During the pandemic, we witnessed a revival of an ancient practice that has extraordinary health benefits for both the body and mind: winter swimming. The tidal wave of technology and a lack of personal connection seems to be overwhelming our world, but the recent revival of this popular trend clearly shows us that people are looking to feel good, and to go back to basics. We all seem to be seeking a connection to our roots, to nature, and to reset the balance of a peaceful mind, as well as contact with other humans.
Yet still the idea of swimming in icy water leaves many people wide eyed and open mouthed as though it were only for adrenaline junkies. Why should we swim in freezing cold water? What’s the point of venturing out into the great outdoors to suffer the cold when we can just stay home and enjoy a nice warm bath?
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself in front of a frozen lake on a cold winter’s day. You undress, and plunge in, up to your shoulders. It sounds hellish, doesn’t it? So, then you’ll probably be thinking: what’s the point?
To most of us warm blooded humans, winter swimming might seem like a very bizarre, if not dangerous thing to do. In many countries around the world, deliberate cold exposure is still uncommon, or even unknown. In fact, most of us grow up thinking that cold water is painful, that cold weather can make us ill, and that even a cold shower is something we would never subject ourselves to. Rather than learning to understand and use the benefits of cold exposure for its health benefits, most of us do everything possible to steer clear of it.
In her book Winter Swimming, Danish author Susanna Søberg introduces a new and exciting perspective to help open our minds to the possibility of trying this beneficial practice. Swimming in cold water can provide countless health benefits, and has been proven to contribute to our overall happiness. Winter swimming is also a social activity that makes us physically stronger, and helps to enhance weight loss, as well as having many benefits for our mental health. The key message from this book is that you don’t need to be a superhero or a professional athlete to enjoy the benefits of cold water swimming. It’s for (almost) everyone.
So how do you get started? The first thing you can do is learn from the best, by following the Nordic method. Next, familiarise yourself with the precautions you need to take to avoid making any of the usual ‘beginners’ mistakes. Last but not least, stop thinking about it, and just do it. Unless you try it for yourself, you’ll never know what it feels like.
