A SWIM in the sea is a must for any beach holiday – but can be a rather chilly affair in the UK.
There are some benefits to swimming in cold water, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
AlamyA swim in the sea is the perfect way to cool down in the summer – but how long you need to swim is often debated[/caption]
A common belief is that you should stay in the water for one minute per degree.
So if the water is around 10 degrees, you should only swim in it for 10 minutes.
However, this has been debunked, as experts have said the length of time you swim depends on a lot of other factors.
Cold water expert Dr Mark Harper told Sun Online Travel: “Everyone is different every day.
“You could be more tired, you might not have eaten, and your hormones are different.
“They all add up and it’s more important to listen to your body.”
In fact, you don’t need to be in the cold water for that long at all to get lots of health benefits.
Dr Harper, who also wrote the book Chill: The Cold Water Swim Cure, explained: “We did a study on the effect on coughs and colds and cold water swimmers had fewer in the winter.
“However, those who stayed in for more than 12 minutes actually had more coughs and colds.”
He continued: “I tend to say you only need around three minutes, making sure to dip your face in a few times too.
“When you go into the water you have the shock, but when it passes and your breathing is back under control, you can get out again.
“It’s not as long as you think you might need so you are getting most benefits without the risks.”
We’ve explained how to avoid getting cold water shock, which can be dangerous.
And with the weather warming up in the UK, we’ve rounded up the best tidal pools in the UK where you can take a dip to cool down.
AlamySwimming in cold water definitely has benefits[/caption] Read More