important form hardening - air baths. It is best to start taking them on warm, fine days, in places protected from the wind. As mentioned earlier, your position does not have to be strictly static.
Hardening with air baths can also be carried out while moving. For example, during physical exercise. In this case, the duration of the procedure is dosed purely individually.
Depending on the state of health and degree of hardening. This takes into account factors such as age, health, temperature and humidity.
An approximate calculation of the duration of taking air baths can be done using the table:
At air temperature, degrees | On the first day, min | By the end of the month, bring to, min |
Despite the apparent ease and simplicity of this type of hardening, it is recommended to carry it out regularly to obtain a lasting positive effect.
Such procedures are considered systematic if they are taken at least 3 to 4 times a week.
At the initial stage, even people who do not have serious illnesses need to dose the duration of air baths.
In addition, self-control is necessary when hardening. The appearance of a feeling of chills indicates the need to stop the procedure, perform warming physical exercises, and drink hot tea.
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