York Festival of Ideas - Invited speaker

Massey, H. (Speaker)

School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences

Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk

Description of Activity

Delivered an invited talk at the York Festival of Ideas.

Period	6 Jun 2026
Held at	University of York, United Kingdom
Degree of Recognition	National

Documents & Links

From boosting your mood and immune system to helping you keep fit and make friends, cold water swimming is hailed as a miracle cure for the modern age. But what are the risks and potential benefits of cold-water immersion? And why does the cold have such a profound effect on our mental well-being? With thousands of Britons taking the plunge, our expert panel dives into the psychology and mental health benefits of cold-water swimming. Speakers include Heather Massey of the University of Portsmouth, an expert in extreme environments and physiology; Mike Fletcher, owner of Pool Bridge Farm, Wheldrake; Kyla Pennington of the University of York, a specialist in mental health and Simon Gilbody, a psychiatrist whose research highlights the mental health impacts of loneliness.

Related content

Research outputs
Cold water therapies: minimising risks
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review