No matter how trivial it may sound, but Air hardening begins with proper ventilation.
I remember there was an incident. At the reception there is a mother with a 3-year-old child. Complaints about endless colds, even bosses and colleagues, according to her mother, were already looking at her sideways: more on sick leave than at work. But everything turned out to be extremely banal: my mother read that the air should be humidified, the special device seemed expensive. And she found her life hack - a thick blanket was hung on the radiator and periodically watered from a ladle so that the evaporated water humidified the air. There were double-glazed windows in the house, but it was scary to ventilate: what if the child froze. The wallpaper only has to be re-pasted, the woman complained...
Humidifying dry air is really important, but permissible humidity in residential premises is 35-40%. There is no need to live in a hammam.
The best ventilation is through. It can only be arranged without a child. The hardening factor here is a decrease in temperature by 1-2 °C. The optimal temperature for our latitudes in an infant's room is 20-22 °C. In autumn and winter, you need to ventilate the room 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes, and in summer the window can be open all the time.
The second way is a walk, including sleeping in the air
It is advisable to spend as much time as possible outdoors. Sleep, nutrition, games, gymnastics and hardening are best organized in the summer outside the city, in the fresh air. Let's go to grandma's dacha!
Children of any age, including newborns, need to go for a walk at any time of the year. Only in winter, a 2-week-old baby should not be taken outside if it is colder than -5°C. 
The first walk is only 10 minutes, and then everything is longer by 5-10 minutes, and so we reach 2 hours. It is better to walk 2 times a day. It’s good for the baby, and the mother will regain her figure faster after giving birth.
Children aged 2-3 months are not allowed to go for walks if it is -11 °C outside. On warmer days you can walk for up to 1 hour, but on cold days it’s better to go out for 20 minutes several times.
Children 3-5 months old already walk down to -12 °C, and closer to 6 months - even at -15 °C. In the warm season, it is good to walk with your baby between feedings 2-3 times a day for 2-2.5 hours. We ate, walked, came, washed, ate, changed clothes, and then walked again. Beauty…
How to understand that your baby’s daytime sleep in the air is organized correctly:
- the child falls asleep quickly;
- restful sleep;
- breathing during sleep is even;
- pink face;
- the child did not sweat;
- When waking up, the baby's arms and legs are warm.
If the child is uncomfortable, something is bothering him, he is hot or cold, then sleep will be uneven, and maybe the baby will not fall asleep at all.
If his face has a bluish tint, his nose, arms and legs are cold, it means he is very hypothermic. We urgently need to go home to warm up. If, on the contrary, the forehead is sweaty, then the child is overheated.
The third method is taking air baths
This is the most gentle and safe technology, and this is where we start in systematic hardening.
Air bath refers to a child being naked or semi-naked outdoors in the shade. How babies love it when their diapers are taken off, especially in the summer...
Air baths improve oxygen absorption, heat exchange and the state of the child’s nervous system: the baby becomes calmer, mothers enjoy the child’s wonderful appetite and sleep.
For children in the first weeks of life, air baths begin with swaddling: useful every time you swaddle or change clothes 
leaving the child undressed for some time. And don’t rush to change clothes.
The hardening effect of air depends mainly on temperature, but its humidity and speed of movement are also important. According to the heat sensation they cause, air baths can be lukewarm (air temperature 30-20 °C), cool (20-14 °C) and cold (14 °C and below).
It is recommended to start taking air baths in a pre-ventilated room, then, as you harden, move to open air. It is best to take baths not while lying passively, but actively: doing exercises or playing. This way we additionally create positive emotions for the child and enhance the effect.
You should start taking air baths from 15 minutes. Temperature depends on age:
- for babies in the first month of life - 22°C,
- at 1-2 months – 21 °C,
- at 3-12 months - 20°C,
- at 1-3 years - 18°C.
Subsequently, the duration of the procedures increases daily by 10 minutes and is gradually increased to 2 hours. In wet and windy weather the duration is reduced. Already from 1 month of life, this element of hardening is combined with gymnastics and massage.
