I'm swimming at least 100m everyday during Feb in an unheated outdoor pool, in my swimmers (maybe gloves and boots). Water temperature has been as low as 5.5 deg with a thin layer of ice :-). Ambient has been down to -3. I hope to cover 3000m or possibly 2 miles by the end of the month.

Target of 621.30 as 6213 people took their own lives in 2018.

Cold water swimming is meant to be good for mental health. Regular exercise definitely is. Some people don't have a problem with mental ill health, some can't function because of it. Most of us are somewhere in between.

As men we're not very good at talking about it. When you consider suicide is the primary cause of death of men in the UK from teens up to 50, perhaps we should. That's more than traffic fatalities.  (It is for women up to 35 too but nearly 4 times as many men take their own lives than women).

More than that there are simple things we can all do to improve our own mental wellbeing and help other's with theirs, like; regular exercise, a good diet, adequate sleep, contact with and helping others, mindful meditation.

Apart from the awesome endorphin rush, lowering myself into a freezing pool each morning makes the other things I need to do each day seem much more achievable. 

My family line seems to be susceptible to mental ill health, although what do you expect with a name like Downes! Over the years, I've learnt strategies and skills to help me manage mine which have been pretty successful, but it's something I have to do everyday.

Help me raise money and awareness of the benefits and techniques of mental well health. When your head's in the right place, the world's a better place, for everyone.

Jon.

There are some simple tools for good mind management on my website at www.glassfull.org 

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