The joys of cold water?

I have always loved swimming in the sea. Maybe it was something to do with growing up in London and the excitement of going to the beach as a kid. Maybe it is because I am a water sign, Scorpio and feel drawn to it. Maybe it is just my happy place, where I feel alive.

To be honest it doesn´t really matter. But I do feel the need to explain a bit since it has become so fashionable to be a sea or cold water swimmer in recent times. For which I am grateful as it has kind of given me the green light to do it year round!

I have to admit I had forgotten about my joy of sea swimming & the beach after having kids although I did take them fairly regularly I told myself it was for their benefit, but now I realise it was also for mine. When we moved to over an hour from the nearest beach in Costa Rica I sorely missed being close to water, the pool has never cut it for me (first world problems, for sure!)

Just before Covid I stumbled across Wim Hof or the ice man as he is often called and practiced some of his breathing exercises before I braved having a (brief) cold shower. The cold shower never did it for me, it was just something I dreaded and eventually gave up on.

After that sea swimming outside of the summer months was mainly on Christmas Day and the occasional dip with a friend when we were feeling it.

In February with Sober Socials we had a walk and dip and I loved it, especially on a sunny day and wondered why I didn´t do it more often. Increasingly people were asking about it too and so I found myself planning to go in again with some friends and have now been in the sea/pool for 12 days straight (even when it was raining today).

Why do I do it?

I now go in without thinking about it, it is just what I have decided to do.

Whilst in the water I can´t say I don´t feel the cold, it just doesn´t matter to me, I now know it passes and before long I don´t feel it.

That plus I know how I feel afterwards.

Reinvigorated.

Free.

Awake.

Alive.

For someone who spends quite a lot of time in their head (if I am not careful) swimming puts me firmly in my body.

That energised and invigorated feeling lasts me all day. Even now I can feel my body is buzzing from this morning´s swim. That´s pretty good self-care going for a totally natural and pretty much free activity!

And that´s before all the health benefits the ´experts´ tell us about:

First, it can boost mood. Brief cold exposure increases dopamine and noradrenaline, which can leave you feeling more alert and surprisingly upbeat afterwards. It definitely helps with my get up and go and an attitude that I can and will do hard stuff!

Apparently it may also support our immune systems and stress resilience. Regular, short bursts of cold act like controlled stress for the body, which can help your nervous system become less reactive over time. For women juggling work, family and everyone else’s feelings, that steadier baseline can be gold for us.

There’s also some evidence it can reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, which is helpful if you’re active or navigating any aches & pains. And many women report improved circulation and better sleep when they keep it consistent (though not right before bed!) Judging by the number of women I have spoken to recently about poor and disrupted sleep, this is also a massive benefit.

That said the benefit for each and every one of us (as with any exercise/activity) is very personal. The best way to know is to try, usually more than once. And if we are relucant or resistant to tune into whether that is fear or something else.

If you are local to Benalmadena/Fuengirola/Costa del Sol – you are always very welcome to join the Saltwater Sisters where a supportive ´come as you are´ community get together to swim, connect and more together (plus we all have a hot drink after – I provide 🙂

If you aren´t local and want to give it a go either in the sea, lake, pool or shower the recommendation is to start gently.

If the temperature is not quite as balmy as the 15 degrees we have in the sea currently then start with 30 seconds of cold water at the end of a warm shower, if cold/ice water always make sure you are nearby others. And with all do make sure you get medical advice if you have heart conditions or uncontrolled blood pressure.

Of course the Saltwater Sisters is not just about sea swimming / dipping – it is also about having a supportive community of women around us that is so important at any age or stage – but particularly in midlife and navigating the ups and downs. I find it so essential as I work mainly from home which can feel a little isolating at times if I am not careful. We also exploring doing some breathwork, reflection and movement together to boost all the feels before and after our swim. Do check us out if you are keen to find out more or to start your own sisterhood!

In the meantime I will be continuing with my solo and group swims – my portal to feeling joy, alive, in nature and all its wonder. I know it sounds a little evangelical and some days I will not want to go in and probably won´t, but for now, at least, the cold water is way more enticing than my routine without it.

Are you a cold water bather or experimenting with it? Would love to hear your thoughts, comments, questions below.

With love,

Em

Images my own and Klara Kulikova on Unsplash