Is Cold Water Swimming the Ultimate Wellness Boost?

The not-so-early sunrises in winter are stunning and definitely part of the therapy

As an Australian living in the UK, my love of swimming in the ocean was seriously curtailed when arriving on these shores 18 years ago. Social or solo swims were restricted to holidays abroad or the rare occasional swim somewhere along the UK coastline – only during swelteringly hot weather of course! The thought of swimming in the Atlantic Ocean or the English Channel for just about any reason was utter madness and had me rushing straight towards the nearest warm cafe. That was until I moved my whole family down to the Dorset coast two years ago. In an effort to meet people in our new area, I joined a swimming group in the Spring. A group of fantastic women who meet once a week to swim no matter what the weather and no matter what the temperature. At first, I was a fair weather swimmer, however slowly as autumn approached and the days shortened I found myself still plunging in every Sunday morning and embracing the thrill of the cold. My love of cold water swimming was cemented during a swimming challenge I joined in October 2024. The idea was to cold water swim (or cold shower) every day in October and raise funds for the Surfers Against Sewerage (SAS) charity which champaign for cleaner oceans and rivers. I expected to enjoy the challenge and raise money, what I didn't expect was the incredible health benefits that came along with it. By day 5 I was brimming with energy and I was happy and buoyant within myself. My mental clarity improved and my productivity during the day was superb. Puffiness and water retention was gone and I found it easier to cope with the shift to colder air temperatures as we headed into winter. So, what are the documented health benefits? Although cold water swimming has been practiced for thousands of years, it is only recently, with the general movement towards supporting mental health, that this therapy has been catapulted into the mainstream stimulating scientific research.

A few reported health benefits include:

• More resilience to environmental stressors - exposure to thermal stress tends to help the body adapt better to stressfully situations out of the water.

• Improved immunity – cold water swimmers report fewer colds and respiratory infections.

• Elevated mood and energy levels[i] – the cold plunge releases beta-endorphins, dopamine and serotonin[ii]. Most swimmers notice an increase in mood and motivation.

• Increase in insulin sensitivity[iii] and correct leptin levels (responsible for satiety and energy expenditure)[iv].

• Transformation of adipose (fat) tissue[v] and increase of metabolic output.

• Increase in circulation and lymphatic drainage.

  
  

These marry up with individual reports from swimmers. All the swimmers I spoke to waxed lyrical about the mental clarity and boost in mood they get from dipping in the sea. Increased motivation and stamina were also top of the list, as well as a sense of empowerment in both body and mind. And the best bit? The rush of feel good endorphins, seems to last a good 24 - 48 hours after drying off. Yes pretty please!

The swim is always worth it!

There is no hard set of rules for cold water swimming, except to swim joyfully and safely at all times. However, here are some cold water swimming tips that have helped me:

• Survey your surroundings, watch the water. Look for any rips, eddies or rush of water in any direction. Keep alert for changes whilst you are in the water too. Look for an easy and safe way to get in and out of the water.

• Don’t ever swim alone, always buddy up or join a swim group.

• Protect your extremities in the cold. Wear a beanie and wetsuit gloves and shoes or socks. Your extremities get colder faster than the rest of you and take longer to warm up. I once did a December swim with bare feet for only a few minutes and I still couldn't feel my feet 45mins later!

• Breathe deeply, especially out, when entering the water, puffing can help too.

• Keep moving in the water, breaststroke or treading water is fine when you start out.

• The minute you start to feel elated and feel you could do this forever - Get out! The positive effects have kicked in and endorphins/dopamine are high, you’ll only find it harder to warm up later if you stay in longer.

• You’ll probably start off lasting only a few seconds or minutes - that's ok! You will find the time will increase the more you do it.

• As soon as you are out, get out of your wet things asap and put on warm clothing. Layer up (dry robes are great for this)! Cover feet and hands too.

• Drink warm drinks like herbal tea with your swim buddy. This is the chance of you to share your experience together. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

Any cold water immersion will of course carry risks. Getting too cold too quickly or staying in longer than you should may lead to hypothermia or in rare cases cardiac arrhythmia. Always be watchful of the sea and never swim alone. It is also important to always start a new activity with your health and safety being your top priority. Anyone with an underlying health condition should seek medical advice before taking the cold plunge.

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References

[i] Huttunen, P., Kokko, L., & Ylijukuri, V. (2004). Winter swimming improves general well-being. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 63(2), 140–144. https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v63i2.17700

[ii] van Tulleken C, Tipton M, Massey H, Harper CM. Open water swimming as a treatment for major depressive disorder. BMJ Case Rep. 2018 Aug 21;2018:bcr2018225007. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2018-225007. PMID: 30131418; PMCID: PMC6112379.

[iii] Gibas-Dorna M, Chęcińska Z, Korek E, Kupsz J, Sowińska A, Krauss H. Cold Water Swimming Beneficially Modulates Insulin Sensitivity in Middle-Aged Individuals. J Aging Phys Act. 2016 Oct;24(4):547-554. doi: 10.1123/japa.2015-0222. Epub 2016 Aug 24. PMID: 26966319.

[iv] Gibas-Dorna M, Checinska Z, Korek E, Kupsz J, Sowinska A, Wojciechowska M, Krauss H, Piątek J. Variations in leptin and insulin levels within one swimming season in non-obese female cold water swimmers. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 2016 Oct;76(6):486-91. doi: 10.1080/00365513.2016.1201851. Epub 2016 Jul 4. PMID: 27376416.

[v] Esperland D, de Weerd L, Mercer JB. Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water - a continuing subject of debate. Int J Circumpolar Health. 2022 Dec;81(1):2111789. doi: 10.1080/22423982.2022.2111789. PMID: 36137565; PMCID: PMC9518606.