It seemed like a good idea at the time. It was January and after the excesses of Christmas thoughts naturally turn to taking exercise, eating more healthily and generally finding something to feel smug about.
I considered going to bed early in order to get up at the crack of dawn to do a bit of work before breakfast. I then realised that dawn was actually some time after I normally drag myself out of bed anyway and I would therefore actually be having a lie-in. And then it happened, I was innocently watching Countryfile when Michaela Strachen comes on doing an investigation of the 'benefits' of cold water swimming. Stimulates the immune system apparently. Well the Council swimming pool does do a pretty good impression of the average winter water temperature of the sea or a lake but was it possible to investigate the physiological effects closer to home?
Cold water cures were fashionable in Victorian times. Charles Darwin, looking for a cure to the chronic illness from which he suffered following his voyage on the Beagle, undertook a regime of cold showers and being wrapped, mummy-like, in wet sheets. His children would apparently stand outside his shower room in the garden 'listening to his groans' (1). So, following Darwin's example (not that I have any mysterious tropical diseases as far as I am aware) I decided to try cold showers. I could test my physiological reactions to cold water with minimal time an effort but still start off with a nice warm shower, only switching on the cold on after I had washed in comfort.
And so the experiments began. It takes my shower about five seconds to go from hot to cold during which time the brain registers (a) 'all OK', (b) 'nothing wrong with an little bit of cold water, never did anyone any harm, what's all the fuss about anyway', to (c) '****!, that's freezing' On day one I managed a not particularly impressive brisk count to five, accompanied by various involuntary noises, before I switched off. In the aftermath a slightly elated feeling was noted. In subsequent days I managed to count to five more slowly, eventually managing rather longer periods. The need to vocalize and the post-dousing elation remained.
The vocalizations are probably linked to the hyperventilation reaction of the human body when immersed in very cold water. It is this involuntary rapid breathing (Countryfile explained) which can easily lead to drowning (and a good reason to experiment in the shower if you ask me). Although not hyperventilating, I was certainly breathing more oxygen in as the cold water hit me, the urge to vocalize is possibly part of a coping mechanism akin to swearing when you stub you toe, it distracts you a little from the pain. The post shower high may be linked to to release of 'feelgood' chemicals by the brain in response to the physical stress on the body.
Although never actually pleasant, the experience became more tolerable after a few days. Interestingly, standing absolutely still with the water hitting the back of your neck and running down the middle of your back feels much less cold than if the water lands on your shoulders or front, although the subsequent euphoria is reduced a little as a consequence.
Important: if you try cold showers yourself it is vitally important that you remember to reset the shower to hot afterwards. Failure to do so may result in protests from other members of your family!
(1) Browne, J (1995) Charles Darwin: Voyaging, London, Pimlico (New Pimlico Edition, 2003, p496)
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