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Training the mind and body to adjust to the sudden shock of cold water could save countless people from death by drowning, according to New Zealand research out Thursday.
Study participants who were plunged into water of 10 degrees centigrade recovered from the cold shock response in two to three minutes, but with repetition and basic mental training, University of Otago researchers found the duration and intensity of the response could be halved.
"After a week or so of repeated immersions, coupled with mental skills training, and basic suggestions to improve their treading water technique, the participants were much calmer in the cold water," Associate Professor Chris Button said in a statement.
"I have never seen a response as dramatic as this in research before."
The majority of drownings were thought to occur in the first few minutes after falling into the water, with the body's shock response to cold water to blame, he said.
The response was brought on by rapid cooling of the skin and was characterized by a gasp response, followed by rapid hyperventilation.
"In other words, you hit the water, you gasp, then you pant, taking fast, shallow breaths," he said.
"A lot of people try to swim immediately, and that's probably the worst thing you could do.It's really hard to swim if you are breathing twice as fast as you would normally breathe."
The findings could dramatically reduce New Zealand's "horrific drowning rates," he said.
Drowning was the third highest cause of unintentional death in New Zealand, with 81 deaths recorded last year.
The researchers had compiled a list of tips for people falling into water, including remaining calm, waiting the cold water shock response out, not making any hasty decisions, and regulating breathing.
