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Cold-Water Swimming and Sauna - Can hot and cold therapies boost mental health?
If you’ve ever wondered whether the cold‑water swimming craze is a genuine brain booster or just a very chilly fad, this episode is for you. New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson plunge into the science behind cold dips, ice baths and saunas, asking whether they really can lift mood, protect the brain and build resilience, or if a warm pool and a chat with friends would do just as much.
Along the way, Cat and Helen explore why so many people feel transformed by getting into very cold water, and what might really be driving those post‑swim highs. Is it something special…
The skinny
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