New jobs are stressful at the best of times without the whole nation watching, so it's only natural that BBC Breakfast star Dan Walker might be feeling apprehensive ahead of his exciting new starring role at Channel 5.
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The presenter, who is set to start his new job in the next few weeks, shared his unique way of staying zen – cold water swimming! Dan shared a photo of himself on a chilly UK beach decked out in an outdoor swimming robe, captioned: "It's a lot colder than it looks. 9 degrees and [three freezing emojis]."
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Cold water swimming and cold water therapy are both well-known for their stress and anxiety-easing powers, so it's the ideal time for Dan to take up the hobby. "Cold water immersion stimulates endorphins to improve mood to help combat stress, anxiety and depression," explains Dr. Sarah Brewer, medical director of supplement brand Healthspan.
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"Cold water keeps you in the moment, so it's the ultimate form of mindfulness," Dr. Brewer continues. "It helps to achieve calm meditation as you focus on your breathing."
Dan isn't the only fan of cold water swimming. Amanda Holden recently dashed into the freezing sea in just a bathing suit, while Fearne Cotton has been open about how the ritual has helped her anxiety. "In the last week, I’ve upped my cold water therapy. I managed to get to the sea at the weekend and then took a dunk in my mate's ice bath yesterday," she wrote on Instagram.
© Photo: InstagramDan was decked out in all the gear for his outdoor swim
"Each time it gets a little easier and each time I’m more aware of the benefits My anxiety has been sky high this last week so these moments where my brain can only focus on my deep breaths have been necessary," the podcaster said.
Indeed, a whole TV show based on cold water therapy is set to start this week. Wim Hof's Freeze the Fear sees eight celebs including Dianne Buswell, rapper Professor Green and actress Tamzin Outhwaite take on freezing cold challenges.
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