Morning Dips Are Cool

Like, literally. I started a new habit a few months ago. It is one of the best things I’ve done and is also beneficial for my immune system and brain. Let me explain.

The morning dip requires company if you are new in the water. I mean, in the early and cold morning water. I have a courageous friend, so she made me do it. I never thought how much joy is in the cool water.

Stepping out of your comfort zone is never a pleasant experience at first, but you will feel better after you do it. I had warm clothes on, and I was reluctant to undress. But besides my friend, there was someone else who took the lead. A few steps away from where we stood, there was a runner. The runner stripped naked and jumped in the water. Yeah, just like that. He dried off, got dressed, and continued his run. It sounds crazy and awesome at the same time. Great inspiration. Now, we had no excuse but to hit the water.

At first, when I dipped my toe, I felt that this was the coldest water I had ever been in. Am I insane? I should sleep in my warm bed instead. I have to get over it. The only way is through. I took a deep breath and marched to the water. It was cold. A bit shocking. I wanted not to be there, but I started to swim. The longer I swam, the better I felt. It kind of reminded me that if you take action, your focus is not on the present anymore but on a goal.

Finally, I reached the stairs. I went out, and I dried myself. Later I gave a dip another go. It was much better. So I gave a few more go’s.

Now this is my best way to start or end the day. The cold water and the light exercise are one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt. It reanimates me every time.

Want to go for a morning dip?

Here are some tips on what to bring:

• Warm clothes
• A reliable friend
• One more layer of clothes
• Tea, coffee
• Lots of courage
• Towel

So what happens in your brain while in the water?

When you dip yourself in cold water, cortisol, a stress hormone, is released from your adrenal glands, which maintains this state for minutes to hours, while a surge of beta-endorphin hormones in the brain provides pain relief and gives a sense of euphoria. This explains post-swim high. Which feels so good, I promise. There is a cool research on this in here.

But let me recap for you shortly: In Portsmouth, Tipton puts his volunteers through a formalised version of a weekly dip to measure how they adapt to cold shock. Tipton sits his volunteers in a hanging chair, lowers them into a trough of water at 12°C, and keeps them there for about five minutes.

Tipton notes that it only takes six immersions to halve the cold water shock response. Your body learns to adapt: your heart and breathing rates only rise half as much, you panic less, and you can control your breathing. This adaptation makes you less reactive to the shock of cold water, but it could also make you less reactive to everyday stress. This is what researchers call ‘cross-adaptation’: adapt to one stressor, and you can partially adapt to others.

Tips from the Witch

If you want to visit the beach or any kind of cold water, please do. Good for you! But before you dive in think it through. Here are my tips to make it more enjoyable.

Go into the water slowly but steadily. The water will feel fricking cold, but just start to swim or move and count to forty or even sixty. It is the hardest part. Keep up the good work and if you are done there is only one more thing. Go out and don’t dry yourself. You might feel slightly better but hear me out: Now go in again. Even though the water temperature will be the same, it will feel a bit warmer.

It makes a difference. So do you! Congratulations.
Let me know how it went in the comment section.

Thanks for reading.

Take care!

The Witty Witch