Winter swimming

An obvious factor when you throw

yourself into ice-cold water in winter is
a feeling of mastery.
The feeling of mastering something
can in turn help increase your quality
of life. A better quality of life can
certainly help prevent and possibly
treat depression.
The shock experience from the cold
water may also affect hormones that
are important for our mental well-
being.
“The psychological aspect of winter
swimming is definitely interesting,”
says Løchen.
The most important advice from the Tromsø researcher however, is that people with untreated
cardiovascular disease should stay away from winter swimming.
If you have epileptic seizures or a tendency to faint, you shouldn’t attempt polar swims,
either.
Løchen adds that some drugs, like beta-blockers, can make cold water swimming quite
uncomfortable and cause so-called “dead fingers.”
“And never swim alone in ice-cold water,” she warns.

Benefits of winter swimming

• It boosts your immune system.
• It improves your circulation.
• It burns calories.
• It reduces stress.
• It is a great way of socialising and making new friends.

Questions:
Pretend that you practice winter swimming and try to answer the following
questions:
What does it feel like when you swim in cold water?
If water has 0 degrees of Celsius, how long can I stay there?
What is the best way to enter the water - slowly or just jump in?
What is the best way to warm up afterwards?
Do I need booties, gloves and hat?
What are some positives of winter swimming?
Are there some risks connected to winter swimming?
Watch this video and answer the questions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEDmZlVCCzc
What is the girl talking about?