Cold Water Therapy
I had been dipping in the sea regularly since 2019, but in between those dreaded lockdowns, I really embraced the sea, as did so many others! The shelters at popular swimming locations became busier and the sense of community grew with it! I felt like I had found a whole new tribe!
The benefits of the sea were more than community though and in time the dips grew to occasional short swims, and before I knew it I had remembered my fondness for swimming and the water, reconnecting with a younger version of myself who spent most of her free time in the swimming pool with friends after school, just to float around and dive to the bottom.
The water became a haven. It helped to release stiff muscles and old injuries. It became a constant in a time of worry and frustration at the start of the pandemic, and no matter what happened in life, the sea was always there to welcome me.
I have since moved from the city and away from the sea, but, thankfully, the swimming and dipping community is alive and kicking in the midlands too!
The positive outcomes associated with cold water swimming include:
Reduced Inflammation, which is an important biomarker for wellbeing
Improved mood, achieved through higher dopamine and endorphin levels following cold water immersion
Reduced stress, achieved through the adaptation to cold water. During immersion, the body emits a stress response, and we adapt to the stressor, with increased antioxidants and heat shock proteins found in adapted winter simmers. This adaptation to stress will likely spill over into our response to other stressful situations in our everyday life, therefore increasing our resilience.
Reduced anxiety, submerging the face in cold water has been shown to promote the parasympathetic nervous system, stimulating the vagus nerve which reduces anxiety.
Improved immunity as the body adapts to mild stress, which promotes greater response to illness or injury. All exercise improves our immunity as the body adapts to the stress placed on the tissues and cold water immersion works similarly, by providing enough stress to the body to cause change without exerting too much stress, which could lead to fatigue and illness. Cold water swimmers appear much less likely to experience upper respiratory tract infections than their peers.
Spending time in the outdoors has been shown to be restorative and promote relaxation. Open water swimming is a perfect way to spend time in nature, observing green spaces (open spaces with vegetation) and blue spaces (bodies of water such as lakes or sea).
Regular cold water swimming may help to promote a healthier lipid profile and insulin sensitivity.
Improved energy and reduced fatigue is reported by people who regularly immerse in cold water.
Improved memory, cognitive function and increased pain threshold is also reported in one study, this may be due to the enhanced mood and reduced anxiety reported by the participants.
Of course, cold water can present some risks, particularly for new dippers and swimmers. Always make sure that you have a well stocked bag of warm layers for after your dip. Layers work best to keep the heat in. Our core temperature can continue to drop after we've got out and dressed, this is known as ‘after drop’ and poses a significant risk for those who are not aware o the potential danger.
In winter, I always have multiple layer, a big woolly hat and a flask of tea/hot chocolate on standby for when I get out of the water. You want to gently warm yourself up afterwards.
Wearing a hat helps to keep you warm, in winter I actually wear two hats when I’m dipping, one regular swimming hat and a neoprene one to really keep the wind off my head and prevent me from getting too cold while in the water.
Wetsuits are a consideration as well to keep you warm and safe, especially if you're new to cold water dipping and swimming. Swim socks and gloves help to keep the extremities warmer and functioning in colder temperatures, too.
If you’re planning on swimming try to avoid going alone, make sure somebody knows where you are headed, consider wearing a tow float to make you more visible from the shore line.
There are loads of great water safety courses available online and in person that will teach you how to look at tides and rip currents and other safety measures you can take to help you recognise potential dangers.
If you have an underlying medical condition, it is advisable to speak to your GP before entering cold water.
Lastly, dip and enjoy!
Bibliography
Huttunen H, Kokko L & Ylijukuri V. (2004) Winter swimming improves general wellbeing. International Jornal of Circumpolar Health 63(2)
DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v63i2.17700
Knechtle B et al. (2020) Cold water swimming-Benefits and Risks: A Narrative review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17. doi:10.3390/ijerph17238984
Tripton MJ et al. (2017) Cold water immersion: kill or cure? Experimental Physiology 102(11)
Doi: 10.1113 / EP086283
