Taking a dip in cold water from time to time may not be something that tops your list of things to do, but it certainly delivers.
“Having a 30- to 60-second dip in water that, in the winter months, averages 4°C causes what is known as a ‘hormone storm’, in which many of the so-called ‘happy hormones’ are activated,” says Hannu Rintamäki a research professor at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The hormones Rintamäki is referring to include endorphins (the body’s natural pain reliever), serotonin (which regulates your mood) and oxytocin (the love hormone).
Other benefits include:
- It helps reduce stress
- It helps improve levels of tolerance for cold in general (due to frequent exposure to cold water)
- It helps to improve the immune system
- It helps to relieve pain
- It’s a natural boost against fatigue
*In issue 25 of Flow Magazine, you’ll find a story about wild swimming in England.
Translation Julia Gorodecky Photography Atte Grönlund/Unsplash.com
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