Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genoa, Italy; Italian Society of Psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (SIPNEI), Rome, Italy.
VIE - Valutazione Innovazione Empowerment s.r.l., Via della Libertà 9/3, 16129 Genoa, Italy.
Explore (NY). 2021 Mar-Apr;17(2):122-126. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2020.02.004. Epub 2020 Feb 26.
Many people claim winter sea bathing gives them energy and health. According to the psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (PNEI) paradigm, the stress response elicited by cold water immersion could indeed induce several beneficial psychophysical alterations.
To determine the effects of winter sea bathing on psychological wellbeing, stress and immune markers.
A cross-sectional study.
228 people, between 19 and 88 years, including 107 winter sea bathers and 121 controls.
A battery of questionnaires was administered to assess sociodemographic characteristics, self-perception of mental and physical heath, the number, duration and intensity of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs) in the last year, and Big Five personality traits. 17 winter sea bathers and 15 controls (mean age 67 years) were further examined to evaluate physiological health, underwent one ear-nose-throat (ENT) examination, and provided saliva samples for measurements of biological markers (cortisol, sIgA, IL-1β, IL-6).
Winter sea bathing was associated with lower levels of self-reported stress and higher wellbeing. The ENT examinations did not reveal signs of URTIs in winter sea bathers, who exhibited significantly higher levels of salivary sIgA compared to controls. Neither salivary IL-1β nor cortisol levels were significantly different between the two groups.
Winter sea bathers (even the elderly) had a perception of higher wellbeing and reported better health: thus, they appeared to take advantage of potential distress (cold water exposure) to improve their health.
许多人声称冬季海浴能给他们带来活力和健康。根据心理神经内分泌免疫学（PNEI）范式，冷水浸泡引起的应激反应确实可以引起一些有益的身心变化。
确定冬季海浴对心理健康、应激和免疫标志物的影响。
横断面研究。
228 人，年龄 19 至 88 岁，包括 107 名冬季海浴者和 121 名对照组。
采用一系列问卷评估社会人口学特征、自我感知的心理健康和身体健康、上呼吸道感染（URTIs）的数量、持续时间和强度，以及大五人格特质。进一步检查了 17 名冬季海浴者和 15 名对照组（平均年龄 67 岁），评估生理健康，进行一次耳鼻喉检查，并提供唾液样本以测量生物标志物（皮质醇、sIgA、IL-1β、IL-6）。
冬季海浴与较低的自我报告压力和较高的幸福感相关。耳鼻喉检查未发现冬季海浴者有 URTIs 的迹象，他们的唾液 sIgA 水平明显高于对照组。两组间唾液 IL-1β或皮质醇水平无显著差异。
冬季海浴者（即使是老年人）也有更高的幸福感和更好的健康感知：因此，他们似乎利用潜在的压力（冷水暴露）来改善健康。
