Explore the unique benefits of wild swimming in natural waters.
Whether it’s through romantic poets or modern-day scientists, you’ve likely heard that spending time in nature is beneficial for your mind and body. In recent years, practices that were once daily norms have resurfaced as contemporary wellness trends, from forest bathing to grounding. Now, as the season turns and temperatures drop, another outdoor activity has come into the spotlight: wild swimming.
The practice of wild swimming is nothing new. Centuries ago, swimming in natural lakes, rivers, and ponds was the only way you could swim. For a time, it was even medically advised — in the 18th century, English doctors would recommend swimming in the sea as a treatment for many ailments, including “melancholy.” Even as pools became more commonplace and social norms evolved, many devotees continued to stand by the importance of immersing themselves in wild waters, especially in the cold months. Charles Darwin, poet Charles Baudelaire, and actress Katharine Hepburn — who took daily dips in the Long Island Sound well into her 80s — were all steadfast devotees.
Yet, despite its long history, the research on how open water swimming impacts the body and mind is still very much in its early stages, according to Heather Massey, Ph.D., a senior lecturer and member of the Extreme Environments Laboratory at the University of Portsmouth in England. An avid open water swimmer herself, Massey studies how the environment impacts the body, and is particularly interested in exploring the impact of being in cold water.
“The research in the area is really in its infancy, it’s a relatively unexplored field,” she says. “For example, while there has been research looking at very specific immune function markers that has seen some potentially positive changes from cold water exposure, it’s not been explored what impact that has on the individual’s health, such as, do they have fewer colds?”
While research is still being conducted on the physical benefits of wild swimming, devotees of the practice may tell you that there are mental and spiritual benefits to swimming in natural waters — all of which are harder to quantify. In his 1999 book Waterlog, environmentalist Roger Deakin traces his journey swimming the natural waters of Britain, including the Scottish lochs and English rivers. In part a call to action for preserving the bodies of water, as well as a record of the historic significance of these different locations, the book is a lyrical tribute to the transformative powers of wild swimming. “I grew convinced that following water, flowing with it, would be a way of getting under the skin of things. Of learning something new. I might learn about myself, too,” Deakin writes.
There is some evidence to support the ability of wild swimming to improve mental health and mood, particularly in cold water. In August 2018, a case study was published in the British Medical Journal positing that open water swimming could be used as a treatment for depression after the researchers found that a 24-year-old woman with depression and anxiety reported an immediate improvement in her mood and a gradual reduction in her symptoms after following a program of weekly open cold water swimming.
I grew convinced that following water, flowing with it, would be a way of getting under the skin of things. Of learning something new. I might learn about myself, too.
“There’s a large amount of anecdotal evidence of people having experienced improved mood and reduced mood and poor mental health as a result of their open water swimming,” says Massey. “We don’t know what the mechanism is, but it could have to do with the physiological experience of going into the cold water; it could be related to our stress responses, the cold shock response which you get upon initial immersion or a neural response whereby you have an increase in parasympathetic activity that has quite a calming influence on the body.”
Equally, Massey notes, it could be due to psychological mechanisms at work, perhaps in response to the social experience of open water swimming. In London’s Hampstead Heath, the ponds have been popular swimming spots for centuries, and there are many clubs, long-standing and new, that regularly gather for group swims. In a BBC documentary about the swimmers who brave the ponds every day, no matter the weather, one member of a women's club says: “People in our group alone have gone through divorce, death, illness, job issues — we’ve solved those in going round these ponds.”
"Many people swim socially, and they could be benefiting from being part of a social group, reducing isolation,” says Massey. “It could also be the challenge it provides, or the fact that it’s a complete distraction from what’s going on in daily life. It could even be a placebo effect, which wouldn’t make its impact any less valid.”
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For those looking to embrace open water swimming, Massey stresses that it’s important to understand the risks involved and ensure that you are swimming safely. It’s best practice to get a medical check-up first, particularly to examine any respiratory or cardiovascular concerns. You should also fully assess the safety of the swimming location, including currents and the weather, and never go alone. It’s also important to enter the water gradually, to allow your cold shock to abate before fully immersing yourself. According to Massey, you should limit your exposure to cold water to 10 minutes, no matter how you feel, and immediately wrap yourself in warm, dry clothing after exiting.
For open water swimming novices, Massey advises waiting to start until the warmer months, so you can work your way up to the cold season, as repeated exposure does start to habituate your cold shock response. The good news is you can still reap the mental health benefits without having to take the plunge.
“There are several studies that have looked at just the proximity of people to blue spaces and found that their mood and well-being is greatly improved just with closeness to open water,” says Massey.
In other words, the healing powers of natural waters are never fully out of reach.