A special type of air bath for a real superhero is hardening with an air flow, that is, a draft. This 
This option is acceptable for an already seasoned, trained fighter. Here you need a fan, start with an air flow no colder than 21-22 ° C. The distance to the fan should be about 6 meters, and the air flow speed should be minimal. Then the fan can be moved until the child feels a gentle breeze. The duration of the first procedure, as a rule, is no more than 20 seconds. We blow air on the child from the front for 10 seconds and from the back for 10 seconds. Every 1-2 days, you can increase the duration of the procedure by 20 seconds, gradually reaching 5 minutes, and reduce the air temperature by 1 °C.
The fourth method is hardening in combination with sunlight
Ultraviolet rays actively affect the immunological stability of the body. But the younger the child, the higher his sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, sunbathing for children under 1 year of age is extremely undesirable if we are talking about indigenous Belarusians in their natural habitat, and Africa has its own song.
We try sunbathing with caution in children 1-3 years of age, and more widely and boldly at older ages.
It is important to understand here that no one is calling for frying a child in the sun; this will be of little benefit. After all, even in diffused sunlight 
a lot of ultraviolet radiation and relatively little infrared rays. It is because of the latter that we overheat almost like in a microwave. And for the synthesis of vitamin D, for the adequate functioning of the immune system, we need ultraviolet radiation. In autumn, winter and spring, even in direct sunlight there is no risk of overheating, so you should not hide from the sun.
In summer you can carry out light-air baths(but not frying in direct sunlight) at an air temperature of 22°C and above for children of the first year of life and 20°C for children 1-3 years old, preferably in calm weather. In our climate, this is best done from 9 to 12 noon, in hotter climates from 8 to 10 am. The duration of such procedures in children of the first year of life is only 3 minutes, in older ones - 5 minutes with a gradual daily increase by a couple of minutes to 40 minutes (almost like a lesson at school). An absolute contraindication to such hardening would be an ambient temperature of more than 30 °C. After sunbathing, you can proceed to water procedures, which will be discussed in the next material.
In the meantime, everyone is out in the air, everyone is in the garden.
Summer is just around the corner.
Is it possible not to catch a cold at all and thus protect yourself from a large number of quite serious diseases? Yes, it's possible. A striking example of this is “walruses” - lovers of winter swimming in icy water. By exposing their body to extremely strong cold irritation, they do not catch colds, do not suffer from sore throats, bronchitis, or even a runny nose! But among them there are quite a lot of elderly and elderly people. They are not afraid of the cold because they have hardened themselves, trained their vascular reactions and have the opportunity to swim outdoors even in winter.
Properly carried out hardening serves not only as a prophylactic against colds, but also normalizes impaired body functions, primarily the activity of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems, as well as the psyche. During hardening procedures, due to the rapid change in vasoconstrictor and vasodilator reactions, blood vessels are trained. As a result, blood circulation of the external integuments of the body and internal organs, especially the heart and kidneys, improves. Hardening procedures help reduce and even completely eliminate irritability, weakness, fatigue, normalize sleep, increase physical and mental performance, and increase emotional tone. The general result of hardening is the strengthening of the body's natural nonspecific resistance, the activation of its protective and adaptive reactions, due to which a person becomes immune to many diseases, including infectious ones.
The main condition for successful hardening of the body is the systematic implementation of appropriate air and water procedures. The best time for hardening procedures is the morning hours immediately after sleep. For those starting to harden, the most suitable time of year is the end of spring, the beginning of summer (May, June). Depending on the time of year and state of health, different hardening techniques should be used.
Air and sunbathing
Air baths
The effect of air baths on a person’s skin mobilizes his protective and adaptive reactions, strengthens the body’s resistance to colds and infectious diseases. Air baths train the thermoregulation apparatus, enhance the body's excretory functions, improve the condition of the skin, and have a calming effect on the nervous system.
The effect of air baths on the body can be compared with the effect of water procedures: the greater the difference between the temperature of the body and the air or water, the greater the effect of both.
When taking air baths outdoors, it is necessary to take into account the influence of wind, which enhances their effect. By creating a temperature change with the constant movement of its particles, the air excites skin receptors on exposed parts of the body; the wind seems to massage the skin, causing vibrations in the lumens of its blood vessels. Air movement reflexively enhances heat generation processes and increases heat transfer.
Air baths are taken in shaded areas. In the fresh air, it is recommended to start them when there is no wind, and later, as you get used to the action of cool air, they can be done in a light wind. For a practical assessment of wind strength, the following characteristics are used: calm (calm) - leaves on the trees do not sway, smoke rises vertically or almost vertically; light blow - slight movement of leaves, smoke deviates from the vertical; light wind - only the leaves on the trees sway; fresh wind - small branches on the trees sway; strong wind - large tree branches sway, dust rises.
