COLD WATER THERAPY
This winter why not start something new and FRESH!
Cold water therapy has been around for a long time, with hardy year round swimmers bracing the cold water - whatever the weather. But when the pandemic hit that was when it became truly popular, with all the restrictions in place wild swimming became one of the few things we could retreat to for a moment out of the ordinary, an escape from the tiresome lockdowns.
I understand that the thought of getting cold might not always sound appealing, however once you start to reap the benefits you will be hooked! So let me entice you into the cold water with the all the goss … the benefits, the dos & dont’s and the how to’s. Im hoping to inspire you to take up this exhilarating winter hobby and just see how it impacts your mental health.
So, lets start with the benefits because i’m not kidding when i say there is true magic that arises from immersing yourself in the cold water, for me in particular the ocean but any form of water will do the trick.
I started winter sea swimming through the lock down of 2020; having returned from living in Bali I had the biggest shock when i jumped in the sea mid August - to me it was freezing and as much as the shock excited me I was also really pissed of that I had lost my resilience. So from then on I was determined to swim through the entire winter and in the process i wanted to condition myself to swim san wetsuit, booties and gloves (my stubborn brilliance!).
Little did i know just how much it would change my life
The benefits for myself and most of my friends were huge - physically the feeling was exhilarating and mentally the effects were calming. Stressed? Swim it out. Tired? The cold water will shock you into feeling more woke than ever (in every sense of the word!) Sore muscles - soothe them with the water. And as i became more resilient and my body more in touch with the cold - the sense of simplicity at only needing a swimsuit and towel for my daily dips became my why. Because when its that simple - why not?
Im not kidding when I say, the ocean saved me from the pandemic depression.
Diving under the surface and hearing the peaceful tinkles of the pebbles through the calm waters. Swimming into the beam of the sun or the moon and feeling that light run through my body. The feeling of being weightless as the waves carry me and the swell swept away any heaviness.
The fresh, thrilling shock of the cold waters reminds me with the deepest, most wonderful inhale that I am SO ALIVE.
And that was all the perspective I needed - still need.
I am lucky enough to have a gorgeous group of friends to swim with - met through my classes on the beach and bonded through a love of the sea. Sharing these experiences with like minded people has been the icing on the cake.
Here is what my beautiful Rainbow Dippers have to say about our winter hobby …
Other benefits include -
Boosts immune system
Natural high
Improves circulation
Reduces stress
Meet like minded people
Now enough with the benefits (because I could honestly talk about them all day long!) and more on the how to’s…
Its essential that you prepare yourself properly to make all the transitions as efficient as possible and therefore reducing the risk of getting cold on exiting the water. It doesn’t mean having to fork out on expensive kit such as dry robes and lots of neoprene. Although these do help and can be worth it, I don’t believe you need to much to get started with.
I wrap up cosy on the way down with my cossie on underneath easy to put on layers and a hot water bottle and i’m good to go. I have a Dryrobe because i was fortunate enough to be given one for Christmas a few years ago and i LOVE IT. However this Autumn i purchased a towelling robe and i believe that this is efficient enough with your winter coat on top (and the cost is much less).
The key ingredients however are…
Thick socks and gloves
Baggy clothes
Towelling robe
Winter coat
Wooly hat
Here are my top tips …
And without a doubt the most important part of this article … SAFETY
I cant stress this enough that the ocean has no mercy and is more powerful than anything on this earth. So you must must must treat her with the utmost respect. Educate yourself on rip currents, tides, waves and cold water shock
These websites are brilliant and will help you find confidence in the sea.
So there we have it, i hope you enjoyed reading about my experiences and i hope you are inspired to get in the sea and feel that ocean caress you with its kisses!
So much love
J x
