What should you do if you feel cold during a dive?

When feeling cold during a dive, conserving your body's energy is essential to maintaining your core temperature and preventing hypothermia. Breathing slowly helps to reduce your metabolic rate, which in turn can help lessen the body heat loss that occurs during vigorous activities like swimming faster. Ascending to a shallower depth may not necessarily be the best course of action, as it doesn't directly address the issue of feeling cold; rather, it can introduce additional risks related to decompression sickness. While checking for leaks in your suit is an important preventative measure, it is more proactive and should ideally be done before the dive rather than during it. Therefore, conserving energy and breathing slowly becomes the most effective response to managing feeling cold underwater, as it helps prolong your comfort and safety.