We’ve written about the dangers of icy cold water plenty on this blog, but let’s talk about something a bit more controversial today: is cold water immersion good for you?
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence, and even some studies, to suggest it is – but let’s take a closer look.
Potential Health Benefits of Cold Water Immersion
First things first, what is cold water immersion? Basically, this is a common therapeutic technique often used by athletes to help in their recovery. You’ve probably heard of this treatment referred to as ice baths. As the name implies, this is quite different from a regular bath. Instead of soothing warm water, the goal of these ice baths is to improve recovery speed and reduce muscle pain from intense exercise.
According to its advocates, cold water therapy is believed to relieve sore muscles, boost metabolism and even improve sleep. It’s a personal choice whether or not to use this treatment method. Some people simply adore cold water therapy. It’s a rather common form of treatment and widely used by many athletes. That said, there is still much more research required to prove if any of these benefits are genuine. In fact, it’s possible that it can also be quite dangerous.
Cold Water Immersion and Cold Water Shock
Beyond the ice baths of sports medicine, there are plenty of other forms of cold water immersion. These can include ice cold showers, or even winter activities like annual polar bear swimming challenges. This can lead to cold water shock.
Keeping this in mind, let’s explore the dangers of cold water shock. As we’ve written about in the past, this occurs when a person’s body is suddenly submerged in ice cold water.
In a nutshell, when the person is submerged, cold water shock can easily cause a natural reaction: the person loses control of their breathing, forcing a gasp that accidentally causes them to breathe in the icy water. As you can imagine, if this occurs while the swimmer is under water, it presents a very serious drowning hazard.
Heart Hazards
Beyond cold water shock, the icy water from any type of cold water immersion can cause the blood vessels in a person’s body to constrict. This can result in a sudden spike in blood pressure and heart rate. This is obviously quite dangerous for people with a history of heart disease. Put simply, cold water immersion may trigger a heart attack or even a stroke.
Polar Bear Swims
As we wrote about in our blog about polar bear swim safety, health risks such as a heart attack are serious and should not be taken lightly. polar bear swims may be a time honored traditions in certain communities, but they should be treated with respect. Be sure to discuss the possible dangers of cold water immersion with your doctor before taking a plunge – whether in the winter ocean or an ice bath.
As far as polar bear swims go, it also pays to bring along a buddy. If you’re going to be taking a possible risk with cold water immersion, don’t do it alone. Having an observer with you can help to get you out of the water quickly if trouble occurs. A friend or trainer can summon medical assistance, if needed. It never hurts to have someone else to watch your back.
Finally, take extra care to warm up immediately upon leaving the water. Have a warm towel close at hand and wear extra layers to get warm. It’ll help to mitigate risk of hypothermia. The cold can be helpful, but it is also a smart idea to heat up as quickly as possible. Above all, we cannot stress enough how much you should speak to your doctor before engaging in any cold water immersion activities.
