Cold Water Swimming: Mindful Immersion
Words and Images by Katherine Heath
www.instagram.com/_katherineheath
The trend of immersing one’s self in cold water has grown significantly over the past few years. From early morning group dips in quiet Cornish towns, to solo sunset swims in the chilly tarns of the Lake District, more people are taking to the water and the benefits of what may seem to be a sudden stroke of madness are becoming more widely known.
It’s probably fair to say that the digital world has played a large part in the activity’s growing popularity and whilst it’s debatable as to whether the digital movement is a good or a bad thing, it is arguably one of the better trends to come out of the online world.
I have to admit; cold-water swimming isn’t something I set out to start one day because I’d heard about the health benefits. I’ve always found exercising for the sake of exercising somewhat boring and I generally feel the same way about cold water immersion. I don’t feel the need to embrace cold-water showers or plunge my body into ice baths on a regular basis, just for the health benefits. I believe there should always be enjoyment in physical activity, the health benefits are then almost just a positive side effect. For me, cold water swimming is about connecting with nature, staying mindful and putting my body through the natural stresses so many of us lack in this ever-convenient world.
My affection for cold water swimming actually started quite gradually, purely through my inexorable love of the sea. I have always felt the strong, often indescribable lure of the water – a feeling anyone with coastal or lakeside roots will know only too well. I grew up on the coast in Brighton and childhood holidays, no matter the destination, always revolved around the beach in one way or another. The salt in the air, the chorus of waves breaking, the ability to look out and see nothing but a choppy horizon as the sun sets, there’s just something about the ocean that often leaves me at a loss for words.
Over the past few years, I’ve found myself swimming in the sea later and later into the year, simply because I can’t bring myself to stop. In England, if I only swam when it was considered warm enough, I’d only be in the water a few months of the year – the rest of them would be spent longing for summer’s joyful return. Embracing cold water swimming opened up a whole new side of winter that I’d rarely appreciated before. It brings enjoyment and purpose to months that are otherwise spent cowering away from icy gusts and horizontal rain. Which, in itself, I believe plays a huge role in the state of both my physical and mental wellbeing. In my opinion, there’s still a lack of importance given to exercise and time spent in nature when it comes to our mental wellbeing.
I have never enjoyed exercising indoors, swimming included, and strongly believe that gyms and pools actually make good health feel less accessible. You need surprisingly little to remain fit and healthy, but sadly that way of thinking seems to have gotten lost in amongst the noise around having the latest yoga attire or fanciest gym membership. From both an economic and health stance, cold water/wild swimming is one of the most high-value activities you can take part in, in my opinion. It may sound a little odd but, a lot of the benefits of cold water swimming don’t come from the swimming itself. In my case, cold water swimming is better described as cold water bobbing. I can and do swim, but I wouldn’t call myself a swimmer and I certainly don’t cover any sort of worthwhile distance when I venture into the water. The benefits for me, and I know for many others, go far beyond the physical exercise.
When the temperatures drop to around 8 degrees Celsius I find myself approaching each dip more mindfully than the last. Concentrating on my breathing as I enter the water to counter act the urge to breathe short and sharply as your body reacts to the drastic change in temperature is vital. It may sound odd to someone who has never tried it, but the fact that we can control our breathing to such an extent that it allows us to override our body’s natural response to the cold is truly incredible.
With the cold comes a sense of risk and therefore respect for the natural world. For me, being in the water is about feeling more connected to the way we used to live and the stresses our bodies are designed to endure. It helps prepare us for other stresses in life and gives us the ability to focus on one thing at a time.
Choosing to swim in cold water, especially when you’re not used to it, means venturing outside of your comfort zone both physically and mentally. It’s a great way to encourage yourself to be comfortable with being uncomfortable which, in turn, helps to build resilience to stress in other areas of life.
One of the things I like most about cold water swimming is the challenge. Some days the sea resembles a millpond, still and inviting, yet it’s harder to get in as the choice to submerge is solely yours. However, when you get down to the shore and the wind is howling, choppy waves are crashing on the shingle and you’re already shivering, getting undressed is probably the hardest bit and once you step foot in the water the decision is soon taken out of your hands and put into those of an oncoming breaker.
Either way, with those challenging moments comes a sense of accomplishment and strength that you just don’t get from a run in the park or swimming laps in a pool.
As with everything, different people embrace cold water swimming in different ways. Some prefer to swim solo and with as little equipment as possible, others in groups and with floatation devices. There is no right or wrong which is one of the best things about it. It’s all about figuring out why and how it works for you.