Siberians fight Cold by Jumping into a Frozen Lake

Our body’s responses to external stimuli and its impact on our overall wellbeing is still a somewhat of a mystery to us. Prehistoric humans started their days with a dip into cold water that gave them a massive surge of adrenaline that was critical for their survival among some of the most vicious wild predators.

However, fast forward to the 21st century and we have evolved into a species that builds wall after wall around our comfort zones, and many people absolutely deplore the thought of getting out and doing some real physical exercise.

Not so for everyone, a Group of cold bath enthusiast in Novosibirsk region of Siberia dive three times a week in the pristine waters with an aim to cleanse themselves of the stresses and ailments; they believe that ice swimming at night is the best cure for the winter blues.

The destination of these people is normally the famous cold waters of the Lake Kirovskoye, where they start gathering after their day jobs where the fun commences at 7 pm sharp. This is a regular activity for the group as they visit the icy lake, unless the temperature drops below minus 13F; then group waits for the mercury to rise so that they can begin again. The group swims in a large hole in the icy lake that is maintained by the local activist Alexey; it is Alexey’s responsibility that the venue stays up and running for all the 15 members of the group, all through the cold winter nights.

The swimming starts around 7 pm and lasts at least three hours, it can sometimes carry on as late as midnight, depending upon the working schedule of the group members.

Do you think that this is a bit insane? Well to some extent it exhibits the characteristics of insanity but one that should be part of all our lives (unless advised otherwise by the physician). At this point, you may find yourself wondering where you’re going to find a frozen lake to dip in with our urban lifestyle, how we’re going to capture that feel good effect. Worry not, where there is a will there is a way. The solution is Cold Showers or Contrast Showers.

The hardest thing next to climbing Mount Everest naked and bear-footed has to be getting out of the bed in the morning especially if you have a challenging day ahead. So if you could muster some courage to get to the shower and open icy cold water and stand under it for a minute or two, you will be turbo charged for the whole day.

You won’t need coffee or any other energy drink as a cold shower will quickly wake up all your senses and send a whole pack of adrenaline to your brain and through your body.

This will not only wake you right up, but it will also give your body strength to fight the wear and tear of the day. A contrast shower is just a little improvement over the cold showers. When you wake up in the morning alternate between cold and hot shower for three minutes each, have three, five or seven rounds, starting from cold and ending on cold. Contrast shower has been proven to be extremely helpful in muscle recovery; it even accelerates the weight loss in some cases.