It is best to start hardening with air baths in the summer at an air temperature of 20-22°C, then, as the air temperature decreases, gradually accustom your body to the cooler regime of air baths. It is recommended to take the first air baths in the room, since even in warm summer weather any slight air movement significantly enhances the effect of the air bath, which is undesirable for the first procedures. After 2-3 days, an air bath can be done outdoors.
The first baths last no more than 5 minutes, then the duration of the procedure increases daily by 5 minutes and reaches 40-60 minutes. In summer, air baths can be taken 1-2 times a day (morning and evening until 18:00).
If hardening with air baths begins in winter, then the room in which this procedure will be carried out is first thoroughly ventilated and the temperature in it is brought to 20 ° C, then an air bath is also taken for 5 minutes. As you get used to the initial air temperature, you begin to gradually reduce the temperature in the room to 8-10 ° C, and the duration of the bath is also gradually increased to 30-40 minutes.
During an air bath (winter and summer), it is very useful to do gymnastics, and after it do water procedures.
Air baths are not recommended in case of exhaustion or severe weakness, during acute infectious and colds, with decompensated heart defects, exacerbation of coronary heart disease, in the acute period of polyarthritis, radiculitis.
Sunbathing
The rays of the sun, affecting the human body, cause various changes in it. Thus, infrared, red and orange rays of the solar spectrum have a predominantly thermal effect, yellow and green rays act mainly on visual analyzers; blue, violet and ultraviolet rays have a greater effect on biochemical processes in the body. The ultraviolet part of the solar spectrum, in addition, has a significant bactericidal effect both directly on microbial cells located on the surface of the skin, and indirectly through the activation of the protective properties of the blood.
The energy of sunlight absorbed by tissues causes complex biochemical transformations not only in the cellular elements of the skin, but also in the nerve endings. Irritations of skin receptors are summarized in the subcortical formations of the brain, where they are switched to nerve pathways leading to internal organs. Ultimately, changes occur in the functional state of the most important physiological systems, the tone of the body increases, and, consequently, its performance, sleep and mood improve.
Proper sunbathing causes slight redness of the skin and a slight feeling of warmth. Redness goes away quickly after the procedure is completed. During a sunbath, the skin temperature rises by 4-8°C in 15-20 minutes, and 10 minutes after the end of irradiation it decreases to the initial level. In tissues lying at a depth of 2-3 cm, the temperature sometimes reaches 40°C, but after the procedure it normalizes within 40-50 minutes.
With a moderate dosage, sunbathing does not have a lasting effect on body temperature, its fluctuations do not exceed a few fractions of a degree. In children, an increase in temperature of 1°C and a subsequent decrease to normal within an hour is considered a normal reaction.
If exposed to sunlight for too long, various painful symptoms may appear due to overheating of the body. For example, severe dilatation of skin vessels, a drop in blood pressure, prolonged nervous agitation, and insomnia occur. Excessive use of sunlight leads to burns.
For proper air and sunbathing, it is of great importance to take into account individual meteorological factors: temperature, humidity and air movement. It is also necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of a person - sensitivity to solar radiation, the speed of occurrence of the skin reaction, its duration and intensity, as well as the general state of health. Sunbathing is best done in the morning between 8 and 12 o'clock, since in the morning hours ultraviolet and infrared radiation is less intense. The duration of the sun-air bath in the first days should not exceed 10-15 minutes, then its duration increases daily by 5 minutes. After tanning, sunbathing can be taken for 1 hour every day. If after a bath the pulse quickens or becomes irregular, then this procedure should be temporarily stopped.
10-15 minutes after sunbathing, it is useful to pour water over the entire body at a temperature of 20-25°C or take a swim.
A sign of proper use of sunbathing is good health: performance increases, appetite improves, sleep becomes sound. Sunbathing should be avoided in case of acute infectious diseases, decompensated heart defects, hypertension, bleeding tendency, frequent headaches, epilepsy, and excessive skin sensitivity to sunlight.
