You might have seen Claire and I post about our weekend swims in Hampstead Ponds.
We started in the summer, and have continued into autumn. The ponds shut on the 30th of October, and we’ll keep going until then.
However we started this practice of cold water immersion almost two years ago, because there are so many health benefits.
Not all of us are fortunate to be able to plunge into ponds or the sea on a regular basis, us included. So we started with turning the water cold at the end of our morning showers, and gradually building the duration up over time to a couple of minutes and longer.
Granted, autumn might not feel like the best time to start having cold showers, but here are some reasons why you might want to brave it:
Cold water boosts the immune system by increasing white blood cell count, improves mood by increasing electrical signals sent to the brain by your central nervous system, boosts recovery through the contraction and expansion of blood vessels reducing muscle soreness.
The cold exposure can also help you burn more fat, boost your metabolism and stimulate production of testosterone and stimulates the Vagus nerve which is responsible for sending signals to almost all our organs, including the flow of neurotransmitters from gut to brain.
Of course if you can get into cold water in nature, nothing quite beats it, the feeling of being totally present and immersed in nature.