There is no ideal duration or level of performance that applies to everyone. Learn to recognise and respect your body’s signals.
Cold exposure has a strong physiological effect and, in appropriate doses, can support cold adaptation. Regular cold exposure can therefore be part of a mindful, healthy lifestyle.
What can cold exposure offer you?
Cold exposure gives you an opportunity to step outside your comfort zone, experience how your body and mind respond, and get to know your own limits. The cold acts as a brief, controlled stressor on the body, known as hormetic stress. In appropriate doses, it can encourage your body to adapt.
At HVT, the aim is to manage the initial discomfort, understand yourself better and gradually develop your natural abilities so they can become part of your everyday routine.
What happens in your body when you enter cold water?
Cold receptors in your skin quickly send signals to your brain. Your sympathetic nervous system activates, noradrenaline is released, blood vessels in your skin constrict, your breathing changes, and your heart rate and blood pressure may rise. This is the cold shock response, one of whose main functions is to preserve your core body temperature.
Brown adipose tissue also plays a role in cold adaptation, contributing to heat production and energy expenditure.
Cold shock – when your body reacts immediately
Cold shock is one of the most significant early responses to entering cold water. Your breathing suddenly speeds up, while your heart rate and blood pressure may rise.
You don’t need to immerse your whole body to trigger cold shock. Contact between cold water and a large area of your skin can be enough. Enter the water gradually, slowly and in a controlled way, and never start a dip or swim with a headfirst dive.
Rapid breathing – a consequence of cold shock
Cold shock can involuntarily make your breathing faster or cause you to gasp. This is a natural response of the sympathetic nervous system.
Before and during cold-water immersion, don’t use special breathing techniques such as hyperventilation or breath-holding. These can cause dizziness or fainting and, in water, can lead to drowning.
Simply breathe naturally, calmly and in a controlled way. Wait until the cold shock passes and your breathing settles. The aim is to calm down and regain control.
Swimming failure – when your body no longer responds
Your body continuously loses heat while you’re in the cold. As it cools, muscle function can become impaired, coordination can deteriorate and movement can become less effective.
This is particularly dangerous when swimming. If you feel weak, start shivering, struggle to maintain your direction or feel that your limbs aren’t working as they should, stop swimming immediately and get out of the water. This is a safe, mindful and responsible decision, not a failure.
Hypothermia – when your body can no longer maintain its temperature
Hypothermia develops when your body loses more heat than it can produce and your core body temperature drops dangerously low.
Cold water draws heat away from your body quickly. The rate of cooling depends on factors including water temperature, exposure time, individual adaptation, body build, movement and environmental conditions.
Warning signs can include severe shivering, fatigue, poor coordination, confusion or unusual behaviour. If these occur, get out of the water.
Afterdrop – your body keeps cooling after you leave the water
The effects of the cold don’t end when you leave the water. As your cooled limbs warm up, peripheral circulation increases and colder blood flows back towards the centre of your body. Your core temperature can therefore continue to fall after you get out.
You may feel that you could stay longer because your perception of the cold changes over time. Remember: your cooled body still needs to warm up again.
First steps – how to get started
If you’re new to the cold, HVT’s official cold-water dips offer a safe, supportive environment for your first steps.
If you can’t join us, find someone experienced in cold exposure. At home, a cold shower can also be a good starting point, allowing you to explore the effects of the cold gradually and in controlled conditions.
Important! Never go swimming or take a dip alone. Always have someone with you who can help if needed.
Gradual progression – help your body adapt to the cold
Adaptation takes time and patience. Start with brief, controlled cold exposure, then gradually increase the duration or lower the temperature.
As a beginner, exposing just your legs, arms or part of your torso to cold water may be enough. Later, you can progress to brief full-body immersion and then cold-water swimming.
First let your body adapt to the cold, then to the duration, and finally to physical exertion.
Face and head – full immersion isn’t necessary
You don’t need to put your head or face underwater to practise cold exposure. Doing so doesn’t make it more effective or represent a higher level of achievement.