Tempering water procedures
General cool and cold water procedures cause significant heat loss by the body and the greater the colder the water and the longer the procedure, with the greatest heat loss occurring in the first minutes; later this process slows down. The repeated action of cold water creates conditions for the development of reactions that reduce heat transfer and increase heat production, i.e. helps improve metabolism and, consequently, increased formation of internal heat in the body.
Cool and cold hardening procedures can only be continued if the person does not experience a feeling of chills and if his skin is warm, especially on the extremities. The initial water temperature during these procedures should be indifferent (34-35°C) or pleasantly cool (30-33°C), allowing it to be tolerated completely calmly, without irritation. The use of hardening procedures eliminates sudden irritation with low temperature water. Only after a sufficiently long use of indifferent or cool water procedures (at least 1-2 weeks) is the water temperature gradually reduced to 14-12 ° C and lower, depending on the individual characteristics of the person.
Rubbing usually begins with the upper part of the body, and in the first days only the arms are wiped from the hands to the shoulder with a towel or sponge soaked in water at room temperature. They are performed with uniform, fairly fast movements. Then rub both hands with a dry terry towel until the skin turns slightly red.
After 3-5 days, they begin to wipe the upper body: quickly wipe their hands with a wet, slightly wrung out towel, mitten or sponge, then the chest and back, after which they rub with a dry towel, trying to cause redness of the skin.
After 2 weeks, wipe the entire body, starting with the arms, then the chest and stomach, and finally the back and legs. This entire procedure is carried out for no more than 2-3 minutes, it ends with vigorous rubbing of the entire body with a dry terry towel until a feeling of pleasant warmth appears.
For elderly and elderly people, as well as those with increased sensitivity to cold, wiping the body should be done only in parts: after wetting one hand, rub it with a dry towel, then wet the other hand and immediately dry it with a towel; in the same way, alternately wet and immediately rub the chest, stomach, back and each leg separately with a dry terry towel.
After 7-10 days of completely wiping the body, you need to start lowering the water temperature by 1°C every 3-5 days and thus gradually (over 30-40 days) bring the water temperature to 12-14°C. Continue to do a full rubdown with cold water every day for 2 months, after which you can move on to more powerful procedures (douches and baths).
Rubbing is done in the morning immediately after waking up or after morning exercises, since, in addition to the hardening effect, it has a tonic effect, gives vigor, relieves relaxation, sometimes observed after sleep.
With a slight modification, rubbing can be done in the evening before bedtime to calm nervous excitement, improve sleep and for sleep disturbances (insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, shallow shallow sleep, waking up too early). In this case, the water should not be cold, and after drying the skin, do not dry it with a towel, but put dry underwear on the damp body and immediately go to bed, tucking the blanket tightly on all sides.
The difference in the effect of morning and evening wiping is explained by the different influence of the final stage of the procedure. In the first case, intensive rubbing of the body with a dry towel until the skin appears reddens, simultaneously with blood flow, irritation of skin receptors, increasing overall motor activity and causing a feeling of freshness and vigor; in another case, gradual drying of the skin (under a blanket) does not cause irritation of skin receptors, but, on the contrary, promotes muscle relaxation, relieves tension and creates conditions for the development of sleep inhibition.
Pouring
After 1-2 months of daily rubdowns, you can use an even more effective procedure - dousing, first only the hands, then the arms and legs, and finally, dousing the whole body.
The procedure is performed as follows: during the first week, the shoulders, forearms and hands are doused with water at a temperature of 20°C. After dousing, rub the skin of the hands with a terry towel and perform self-massage of the muscles. During the second week, pouring the hands with water is added to the feet with water of the same temperature, followed by rubbing with a dry towel and self-massage of the muscles of the hands and feet. After 2 weeks, they begin dousing the entire body in the following sequence: arms, legs, then a stream of water is directed to the lower part of the body from behind and in front, after which the upper part of the body is doused - the chest and back. Immediately after dousing, the body is rubbed with a terry towel and self-massage is performed on the muscles of the arms, legs, back and abdomen. About a week after the start of full dousing, the water temperature begins to be gradually reduced (by 1°C every 3 procedures) and brought to 12-14°C. Further reduction in water temperature is not recommended.
One of the initial hardening procedures is dousing the feet. The procedure is done as follows; stand in a bathtub or basin, pour cool water (17-18°C) over your legs, starting from the knees, for about 5 s. Every 3 days, reduce the water temperature by 1°C, the minimum temperature should not be lower than 12-14°C. Immediately after dousing, rub your feet vigorously with a dry terry towel until the skin turns pink, starting from the toes towards the knee joint, which is dried last.
