Epiphany in Transcarpathia: rescuers advise

Tomorrow, Transcarpathians, and Ukrainians in general, will celebrate the third and final great holiday of the Christmas and New Year cycle – Epiphany. On this day, parishioners have the water blessed, as well as dive into cold water. But before Epiphany bathing, one should carefully prepare and adhere to all safety rules, because such procedures are a huge stress for the body, Transcarpathian rescuers remind.

First of all, you need to know the contraindications for bathing in cold water. Those are cardiovascular diseases, inflammation of the kidneys, respiratory and broncho-pulmonary system diseases, gynecological diseases, epilepsy, cold allergy, thyroid problems. If you have one or more of the listed diseases, it is better to refrain from diving in the water on Epiphany.

If your health condition doesn’t prevent you from taking the water procedures, carefully prepare for the holiday. A week before bathing, start preparing the body to the cold. First, you can just go outside in the cold for a few seconds, then add rubbing with a towel dipped in cold water and finally showering with ice-cold water.

Two hours before diving into cold water, have a good meal – the body needs resources for heating. But never go into the water in the state of alcohol intoxication! Take a blanket or a towel that you can stand on when undressing, and extra towels in order to wipe yourself well after bathing. 

Before going into the water, run and jump a little to warm up the body. Be sure to choose to dive into a hole equipped with a ramp to the water, so as not to slip and be able to easily and quickly go out of the ice-cold water. Dive only under supervision of medics and rescuers.

Remember that you can stay in ice-cold water no more than 10 seconds – three dives is quite enough. After coming out, immediately wipe yourself with a towel, put on warm the clothes and drink warm tea.