How cold water swimming changed my life
A personal account from Positive Life Coach, Tracy Acock of The Wellbeing Wisdom Club.
“Swimming into the sun has changed me for sure.”
Tracy Acock
Having lived near the sea all my life, I had always said goodbye to the sea at the end of August. The August Bank Holiday meant the end of salty seaside fun. But in 2020 in lockdown of course everything looked different. I discovered no matter what else was going on, I could get my costume and a woolly hat on and feel skin-tingly alive! Winter sea swims and my cold water therapy began.
“no matter how life may be challenging you, getting in the water can somehow give you the space to feel and heal.”
I’ve since learned that no matter how life may be challenging you, getting in the water can somehow give you the space to feel and heal. Nothing feels as bad once you’ve had some of our blue medicine.
You may have watched groups of women getting in the water in all weathers and wondered firstly “why?” closely followed by I would love to give it a go! So many women contact me to say they have also been inspired to get in the water from the life-embracing joy you can see from my photos, words and posts. Certainly, some of my clients have got in the water after 30 years of holding themselves back because of body image and confidence issues and have found a new way of being in the world. I love to encourage women that it is never too late and this is a perfect example. As we head into Autumn, now is a really good to time to start and to acclimatise yourself to the cold.
New possibilities
It’s like a whole new world of possibilities has been opened up. It has led me to adventures big and small. I’ve met so many gorgeous new like-minded women and you become part of a community who feel the same way. We’ve had wild swims, full moon swims and early morning yoga pre-swims.
I’ve been lucky enough to have led ocean meditations on the beach too. We support and encourage each other and it’s an antidote to loneliness too.
When we first moved back to Cornwall I felt lost and isolated at times which can happen at any time of our lives. But now, because of one small decision, life looks and feels very different.
You can find groups such as the Bluetits your area and there are always local groups advertised on Facebook too.
Of course we are not all lucky to live by the sea so please don’t discount rivers, lakes, pools, lidos and cold showers too. Immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi describes that even two cold showers per week can benefit those with inflammatory diseases, and 30 days can reduce infections and improve our immune function. Studies show that getting in the freezing winter ocean waters can boost your metabolism and circulation.
Science is catching up with what us dippers already feel and know.
Cold water swimming can reduce stress and anxiety too. Science is catching up with what us dippers already feel and know. You feel amazing! When you get into cold water your body is in a stress response and the more times you adapt to this – the better equipped you are to deal with stress generally in your day to day life.
Menopause and cold water
There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that cold water can help with menopausal symptoms too. Many women report it can be especially effective for menopausal symptoms such as low mood, joint pain and brain fog too.
Read more here.
Why do we love it?
There is such a connection with nature as you realise you are a very small part of this precious experience we call life. I have talked about the blue gym in a previous blog as the negative ions of being near the sea can uplift us and improve our mental health. Happy hormones such as dopamine and serotonin are released and can help with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Blue Mind is the term used to describe the meditative, calm feeling that comes with being near water. Our brains are made up of 75% water after all!
Image from the The Bluetits Cold Water Swimming Club based in Cornwall, UK
Then there is the camaraderie of shrieking, laughing humans around you. Fun, joy, excitement, gratitude, awe…all these feel-good emotions are releasing feel-good chemicals. Happy hormones such as dopamine and serotonin can help with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Put that together with the benefits on your wellbeing of exercising outdoors and your mind and body will thank you!
“Happy hormones such as dopamine and serotonin can help with symptoms of anxiety and depression.”
Confidence boost
Commit to it. You will feel like a badass as your confidence grows and you will wonder what else you could do. It’s a kind of ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ as the saying goes. Don’t take unnecessary risks but it has definitely been a period of growth for me.
Body acceptance
One of the things I have loved about our way of life is that although we may be feeling confronted at worst and challenged about body image and body confidence – once you are getting undressed in my experience that disappears. You are focused about getting in and staying safe. You are in the “flow”. All ages, shapes and sizes and different lives in the background of course. What brings us all together is the water.
I encourage a silent mantra if you need to “I love my body for all it does for me.”
Mindfulness at its best
Reduce stress and increase your mental wellbeing by being in the moment with all the energising sensations that come with it. The need to focus and a detachment from all the worries and concerns of daily life are left behind. The mindfulness aspect of being in the present moment which creates precious space in our busy minds.
Connect with nature in a new way. That sense of awe when you realise you are smaller than everything yet still connected. When you see a sunrise reflected in the water it stays with you. Swimming into the sun has changed me for sure.
Stay safe
I have now dipped and swam through two winters and of course like everything you live and learn. There are many experts to seek guidance from and I always say do your research and go with an experienced friend, especially those first few times. Here a few tips that make the experience as enjoyable as possible:
Start small. Tell yourself you are only going in for a few minutes. Start with a little paddle if that’s what you need to do.
Forget what others are doing as there are no prizes for getting hypothermia. Leave your ego at the door!
Wear a wetsuit if you want to. There are no rules or judgements. Do what feels right for you at the beginning.
I wouldn’t be without my neoprene boots and woolly hat in winter and most people wear gloves too. I definitely couldn’t live without my robe to get changed in. There are plenty of options and price ranges.
Always have plenty of warm layers to get changed back into and I think Marks & Spencer shares went up with all my thermal vests I’ve purchased.
Take a warm drink and the most important thing is to be aware of the “afterdrop”. This is where your body temp drops after you’ve come out of the water. This is more important often than being IN the water – what happens afterwards to warm up. I’ve got a post-swim routine I stick to avoid this and you will find yours.
Of course stay safe and be sensible. Start small and acclimatise…my winter sea swim is definitely more of a DIP than a swim and that feels totally amazing too. I wear a very uncool woolly hat and I don’t care because that little bit of warmth on my head works. It is recommended you don’t swim alone so if possible meet a friend or at least have a helpful someone on the beach waiting for you.
If it’s rough don’t take risks and always be aware of tides especially on our Cornish coast that can be so unpredictable.
Tracy Acock, Founder of The Wellbeing Wisdom Club
As I said above, there are many groups in Cornwall and having someone to get in with is so important and recommended, especially if you are a newbie. However, I have had to do a lot of it on my own in the past and it hasn’t stopped me. But safety is always the priority.
If it’s rough don’t take risks and always be aware of tides especially on our Cornish coast that can be so unpredictable.
Winter sea swims are inclusive of anyone…any age, shape and size. I am often the first in and the first one out because I have no body fat (very unhelpful here). If you told me I would be defrosting my car to get in the sea in the middle of winter in my swimsuit when the land temp was zero… I would not have believed you a couple of years ago!
So, don’t discount it. Cold water swimming has literally given me skin-tingly- life-affirming LIFE and I am grateful every day. I absolutely recommend!!
FIND OUT MORE…
We asked Tracy what her top resources are for extra insight into understanding Cold Water Swimming and Blue Mind…
BOOK: Taking The Plunge by Anna Deacon and Vicky Allen - Understand the healing nature of wild swimming to encourage you into the water.
PODCAST: Her Spirit and The Joy of Swimming - Coach and Therapist Clare Flaxen stalk about the emotional benefits of cold water swimming.
WATCH: Tonic of the Sea by Katie Maggs - A self exploration BAFTA NOMINATED short documentary.