| March 13, 2025

Take the Plunge: Discover the Joy of Cold-Water Swimming

While it’s tempting to retreat indoors during the coldest months, there’s something magical about getting outside and embracing the beauty of winter. This January, as part of our Cloud 9 campaign, we're lifting spirits by looking beyond the grey skies to find moments of pure joy. From misty lakes to windswept beaches, more of us are discovering that winter walks and swims can provide a natural mind-body boost that stays with you long after you've warmed up.

To guide us through the world of cold-water swimming, we've teamed up with dryrobe® – the pioneers behind the world's most advanced change robe and experts in outdoor swimming gear. With their products used by everyone from Olympic athletes to keen wild swimmers, they know a thing or two about making the most of Britain's waters, whatever the weather.

Why Get Outside This Winter?

The benefits of outdoor activity stretch far beyond just keeping fit. Our partners at dryrobe® share the science behind this: "Physical activity is known to reduce all-cause mortality, meaning that cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer is lower in physically active people." Winter might tempt us to hibernate, but these colder months are actually the perfect time to embrace the outdoors. As dryrobe® explains: "The short, dark winter days can negatively impact our mental health, but getting active outside in the sun can really help to combat this. Natural daylight not only provides Vitamin D, which is important for your energy levels and mood, but it also helps to raise our serotonin levels, another one of our body's feel-good chemicals."

Safety First

As enjoyable as wild swimming can be, it’s important to keep safety front of mind with the right preparation: "Make sure you look up the weather conditions and tide times. If possible, check out where you're planning to swim beforehand, so you can find the best place to get in and out, find out how far away your car will be and what the phone signal is like there, and plan how you would get help there if needed." Olympic wisdom comes in handy here too: "Always get out wanting more!” This is Olympic swimming medalist Keri-anne Payne's golden rule. After the initial shock of getting in the water has faded, she gets out. This gives you the best chance to really understand how your body reacts to the cold and you can learn how long you can stay in for.” Before you take the plunge, head over to the RNLI's guide on open water swimming.

Mental Health Magic

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of cold-water swimming is its impact on our mental wellbeing. dryrobe® breaks down the science: "Submerging in water has proven to be a temporary de-stressor. The cold of the water puts your body into 'sympathetic mode', meaning it can only focus on what is happening right then and there, this is your 'fight or flight' response. By handling this short-term stress, and learning to calm your nervous system, your body learns how to remain calm in other stressful situations." The mood boost is real too: "The cold water also increases the production of endorphins, noradrenaline and dopamine in your body, AKA the happy hormones. These can all dramatically improve symptoms of depression."