"I struggle with anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. And I've yet to find anything as effective as the cold water for managing any of those conditions,” says Megan Potts.

Note: Do not attempt open water swimming or any other potentially dangerous activity without first consulting with your doctor or healthcare team. Never go open water swimming alone or without safety equipment. We hope you enjoy this video. 

We've all heard about the benefits of open water or cold water swimming, especially when it comes to mental health. But doesn't the idea sound pretty… unpleasant? How will flailing around in ice-cold water help anyone who's been feeling low? 

As usual, science has the answer. Professor Mike Tipton (University of Plymouth) explains that the benefits of cold water swimming come in two halves. First, there's the initial shock. Then, over time, there's adapting to the plunging temperatures. 

Our bodies will opt for fight-or-flight rather than freeze (literally)

When we start open water swimming, most of us won't be used to such hostile conditions. So, when we jump in, and the cold envelops us, we'll start to hyperventilate. 

Firstly, the stress hormone adrenaline will flood through our bodies. Likewise, our blood pressure will skyrocket, and our glucagon receptors will release glucose into our bloodstreams. 

Essentially, our bodies are preparing us for a fight-or-flight response. Meanwhile, our adrenal glands go into overdrive. Alongside adrenaline, they produce cortisol, another stress hormone. 

Cortisol works in tandem with adrenaline, enhancing the brain's use of available glucose and increasing the substances that can repair tissues. Our brains then weigh in and respond to the shock by releasing beta-endorphins. These feel-good hormones help relieve pain and provide a sense of euphoria. 

Exercise-related euphoria – a strong sense of well-being and happiness - lasts about an hour after exercise. Then, it can taper off to a mellow, feel-good mood that hangs around for the rest of the day. 

What about the lasting benefits of cold water swimming?

Repeated exposure to anything good (or bad) for us means getting used to the effects. In the case of cold water swimming, research suggests you only need to be exposed to cold water 5 or 6 times before your fight-or-flight response is slashed by half.

However, the lessening sense of euphoria isn't a reason to give up open water swimming.

As we learn to control our stress responses to cold water, we may also cross-adapt that learning to stress from other triggers. 

In other words, while we're training ourselves to tolerate cold water, we're simultaneously training ourselves to be less reactive to stressful situations like unsaved documents, lost keys, and arguments. 

And, when it comes to chronic pain, open water swimming can help us there, too. When tissues in our bodies are damaged due to bacteria, toxins, or trauma, the impaired cells trigger a protective response called inflammation. Chemicals like histamine, bradykinin, and prostaglandins are released into the injured tissue, causing swelling.

Though nasty to look at and sore to touch, swelling helps isolate the toxin or bacteria from spreading into other body tissues.

While inflammation is incredibly beneficial now and then, an excessive amount can cause issues such as chronic pain. This is when the response starts "protecting" us against healthy tissue.

However, exposure to cold water naturally makes our blood vessels constrict. This makes it harder for our blood to flow through us, reducing its access to over-inflamed areas.

Inflammation has links to our stress response system. So, as we learn to adapt how we react to stress, our bodies will send out fewer signals that encourage tissue inflammation. It's a win-win!

Ask a Contributor: Megan Potts

In today's video, Megan Potts shares the benefits of open water swimming, its effects on her health and mood, and what you'll need to get started. Perhaps you'll be tempted to take a dip later on! 

The information presented is solely for educational purposes, not as specific advice for the evaluation, management, or treatment of any condition.

The individual(s) who have written and created the content and whose images appear in this article have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions. This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence, or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen.

NPS-ALL-NP-00557 APRIL 2022