All you have to do is stick your hand down in cool water to retrieve something or pull a sink stopper to realize the answer to the “why” asked in my title.
Submerging your arm – even just up to the elbow will cause you to shiver.
Even if water temperature isn’t that cool – maybe 70 or 80 degrees – you may feel that it is chilly.
Here are the facts:
Cold water reduces body temperature 25 times faster than cold air. That means the body’s heat is leaving it at a rate 25 times faster in water than in air. Thus, 85 degrees Fahrenheit water feels the about the same as 68 degrees Fahrenheit air. As a result, you may feel cold if you don’t swim to generate body heat.
This is why most learn to swim pools heat water to 90 degrees and heat the air around the pool to 85 degrees.
There are several things that this does for nervous young swim students:
– It provides maximum comfort and relaxation during lessons.
– It helps them to focus on their lessons instead of the water temperature.
– It helps them to swim happier and better.
As a bonus, it keeps your dedicated instructors comfortable too!
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