Can the Mammalian Dive Response Help Control Anxiety? By: @inceipek1 (Link in bio for full article) Social media platforms have introduced us to many health hacks. Some are ineffective and not recommended by experts, and some are actually beneficial. Case in point: ice-bowl therapy. Besides its effects on reducing puffy eyes, helping decrease inflammation, and relieving nausea and hangovers, ice bowl therapy is scientifically proven to activate the body’s mammalian diving reflex. It appears that all mammals, including humans, have a primitive reflex to prevent us from drowning, called the “Mammalian Diving Reflex.” The diving reflex is the body’s physiological response to submersion in cold water and includes selectively shutting down parts of the body to conserve energy for survival. This means that when our face is submerged in cold water, our bodies instantly kick in a part of our nervous system that slows everything down. If you’re feeling panic or intense anxiety, putting your face on, or taking a shower in, ice-cold water can help calm your emotions and body. What separates humans from other mammals is that our mammalian diving reflex kicks in only when we’re in a state of emergency, meaning, when we’re in a state of panic.