One of the most important Orthodox holidays, Epiphany, will come very soon. On this day, there is a tradition among Orthodox Christians to swim in an ice-hole. Cold water and cold temperatures can adversely affect human health. Therefore, it is necessary to swim at Epiphany correctly and observe certain conditions.
Every year the number of participants in this ceremony is growing. Therefore, in our country, special places are arranged for bathing in Epiphany. Representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and ambulances are always on duty there. Despite the fact that there is a possibility of medical assistance, each person must independently prepare for this action and follow certain rules.
Firstly, the water does not like drunks at all. Therefore, there should be no alcohol intake before bathing.
You need to swim only in strictly designated places and do not improvise in this case.
You need to prepare yourself for proper immersion in cold water in advance. During instant immersion, various reactions occur in the human body that cause vasospasm and can lead to various seizures and strokes. You need to get used to cold water gradually. Before diving, it is best to warm up a little and do some exercises, such as squatting in place.
It is imperative to swim in closed swimsuits and swimming trunks. After going ashore, it is better to wipe yourself off with an ordinary terry towel and be sure to immediately change into dry and clean clothes. To approach the ice hole in shoes that do not have a rubber sole. She glides on the ice very much.
Experts advise swimming in woolen socks that will protect your lower limbs from frostbite.
Do not stay in the water for a long time, maximum 1-2 minutes. Even if the body quickly got used to cold water, then you may not feel the presence of hypothermia or frostbite.
After bathing, it is better to drink hot tea or coffee, which you can stock up in advance.
Since it is mainly Christians who bathe in Baptism, it is imperative to read a prayer when immersed in water that will help to accomplish this difficult act. According to the canons, it is necessary to plunge headlong into the water three times, but this is not necessary. It is enough just to be in the water for a certain amount of time.
And in general, before this process, it is better to think several times and decide for yourself whether to do it or not. In any case, the presence of certain diseases in the human body, in particular, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and so on, can serve as a prohibition for bathing.
If the desire to swim did not appear, then it is enough just to wash with holy water and read a prayer.
