STRONGER TOGETHER: Taking the Plunge—Exploring the Benefits of Cold-Water Swimming

"STRONGER TOGETHER" is a weekly column where Tanya explores key issues. This week Tanya discusses the benefits of cold-water swimming, highlighting its ability to reduce stress, aid muscle recovery, and boost dopamine levels.

By IMPACT Community Services Managing Director Tanya O'Shea

Engaging in practices that improve my mental and physical wellbeing are prioritised and always find space in my calendar. Willingly submerging myself in cold water however has never made my top 10 self-care list. Seriously, who really wants to stand under a cold shower, dive into the ocean or plunge into a concrete swimming pool in the middle of winter? 

As a fair-weather swimmer (someone who avoids cold water like the plague), I am constantly in awe of those who embrace a cold-water dip to experience the exhilaration that they get after a swim.

My husband is one such person who loves to swim in the ocean every weekend. We have experienced a few bitterly cold winter weeks recently and it didn’t deter him – the colder the better, no wetsuit to protect him, and not even rain would keep him out of the water. Even when on holidays, it doesn’t matter where we are or what time of year, he is always on the lookout for a beach where he can sneak off for a quick dip.

Swimming at Bargara during winter is considered doable by most locals (average water temperature between 16-20 degrees) once you ‘get used to the water.’  At those temperatures, the water is considered ‘cooler’, with cold water temperatures considered to sit around 15 degrees or below. At this temperature, people will generally feel a chill from the moment they enter the water and may experience ‘an ice-cream headache’, or commonly say ‘I feel like my brain is freezing over.’

My reaction to this whole cold water swimming thing is ‘why on this glorious earth would you?’

Interestingly, there is some solid evidence-based research to support the practice. Science supports anecdotal evidence that there are lasting effects for those willing to embrace an outdoor dip, and people are becoming more aware of how cold-water immersion can positively affect the human body.

So, what is the science telling us?

1. Putting yourself into cold water creates a stress reaction in the body, activating the same ‘fight or flight’ response that we get when we find ourselves in a stressful or harmful situation. The more often we immerse ourselves in cold water, the more acclimatised our body becomes, with our stress reaction becomes less severe as a result. The really cool part is that the reduction in stress – the tolerance that is created when repeatedly immersing ourselves in cold water – is applied to other parts of our life meaning that our reaction to other stressful life events can also be reduced.
2. Fresh off the back of the Olympic Games, it is also noteworthy to mention that elite athletes across the world use ice baths to assist with post-performance recovery. The science tells us that our body reacts to the cold water by directing blood away from our extremities to protect our organs. Low blood flow to our limbs decreases inflammation and allows muscles to recover more quickly.
3. If you asked my husband, the best feeling after a cold dip is wrapping yourself in a towel, putting on your warmest jacket and grabbing a coffee. His post swim high is evident, with science suggesting that mixing exercise with cold water swimming triggers a release of dopamine, the body’s feel-good hormone. There is also a good chance that if you swim with a friend or a small group, your post swim high may be intensified.

Cold water ocean swimming requires a mix of mental and physical fortitude and is certainly not for everyone. In the spirit of embracing new experiences and recognising that the things that we resist most are usually the things that we need most, perhaps it is time to take the plunge. If you happen to see me, please send me some sign of encouragement, and remind me what a great thing I am doing for my health and wellbeing!