Cold-water swimming: possible benefits and real risks

On January mornings, on the beaches of Durrës and Vlorë or at Lake Shkodër, you may see a few people going into the water as if it were August. In the Nordic countries and in Britain, cold-water swimming has become a whole movement. But what does science say?

The 2022 review

In 2022 a group of researchers from Norway led by Didrik Espeland analysed 104 studies on voluntary cold-water immersion. They found some possible effects: changes in stress hormones, improvements in insulin sensitivity and some markers of inflammation, and reports of better mood. But they stressed that many studies were small, had few participants, often only men or experienced swimmers, and that it was hard to separate the effect of cold water from the lifestyle of those who practise it.

The danger of the first minutes

The British physiologist Michael Tipton and his colleagues have studied for decades what happens when the body suddenly enters cold water. In the first minutes comes cold shock: an involuntary deep gasp, rapid breathing that cannot be controlled, a rise in heart rate and blood pressure. This can lead to swallowing water, to panic and, in people with heart problems, to dangerous rhythm disturbances. Many drownings in cold water happen precisely in these minutes, not from hypothermia.

Cold water does not forgive haste. Respect for it is the first rule of safety.

The safety rules

1. Talk to your doctor if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, epilepsy or are pregnant.
2. Never swim alone. Always with someone who knows how to help.
3. Enter slowly, not by jumping. Let your breathing settle before swimming.
4. Stay close to the shore and for a short time at first: one to two minutes are enough for beginners.
5. Do not drink alcohol before or after swimming.
6. Warm up slowly after getting out: dry clothes, a warm drink, light movement. Do not go straight into a very hot shower.

For those who want to start

A safer way to get used to the cold is a cold shower at home, which we have written about in another article. It gives an idea of the body's reaction, in a controlled setting. Open-water swimming in winter is better done with an experienced group.