Cool foot bath: pour water at a temperature of 18-20 ° C into a tank or large bucket, sit on a chair, lower both feet into the water up to your knees. The duration of the first three foot baths should not exceed 1 minute, then it is increased to 2 minutes, and after the 6th procedure - to 3 minutes. In the future, without increasing the duration of the bath any more, reduce the water temperature by 1°C every 2-3 procedures and bring it to 14°C
After the bath, rub your feet with a dry terry towel and self-massage the calf muscles.
Cool foot baths are a good hardening agent, in addition, they can be used to prevent dilation of the veins of the lower extremities.
In summer, hardening can begin by walking barefoot on grass that is wet after rain or dew, on wet stones, and wet sand. In winter, you can walk barefoot on the floor of the room. In the first days, the procedure time is limited to 3-5 minutes, then gradually increases by 1-2 minutes and reaches 15-20 minutes. After each procedure, the feet are doused with water at room temperature (18-22°C), thoroughly dried with a dry terry towel and stockings or socks are put on.
After 2-3 weeks, the effect of the procedure can be enhanced by using “walking on water”. This is done as follows: pour water at a temperature of 18-20°C into a basin, immerse your feet up to the ankles and take a “step in place.” The duration of the procedure in the first days is 30 s. Gradually, the procedure time increases first to 1-1.5 minutes, then to 2-3 minutes. The water temperature is also gradually reduced every 3 days by 1°C and brought to 12-14°C. The effect of this procedure becomes more effective as the water temperature decreases, as well as when the water level rises (maximum up to the knees, in this case the procedure is done in the bath).
After walking on water, you need to pour water on your feet at room temperature and vigorously rub them, especially your feet, until a feeling of warmth and intense redness of the skin appears.
All of the above procedures for the legs are not only very effective for the prevention of colds (acute catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, runny nose, tracheitis, bronchitis, influenza, sore throat), but also, thanks to the training of the blood vessels of the legs, they prevent or slow down the development of senile changes in the osteoarticular apparatus of the lower extremities .
One of the effective types of hardening is air baths. Proper use of this type of hardening prevents the formation of colds and helps strengthen the immune system. The advantage of this type of hardening is that it is always available at any time of the year. The success of hardening with air baths depends on the temperature and humidity of the air.
Like any process related to health, it is necessary to use the basic hygienic principles of hardening: systematicity, gradualism, a variety of means, methods of influence, introspection.
The first air bath procedure should not last more than 10-15 minutes at a temperature of 20-22°C. Then the duration of the sessions increases daily and, depending on the characteristics of the body being hardened, reaches 2 or more hours. At the same time, the temperature of the air bath gradually decreases, and its temperature can reach 7°C.
The time for taking air baths is from 8 to 18 hours. The best time is the morning hours. When taking cool baths (14-20°C), you should not bring yourself to the point of chills. If you sweat profusely during warm baths (22-30°C), they should be stopped. Taking air baths should be accompanied by movements: running, gymnastics, flexion and extension of the body, etc. The place must be chosen calm and without direct sunlight.
To get a quick and energetic reaction from the body, you need to undress immediately. If the air corresponds to the temperature of cool (14-20°C) or cold (6-14°C) baths, then vigorous movements must be performed immediately. Children with poor health are not recommended to take air baths at temperatures below 15°C.
In winter, air baths should be taken in the room. The room is first well ventilated, the room air temperature is measured, which should be at least 15-16°C. Having undressed, you should remain in this state for 10-15 minutes. If you feel well, you can daily, without causing yourself to feel chills, increase the duration of the baths by 20-25 minutes, lowering the air temperature in the room to 8°C.
The use of air baths requires compliance with certain rules:
1. Baths are taken no later than 1 hour before and no earlier than 1.5 hours after meals; You should not take them on an empty stomach.
2. Air baths can be taken at almost any time; The optimal time is from 8 to 18 hours.
4. The place for taking air baths should be protected from strong winds and sunlight.
6. During air baths, you need to monitor your well-being (signals of their adverse effects on the body are: with warm air baths - sharp redness of the skin and profuse sweating, with cold and cool ones - “goose bumps” and chills. In these cases, the air bath is stopped) .
