Cold showers/Cold water swimming for health

[GinJeanie]

I listened to Michael Mosley earlier talking about the huge benefits of cold water showers (or swimming). Apparently, it's terribly good for your immune system and mental health. I tried it myself and managed 7 seconds! 😬 You're meant to do 1-2 minutes. Does anyone actually do this and does it work? I'm also interested in hearing if anyone would recommend cold water swimming...

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000v83f

There was an episode of Crowd Science (still on the BBC Sounds app www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3cszv74) about this a couple of weeks ago, it's to do with the vagus (sp?) nerve, which seems to be responsible for all sorts of stuff. The conclusion was you could achieve the same effect (and it was arguably safer) to just splash your face in cold water.

I heard that Crowd Science programme, too.

I thought it came up with different conclusion though, that getting body cold was fine but not face and body. They had the scientist on who worried about ice bucket challenge killing someone...

Anyway, if the benefit is from regularly getting quite 'cold' then frankly I do that often anyway. I'm outdoors for hours every day in winter (which feels freezing) & if I get soaked by rain or manage to under-dress then I get a long shiver session going. I don't want to seek this as a routine experience.

Off to chop wood (in the cold).

If the guy is really a doctor he shouldn't talk about boosting the immune system, as that is impossible.

I want to do this, but don’t live near the coast.

Something about swimming in a river or lake brings out my inner squeamishness. Worms, snails etc. It’s really annoying!

mud, ArseinCoopWindow. Buckets of mud. And big crayfish with big claws.

I swam around a herd of cows doing what cows do in the river last summer.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I want to do this, but don’t live near the coast.

Something about swimming in a river or lake brings out my inner squeamishness. Worms, snails etc. It’s really annoying!

River and lake swimming can be lovely. Parts of the Thames, Farleigh Hungerford swimming club, the lakes are all incredible experiences. You need to be aware what you are swimming in and any risks such as underwater rocks or sewage but rarely is wildlife an issue in flowing water.

Ds2 does river swimming - even on the coldest days when there's snow on the ground. I think he must have one of those robe things mentioned upthread - he's certainly got the most strange looking garment I've ever seen!

I don't know if it does his physical health any good. I'd say, judging by general demeanour, it's not enormously helpful for his mental health ...

@Prokupatuscrakedatus

Lovely to see Kneipp getting a mention.

I did a cross Channel relay swim in 2017 so was swimming in Dover Harbour every weekend for 2 years beforehand to acclimatise. There is definitely a euphoria feeling afterwards. But agree with everyone else that it needs to be done safely i.e. someone on the shore watching, get out at the first signs of hypothermia, get dressed as soon as you get out. We’d be sat in sleeping bags to warm up afterwards even in the middle of summer, but then we’d be in for up to 2 hours at a time. It just made me feel very alive.

Wim Hof is an interesting man to listen to on this - he has done podcasts I've listened to with Fearne Cotton & Dr Chattergee about using cold showers to reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing.

Not tried it yet but definitely an interesting concept.

www.wimhofmethod.com/cold-therapy

Have to agree about sea water being better than swimming pool water with chlorine, though only swam in the sea in warm weather.