How to acclimate to cold water swimming

Many swimmers and athletes accustom themselves to swimming in cold water. This not only increases immunity and helps to lose weight but also strengthens the whole body, making you more resistant to various temperature regimes. Now winter swimming in cold water is gaining more and more popularity because people are trying to strengthen their health and find something extreme, add new sensations and emotions to their favorite sport, but it's not so easy to start, because swimming in cold water at first does not cause the most pleasant sensations. The body must get used to such a temperature difference. And will it get used to it at all? Yes, it is possible, and in this article, we will tell you how to acclimate to cold water for swimming in it.

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Note! This article is intended to be of general informational use only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice from a doctor.

How to get used to cold water?

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The first and easiest step for those who are getting used to cold water will be a gradual adaptation. To do this, it is unnecessary to be in a water reservoir, you can organize this procedure at home, in the bathroom. So, warm up the bathroom or shower cabin well, then turn on the warm water and stand under the stream. Then wet your palms and feet, because most of the receptors that recognize temperature - heat or cold - are concentrated on them. After a couple of minutes, lower the water temperature while continuing to stand under the flow. When you get used to the new temperature regime, lower it even more. Just do not turn on cold water right away, otherwise, it will be a shock to the body and you will not be able to relax and get used to cold water and the purpose of this procedure will lose its meaning. After you have lowered the water temperature three times, you can finish the procedure, but if you feel convenient, you can make the water even colder and continue the adaptation process. The secret is that such a shower should be taken daily, slightly lowering the initial temperature each time. So your organism will learn thermoregulation and the body's response to cold water will not be so unpleasant.

The second step involves bathing in cold water, but first, you need to prepare for what will follow the body's reaction to cold water shock. To reduce this shock from swimming in cold water, first wet your face, ears, palms, and feet, as we already know, it is in these parts of the body that thermoregulation receptors are located. This will give advantages to the body to get used to a little if you are not ready to immediately dive into cold water. Next, immerse yourself in the water completely. If some part of the body remains on the surface, it will experience the most discomfort. At first, you will feel like thousands of needles digging into the body at the same time, immediately begin the intensive movement with all limbs to disperse the blood and get even more used to the new temperature regime. It is simply necessary to move because the reduction of the muscle helps the normal thermoregulation of the body. You must show courage and perseverance. There will be a wild desire to immediately get out of the cold water and wrap yourself in something warm, but you have to overcome this. This is the physiology of cold water swimming, but there is also a psychological factor in physiology. You have to adjust yourself in the right way to the right mood, and you also have to learn to recognize body signals. For example, by answering the question why do we get used to cold water. The fact is that the normal body temperature is from 36.6 to 37 degrees, and our body has three main receptors - pain, cold, and heat. Heat receptors perceive temperatures from 30 to 45 degrees, and the temperature above is perceived by pain receptors. Cold receptors begin to get involved in work at temperatures below 25 degrees. It has been scientifically proven that cold is felt 4 times stronger than heat, and the receptors themselves are located on the ears, face, palms, and feet. They stop working at temperatures below 5 degrees, so in a cold atmosphere, we begin to feel numb. The moment when you are in cold water, your vessels narrow in order to keep warm and adjust thermoregulation. So gradually, the body gets used to swimming in cold water.

But all cold water swimmers should be attentive to their health and be sure to know the following information:

There are 3 potential threats associated with swimming in cold water.

The first of them can be called cold shock response. This is manifested by an increased heartbeat and shortness of breath and lasts for about the first minute and a half after you are in cold water.

The second undesirable physiological reaction is hypothermia of muscle and nerve tissues located close to the skin's surface. Numbness of the limbs occurs, which prevents normal movement and swimming.

The third reaction is general hypothermia which is life-threatening when the body temperature drops below 35 degrees. This can happen if a person is in cold water for more than 20 minutes.

All these reactions differ in the level of acclimatization with frequent immersion in cold water. If you do six sets of 3 minutes of immersion in cold water, then you can reduce all reactions, which is called the process of adaptation.

Please be attentive to your health, if you have problems with your heart, thermoregulation, and blood circulation before you start swimming in cold water, consult a doctor for advice. In general, any person who plans to engage in this thermo-extreme type of swimming should first consult a doctor and undergo the necessary examinations so as not to harm their health.

Remember, prolonged stay in cold water below 16 degrees can lead to undesirable consequences for your health and body. Remember that you should not stay in the water longer than the prescribed time.

It is important to be able to recognize hypothermia in time. It is necessary to carefully evaluate and understand your capabilities and not bring you to life-threatening hypothermia.

So does your body get used to the cold? Yes, it does but be careful and remember safety measures when swimming especially in cold water. There are a large number of wetsuits that must be used when swimming in cold water. According to FINA rules, a full wetsuit is required to be used at temperatures below 18 ° C. The neoprene of which the wetsuit consists covers almost all areas of the skin, preventing convection, performing the function of natural insulation, and a small amount of water falling through the neoprene is easily warmed by body heat, helping to create a comfortable temperature.

Swim properly and be healthy!

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