If you want to swim with your face in the water, first rinse your face and the back of your neck with cold water, then wait until your breathing settles.
Cold-water swimming – develop your swimming technique
Cold-water swimming involves physical exertion as well as cold exposure. It’s worth developing your swimming technique in a pool, where you can practise in safe conditions.
In open water, stay close to shore and use a brightly coloured tow float attached around your waist. It improves your visibility and can provide something to hold on to if needed.
Before swimming, check the weather conditions and consider the water and air temperatures, waves, wind and currents.
Neoprene – feel free to use it
Wearing a neoprene cap, gloves or socks is absolutely fine. They can help you stay comfortable and safe.
If you’re preparing for cold-water or ice swimming, or for a competition, gradually adapt your extremities, particularly your hands and feet, to the cold too. Reduce your use of neoprene accessories gradually as your adaptation progresses.
How long should you stay in?
You don’t need to stay in the cold for long for your body to respond. Consistency and control matter more than increasing the duration.
Based on Søberg’s research, a total of 11 minutes of cold exposure per week, spread across 2–3 sessions, is one possible practical guideline. As little as 1.5–2 minutes in a single session may be enough.
The point is that you don’t need prolonged exposure to experience the effects of the cold: regular, brief and controlled sessions are what count.
When should you stop?
Listen to your own body’s signals instead of comparing yourself with others.
Cold exposure isn’t about how long you can endure it. If your breathing doesn’t settle, you feel severe dizziness, weakness, confusion or panic, or your coordination or swimming ability deteriorates, leave the water.
If you start shivering in the water, get out. Shivering signals that your body is actively trying to maintain its temperature and that the cold is already placing a significant strain on it. Your body can continue cooling after you leave the water, so don’t wait for the cooling to progress further.
Warming up – cold exposure doesn’t end at the shore
Cold exposure doesn’t end when you leave the water. Afterdrop means your body continues to cool, so dry yourself promptly, remove wet clothing, put on warm, dry clothes and begin your warming-up routine.
Both HVT’s and Søberg’s approaches emphasise allowing the body’s own heat-producing processes to activate. Walking and gentle movement can help you warm up. Shivering at this stage is the body’s natural heat-producing response: muscle activity helps raise your temperature. A warm tea can also help you feel more comfortable.
When should you avoid cold exposure?
Don’t enter cold water if you feel ill, feverish, weak or generally unwell, or if you’re under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering substances.
Cold-water immersion is not recommended with certain cardiovascular conditions, blood pressure problems, heart rhythm disorders, pregnancy or other health conditions. If you’re unsure whether cold exposure is safe for you, consult a doctor.
If your stomach is full, cold exposure may cause discomfort or nausea. Wait until you feel comfortable and find out what timing works best for you.
Make it a positive experience
Listen to your body’s signals instead of measuring yourself against other people’s performance. Regular, mindful practice can help you understand how the cold affects you and gradually develop your ability to adapt.
Find what works for you. If it doesn’t feel right today, don’t force it. Safety comes first. The cold can wait.
Personal responsibility
Cold-water immersion and swimming require attention and a responsible approach from everyone. Know your own limits and only enter the water in conditions you can safely assess and manage.
Knowing HVT’s safety recommendations doesn’t replace your personal responsibility. Always listen to your body’s signals, and don’t push yourself further just because others are staying in the water longer.
Swimming under ice
Swimming under ice is one of the most specialised forms of cold-water swimming and requires exceptional care. Going under the ice is prohibited without specialised safety arrangements, adequate preparation and professional safety support.
Emergency
If you or your swimming or dipping partner get into trouble, try to stay calm and ask for help. If necessary, call 112.
Disclaimer
The information on this page is provided for general information and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Cold-water immersion and swimming are undertaken at your own risk. The International Coldwater Tribe Association strives to keep the information provided accurate, complete and up to date but accepts no liability for it. Before starting cold-water activities, particularly if you have an existing health condition or any doubts, you are advised to consult a doctor.