Temperature Change

Temperature Change

Fig 36 | Cool, fresh water that the body is about to be im- mersed in (Author’s Own, 2020) It has been identified through personal experience as well as throughout the literature that the change in temperature which the body and skin experience during the journey of a pool environment engages fully with the individual and their senses in order to improve health and wellbeing.

From the moment you enter the changing rooms and put on a swimming costume, to setting foot into the humid, stuffy pool side, the senses are engaged. With the feeling of cool, fresh water rushing over the body, the human skin experiences significant changes in bodily temperature. As can be seen from figure 36, the water that the body is about to be immersed in sends mixed emotions to the mind and brain. However, it can be identified that the most significant aspect that the body experiences is the feeling of adapting to the new environment and the overwhelming feeling of being immersed in water. The refreshing yet sudden chill of the water hits the body instantly creating a new world where everything is now forgotten. ‘The immersion of the human body in water causes reactions in bodily functions’ (Alexiou, 2014, pg. 10) which is then conveyed through all aspects of the skin, affecting behaviours and mind positively.

Fig 37 | The body and skin adapting to the temperature (Author’s Own, 2020) The feeling of the water surrounding the skin enhances the sense of touch and temperature. ‘Temperature affects your mood more strongly than other senses’ (Gelder, 2020). This is due to large areas of skin perceiving and being exposed to temperature change which can make your body feel comfortable (Gelder, 2020). Therefore, it can be concluded that the change in temperature can have a significant impact on the individual’s mood, health and wellbeing.

‘It’s in what I see, what I feel, what I touch, even with my feet’ (Zumthor, 2006)