The material was prepared by E.E. Zakharov, methodologist of the State Medical Center for Dog and Medical Medicine
Air baths are a type of aerotherapy (air treatment), which consists of dosed exposure to air on a naked body, protected from direct solar radiation.
The life of the human body can be thought of as metabolism, and metabolism is possible only in the presence of oxygen. The healing power of fresh air lies in its richness in oxygen, light ions, phytoncides and other substances beneficial to the body. In addition, one of the main factors affecting humans is air temperature. The air layer between the body and clothing usually has a constant temperature of about 27-28°C and, as soon as the human body is freed from clothing, heat transfer immediately becomes more intense, and the skin begins to breathe fully.
Expose your body to air baths whenever possible. This is a very simple and affordable way to expose your skin to the beneficial effects of oxygen.
At the same time, metabolism improves, as well as the tone of the muscular and nervous systems, the body's thermoregulation systems are trained, the emotional background calms and normalizes, increased excitability decreases, appetite and sleep improve, mood rises and vigor is added. Blood pressure normalizes, blood flow accelerates, heart function and respiratory system activity improves. The protective capabilities increase and the body hardens, reducing the risk of diseases. The tone, color and structure of the skin improve. Besides everything else, breathing in clean fresh air is in itself an incomparable joy and pleasure.
Unfortunately, the specificity of the modern lifestyle is such that most of us spend a huge amount of time in artificially created atmospheres, exposed to the influence of both heating devices with their drying effect and air conditioners. To top it all off, constantly wearing clothes does not allow the body to breathe fully, depriving the skin of the necessary amount of oxygen from the outside. Therefore, whenever possible, try to get rid of clothes and take an air bath. After all, staying outdoors has virtually no contraindications.
It is best to take air baths outdoors and you need to start in the warm season, in summer. During the cold season, start taking air baths at home in a pre-ventilated area. As you harden, this procedure can be transferred outside.
The optimal time for taking air baths is in the morning before or after a light breakfast or in the evening before dinner. If you want to take an air bath during the day, then you need to do it an hour or two after lunch.
Take off everything you can, leave only a minimum of clothing - a swimsuit, a top with shorts. This will be a partial air bath. It will give a partial effect. It is much better, if the situation allows, to remain completely naked. You should undress quickly so that the air bath immediately affects the entire surface of the naked body and causes a quick energetic reaction from the body.
Now sit down (preferably in a sun lounger in the shade of trees or under an awning) and just relax or read. If you don’t have time, then combine taking an air bath with doing the necessary household chores.
An air bath should be enjoyable. The main thing here is not time, but well-being. Its duration depends on the air temperature and the state of human health. For a healthy person, the optimal air temperature is 15-20 degrees. Weak people should start with three minutes. For hardening, it is enough to increase the duration of the bath by 5-10 minutes from time to time. The average duration of an air bath at a comfortable air temperature is half an hour. Take air baths as often as possible during the day. Experts believe that a person should remain naked for at least 2 hours a day.
Regular air baths in the fresh air improve the tone, color and structure of the skin. Whenever possible, try to take off your clothes and allow fresh air to flow over your body.
You should not allow a feeling of chilliness or the appearance of “goose bumps”. If you feel yourself getting cold, immediately get dressed and do some exercise. In order not to be afraid of freezing, it is good to combine air baths with walking, running, gymnastic exercises, and sports games. In this case, the air bath will be accompanied by muscular work and deep breathing.
Of course, the best air baths are where there are no industrial enterprises near the sea forest or in the mountains. The ionized air of green areas is enriched with phytoncides - volatile ethereal compounds produced by plants. In addition to the beneficial effect on the pulmonary system, phytoncides heal the heart and blood vessels, improve metabolism and tissue respiration, and have antimicrobial properties. Sea air, completely free of dust and saturated with negative ions, salts and ozone, enhances the absorption of ozone by the body, increases hemoglobin levels and the number of red blood cells, stimulates mental and physical performance, improves sleep and appetite, and activates the immune system.
Of course, air procedures are not limited to staying outdoors during the warm season. There are many hardening procedures that accustom a person to cold air. Don't wear clothes that are too warm and expose your skin often. Sleep with the window open.
