Healing with cold - Does our body like to be frozen?

Kylmä

Following a young Finnish swimmer in icy water, this documentary explores, in the company of researchers, the benefits and risks of exposure to cold for the body.

Overview

Elina Mäkinen, a fan of traditional "avanto" swimming - in holes dug in the ice - is preparing for the Ice Mile, a swimming event organized in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, where the water temperature is around 0°C. How does the young woman resist these extreme conditions? What effects does the cold have on the body? Beyond the risk of frostbite, hypothermia alters the cardiovascular system, even causing death when the internal temperature drops below 25°C. Different factors such as age, fatigue, dehydration or disease can accelerate body cooling.

Production

ARTE GEIE, ARTE