Written by Marissa Hoen | February 3 2021
Growing up in Hawaii, you can probably guess that I spent a fair amount of time in the ocean. As its temperature only ranges from about 21-28℃ (71-83 ℉) year round1, this part of the Pacific Ocean is so inviting that you may find yourself floating for hours. Here in Victoria, it’s a different story. The waters surrounding our southern coast range from about 6-12℃ (43-54℉)- cold no matter the time of year! This water is actively avoided by the majority of us, (and should be avoided for anyone with heart conditions), so why are we seeing so many people taking the cold plunge? Why did I just take the plunge?
Why cold water immersion?
After seeing a group of toqued heads floating at Willows Beach about a month ago, I wanted to dive deeper into why they would plunge, and if it was actually a safe activity at these bitter cold temperatures. In her blog post on this topic, Athena McKenzie talks with a few regular Victoria cold-dippers- check out the link in the references to uncover the ‘why’ behind their daily plunges2. Whether it be pain relief, social times, self-care or meditation, there are many reasons why people in our community choose to take the dip. Besides the fact that I just really missed being in the ocean, I chose to try out this cold experiment to show myself that I can endure the uncomfortable and take control of my response to stress.
What are the risks? Can I jump in the ocean tomorrow?
As I had never really experienced cold water before, I was worried that my body may react poorly to this exposure. In order to know if the benefits were worth the risks, I needed to know what those risks really were, and how to minimize the risks as much as possible. So first things first: what does the research say?
Risks3:
Cardiac Arrest
Upon initial whole body immersion, if the swimmer dunks their head in or a wave splashes their face, a dangerous activation of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system can occur, causing heart arrhythmias which can lead to fainting or sudden death. Factors that may lead to this reaction to cold immersion include: holding your breath upon initial immersion, long QT syndrome, heart disease, and myocardial hypertrophy. Reducing this risk means getting your heart checked out, slowly entering cold water, exhaling slowly as you enter, beginning with a temperature you can handle, and have someone with you in case of emergency.
Drowning
Upon initial immersion (first 3 mins), ‘cold shock’ may occur. This is the body's response to water temperatures beginning at 25℃ and peaking at 10-15℃, in which a gasping or uncontrolled hyperventilation occurs. This is a very dangerous response in water and leads to immersion deaths due to drowning. I noticed this response when I began cold showering- the minute my belly touched the cold water, hyperventilation occurred and I was able to control it by taking steady slightly prolonged breaths. This told me that the temperature of my cold shower was more than enough to cause a physiological response, and I did not need to go into the ocean at that point!
From 3 minutes on*, the skin is cooled and the muscular and nervous systems are beginning to directly cool. At low temperatures a nerve block may occur, leading to drowning due to the inability to use your muscles and get out of the water.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia arises at about 30 minutes of cold water immersion, and is characterized by confusion, shivering, disorientation, loss of consciousness, cardiac arrhythmias, and death.
*Water temperature, prior immersion experience, and amount of body fat alter the reactions your body will undergo and should all be taken into consideration when aiming for a duration of time of cold immersion. If you have pre-existing health conditions, talk to your doctor before attempting cold immersion.
With the risks in mind… What are the benefits?3
Decrease pain sensation
Decrease swelling and inflammation at joints
Better Mood (due to increased dopamine, serotonin, and endorphin release!)
Improve insulin sensitivity (when done repeatedly, a.k.a. Cold-water habituation)
Cold-water habituation may increase cell’s protective mechanisms, so they are better able to handle cold AND other types of stress such as exercise and heat
Anecdotal evidence that repeated bouts can help reduce chronic inflammation
May improve immune function
Can I still get benefits by taking a cold shower instead?
YES! Some studies have shown great parasympathetic stimulation from cold water immersion of just the face! Splashing the face is a safe and effective way to stimulate your vagus nerve, which has shown to have anti-inflammatory effects3.
The first tip in Joe DiStefano’s article about cold water immersion is “You can always make it colder”4. He also suggested 30 days of cold showering/bathing at home before trying a cold dip. Over the month of January, I did exactly that! By training this way, I was able to experience the physiological changes that occur when our bodies are exposed to cold water, and was able to control the temperature progression for safety. Those cold showers left me feeling a sense of clarity and happiness in the morning that followed me through the day.
References
National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). (n.d.). Retrieved February 01, 2021, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/data/coastal-water-temperature-guide/hawaii.html
McKenzie, A. (2020, November 12). One With the Water: Cold Water Therapy. Retrieved February 01, 2021, from https://www.yammagazine.com/one-with-water-cold-water-therapy/
Tipton, M. J., Collier, N., Massey, H., Corbett, J., & Harper, M. (2017). Cold water immersion: Kill or cure? Experimental Physiology, 102(11), 1335-1355. doi:10.1113/EP086283
DiStefano, J. (2020, October 17). The 8-Step Beginner's Guide to Cold Immersion. Retrieved February 01, 2021, from https://www.coachjoedi.com/articles/cold
Photo credit: Marissa Hoen