Every year in Russia, on November 24, they open the swimming season in icy water, marking the Day of the Walrus. Experts talked about the health benefits of bathing in ice water, News.ru reports. According to experts, this year the beginning of the hardening season was not affected by the coronavirus pandemic, people continued to improve their health with the help of winter swimming. The president of the hardening club "Polar bears" Viktor Bikineev said that the activity of walruses in the country at the moment is different. According to him, in million-plus cities, residents behave more carefully and are wary of winter swimming during a pandemic. "Only about 30% of those engaged in winter swimming in our club are people over 60 years old. But we have a lot of young people," says Bikineev. Natalya Seraya, chairman of the Walruses of the Capital hardening and winter swimming club, said that mostly people aged 30 to 40 are engaged in winter swimming in the city. Families with children also come to the ice hole. "The main thing is to do it under the supervision of experienced people. Because cold can be both friend and harm. I recommend starting hardening only in a healthy state, since exposure to cold water is a certain stress for the body," she draws attention. The specialist said that with hardening, a person can start some processes that are usually in "sleep mode". Thanks to them, people increase their immunity and strengthen the body. The coach emphasizes that there should be an individual approach for each person. The expert warned that it is worth swimming regularly and at least 2-3 times a week, gradually increasing the load. Therapist Alexander Barvinsky says that hardening will help cope with stress. "Any mechanisms of response to them in our body are associated with the release of adrenaline, which mobilizes the energy of the body. And in the modern world, in response to stress, we continue to sit, and this whole storm of hormonal surges remains unfulfilled," said the doctor. Earlier, the doctor spoke about the benefits of trees in the prevention of coronavirus. According to the specialist, the Christmas trees that people put in their homes for the New Year also help in the treatment of infection.
