Dr Mark Harper recalls his first cold-water swim in the south of England 20 years ago. It was August, but the initial jolt from the plunge took his breath away.<\/p>\n
The shock to his system lasted a minute or two until he was \u201crecombobulated and able to think about something other than the cold,\u201d Harper says. A surprise sensation soon replaced his discomfort.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember getting out of the water the first time and feeling so good,\u201d Harper, an anaesthesiologist who has since researched the potential risks and rewards of taking a nippy dunk. \u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claims about the benefits of cold-water immersion date back centuries.<\/p>\n
Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States\u2019 Declaration Of Independence and the third American president, wrote toward the end of his life about using a cold foot bath daily for 60 years. He also owned a book published in 1706 on the history of cold-water bathing.<\/p>\n
While evidence is building around the positive health effects of swimming in chilly water, bathing in ice or taking cold showers, scientific confirmation is still lacking.<\/p>\n
But Harper, who became a regular cold-water swimmer after his initiation, said there are strong signs that people can derive mental health benefits from the activity.<\/p>\n
He mentioned a positive effect on depression and general well-being.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor now, we have a very strong base, but not hard evidence, that cold-water immersion is effective for mental health,\u201d Harper said.<\/p>\n
What cold does to the body<\/strong><\/p>\n Harper said his own early experiences with cold-water swimming piqued his professional curiosity. As a physician, he wondered if the brief bodily shock had clinical uses for treating depression.<\/p>\n He cited the biological phenomenon of hormesis, in which a stressor introduced at a low dose creates a positive response.<\/p>\n Muscles and bones put under stress \u2013 for example, with weight-bearing exercise \u2013 also respond and grow.<\/p>\n Harper acknowledged that the positive effects he\u2019s observed may be the result of the placebo effect, a phenomenon in which people who are given a medicine they think will help them report responding to the treatment even if it had no active ingredients.<\/p>\n In the case of cold-water immersion, the benefits may come from meeting people, the exercise itself or simply accepting a challenge and accomplishing it, which improves self-confidence, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, I think it\u2019s all of those things, and the cold has an additive effect,\u201d Harper said. \u201cI think we have a good physiological basis for that. The basic science tells us the cold has a very strong effect on the body.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re talking about is an intervention, when it\u2019s used clinically, that produces beneficial effects on mental health. So in a way it doesn\u2019t matter which aspect is generating the positive effects.\u201d<\/p>\n Harper cited what he said was a common reaction among first-timers who have taken the plunge.<\/p>\n They often say \u201cthe fact that I\u2019ve done this means I can do anything,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s quite a confidence builder and it\u2019s something people stick to because they enjoy it so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Not too cold, not too long<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr Mike Tipton, a physiologist at the University of Portsmouth in England who has studied extreme environments, authored a paper along with Harper and two more researchers several years ago.<\/p>\n The title highlighted the potential advantages and dangers of stimulating the body with a sudden drop in temperature: \u201cCold Water Immersion: Kill or Cure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike other environmental constituents such as pressure, heat and oxygen, cold water can be either good or bad, threat or treatment depending on circumstance,\u201d they wrote after reviewing the research then available on the topic.<\/p>\n One of their findings: The activity presents dangers. Deaths from cold-water immersion are not uncommon. The shock of frigid water can cause people to hyperventilate and drown. But Tipton said the risks can be managed with common sense and precautions.<\/p>\n You do not need to go to extremes to get a potential payoff. Entering water at a temperature of 20\u00b0C-15\u00b0C and staying for only a few minutes is sufficient.<\/p>\n Tipton explained if the water is colder than that, you may get more benefit \u2013 but limit your exposure.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you ask me what protocol you would follow if you thought this was going to be doing you good, I wouldn\u2019t go in water much below 12\u00b0C, and I wouldn\u2019t stay in for much more than two minutes,\u201d Tipton said.<\/p>\n Tipton and Harper both said that any benefits from cold-water immersion come from the body\u2019s cold-shock response: the sudden fall of skin temperature, the release of the stress hormones, the release of endorphins, and the anti-inflammatory effect.<\/p>\n Vigilance is advised<\/strong><\/p>\n Tipton cautioned against long spells in an ice bath.<\/p>\n \u201cSitting in water for as long as I can fills me with horror,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cThis could destroy small nerves, blood vessels in extremities and could result in amputation the same way frostbite can.\u201d<\/p>\n Harper, who has swum as long as four-hour stretches in open water, advised vigilance.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople think it\u2019s got to be super cold, super long and the longer the better,\u201d Harper said, \u201cand that\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Tipton said he\u2019s not trying to be the \u201cfun police\u201d but suggested caution and a medical screening if you take the plunge.<\/p>\n He said humans are considered \u201ctropical animals\u201d who need to adapt to the cold and are better suited to warm conditions.<\/p>\n A human\u2019s resting body temperature is about 36.5\u00b0C to 37.5\u00b0C. Because of that, cold-water immersion is stressful and carries risks for the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Not to mention the risk of drowning.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want to stop people doing it, but we want to make sure they do it in a way that maximises the benefits and minimises the risks,\u201d Tipton said.<\/p>\n He suggested swimming in a life-guarded area, or going with experienced outdoor swimmers.<\/p>\n He also suggested knowing the body of water you\u2019re swimming in. Hazards, among others, include tides, temperature, depth and pollution.<\/p>\n \u201cUnderstand that taking a tropical animal and putting it in cold water is probably the greatest stress that most people will experience in their life,\u201d Tipton said.<\/p>\n He suggested entering the water in a controlled fashion instead of jumping in.<\/p>\n \u201cBe sensible about it,\u201d he said. \u201cIncremental is the key.\u201d \u2013 AP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dr Mark Harper recalls his first cold-water swim in the south of England 20 years ago. 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