At home, try to wear clothes made from natural fibers. Fabrics made from natural fibers keep us warm in the winter and, conversely, cool the body in the hot summer, while synthetics are in disharmony with the ambient temperature and have the opposite effect.
If the weather is good, it is necessary to keep the windows open around the clock. In rainy or cold weather, ventilate the room at least three times a day. If you have the opportunity to rest, sleep, eat outside, try to do so.
Air hardening - taking air baths - is the most “gentle” and safest hardening procedure. It is recommended to begin systematic hardening with air baths.
The hardening effect of air depends mainly on its temperature. However, humidity and air speed must also be taken into account. Air baths, according to the heat sensation they cause, are divided into lukewarm (air temperature +30...+20°C), cool (+20...+14°C) and cold (+14°C and below). This division is conditional and is designed for an ordinary person starting hardening. Naturally, in hardened people, the feeling of cold occurs at a lower temperature.
It is recommended to start taking air baths in a pre-ventilated room. Then, as the hardening progresses, procedures should be carried out outdoors. The best place for hardening is shaded areas with green spaces, away from sources of possible atmospheric pollution with dust and harmful gases. Baths can be taken lying down, reclining or moving. Exercise is essential during cool and cold baths. In damp and windy weather, the duration of the bath is reduced. It is not recommended to carry out procedures during rain, fog and strong wind.
The dosage of air baths is carried out in two ways: by gradually reducing the air temperature or increasing the duration of the procedure at the same temperature. The latter method is more convenient, since the air temperature largely depends on the weather.
The first air baths for healthy people should last 20-30 minutes at an air temperature of +15...+20°C. Subsequently, the duration of the procedures increases daily by 10 minutes and is thus brought to 2 hours.
The next stage is air baths at a temperature of +10...+15°C for up to 15-20 minutes. At this time, it is imperative to perform vigorous movements. Only well-seasoned people can take cold baths and only after a medical examination. The duration of such baths should not exceed 5-10 minutes. Cold baths should be completed with body rubbing and a warm shower.
When hardening with air, you need to make sure that chills do not appear. At the first signs of severe cooling, you need to jog and do some gymnastic exercises.
Water hardening
Water procedures are a more intense hardening procedure, since water has a thermal conductivity 28 times greater than air. The main hardening factor is water temperature. The systematic use of water procedures is a reliable preventive measure against the harmful effects of random various cooling of the body.
During the procedures, a person should not experience discomfort or chills. You must always remember that the main hardening factor is the temperature of the water, and not the duration of the water procedure. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the following rule: the colder the water, the shorter the time of its contact with the body should be.
Rubbing is the initial stage of hardening with water. For several days, wipe with a towel, sponge, or just a hand moistened with water. At first, this procedure is done only up to the waist, and then they move on to wiping the entire body. Rubbing is carried out sequentially, starting from the upper half of the body: having wiped the neck, chest, arms and back with water, wipe them dry and rub them with a towel until red as the blood moves towards the heart. After this, the lower limbs are also wiped. The entire procedure, including rubbing the body, should not exceed 5 minutes.
Pouring is the next stage of hardening with water. In this procedure, a small pressure stream of water is added to the effect of low water temperature on the body. When dousing, water pours out of a vessel or hose. For the first douches, water with a temperature of about +30° is used, later the temperature drops to +15°C and lower. After dousing, the body is vigorously rubbed with a towel. The duration of the entire procedure is 3-4 minutes.
A shower is an even more effective water procedure. At the beginning of hardening, the water in the shower should be +30...+35°C, and the duration of the procedure should be no more than one minute. Then the water temperature gradually decreases, and the shower time increases to 2 minutes. The procedure must end with vigorous rubbing of the body with a towel.
Swimming in open water is one of the most effective ways of hardening. When bathing, air, water and water have a complex effect on the body.
For hardening, along with general ones, it is recommended to use local water procedures. The most common of them is washing the feet and gargling with cold water. These procedures play an important role in increasing the body’s resistance to colds, because at the same time the parts of the body that are most vulnerable to cooling are hardened.
Washing the feet is carried out throughout the year every day before going to bed. Washing begins at a water temperature of +26...+28°C, and then brought to a temperature of +12...+15°C. After washing, the feet are thoroughly rubbed until reddened.
Gargling should be done every day, morning and evening. The initial water temperature should be +23...+25°C, gradually after a week it decreases by 1-2°and is brought to +5...+10°C.