“Into the water I go
to lose my mind
and find my soul”
Wild swimming for wellbeing
The benefits of swimming in nature are praised by health experts worldwide, and the burgeoning trend of people plunging into lakes, ponds, rivers and the sea shows no sign of abating.
Physical benefits of wild swimming
Improved circulation, stronger immunity, pain management and reduced joint and muscle pain. Plus you just feel amazing afterwards, in a brilliant tingly way.
Mental health benefits of wild swimming
The anecdotal evidence of improved mental wellbeing is extensive, with more reports all the time. It relieves stress, improves motivation and reduces anxiety. People who cold swim or wild swim regularly report a “need” to return again and again to reap the benefits.
Many use seemingly extravagant language like “it saves my life”, but they really mean it. I definitely notice an edginess and lack of focus if a week goes by and I haven’t dipped, and the moment of sinking into cold water is like the exhalation at the beginning of a yoga or meditation session, like all the stress has been drained away in one out-breath.
Social benefits of wild swimming
These are basically that you get to meet a whole bunch of other brilliant, slightly mad people, all sharing the same intense experience of immersing themselves in cold water in the great outdoors. The community that grows around wild swimming is strong, supportive, and non-judgemental. There is something truly inclusive within cold swimming groups, and deep friendships form more quickly than in many other hobbies.
Spiritual wellbeing
Wild swimming involves being fully immersed in nature. When you walk or run in nature, you are still positioned as an observer to the scene, but when you swim, you’re right in the midst of it all. Plus there are the somewhat magical properties of cold water. Plenty of cultures have used cold water immersion as a means of spiritual purification.
For many swimmers, their relationship with the water is profound, perhaps even mysterious, and cannot be reduced to a simple list of ‘benefits’. In that regard, it absolutely falls into the realm of spirituality, whatever you may or may not believe about the big questions in life.
Wild swimming is more than just taking a dip; it’s about connection. Connection to nature and to ourselves. Silent moments of calm as you float beneath a cloudless sky, birdsong echoing over the water, chasing away anxiety and stress. Deep breaths that fill your lungs and soul, making you feel alive, present and free.
But perhaps the greatest connection is that with others; the community that grows from the shared experience of choosing the icy bite of cold against your skin, the joint shrieks and cries of joy and pain, awakening every inch of you. Followed by shared flasks of tea with friends old and new.
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