The physiologist and survival expert on the joys and dangers of cold water immersion

Dr Heather Massey is a researcher at the University of Portsmouth’s Extreme Environments research group and a seasoned open water swimmer. Having swum the Channel and competed in the world ice swimming championships, her research into the effects of extreme temperatures on the body is personal.

During lockdown the number of people enjoying wild swimming soared, but so did the number of deaths. Massey’s research examines whether cold water swimming is more likely to kill or cure.