This is what cold water shock feels like

Article excerpt

As summer heat drives people to beaches and lakes, water-related deaths are spiking, prompting urgent safety training. Open-water classes now teach swimmers about cold water shock, a physiological reflex that can kill in seconds when warm bodies plunge into cold water. The shock causes gasping, disorientation, and potential drowning before panic even sets in. Instructors simulate the sensation in controlled pools so swimmers recognize the feeling and learn to manage it. The classes have become more common in the UK after a cluster of deaths among experienced swimmers who underestimated the danger of sudden temperature changes.