I’ve struggled with anxiety in varying degrees of severity for as long as I can remember, and in my early teens that began to manifest itself in the form of intrusive thoughts. Sometimes, they’re small and insignificant like flies that can be swatted away – a bit of a nuisance, but nothing too terrible. But most of the time, they’re much more persistent, not to mention disturbing, which as you can imagine, isn’t overly pleasant.
However often I’m reassured that not only is this is in fact an entirely normal side effect of having a fully functioning human brain, but it’s also very common, I’ve always found this particular side effect of my anxiety mortifying because I get paranoid that other people can see what’s going on inside my head. Luckily though, I’ve not met any mind readers yet.
“Luckily, there’s no shortage of people who struggle with the same thing”
So, picture, if you will, pre-pandemic Oxford Street in London on a hot day in August when you cannot move for loud, sweaty tourists. You’ve had a long day, you’re tired and all you want to do is get to the tube so you can go home, but everyone else seems to have other ideas, so you start to feel a bit claustrophobic and overwhelmed – that’s what my head feels like on a daily basis. I envy people who can meditate and ‘clear their minds’ – it’s something I’ve never been able to do despite trying a whole host of different techniques many, many times. Luckily, there’s no shortage of people who struggle with the same thing, which means there’s a whole host of coping strategies floating around on the internet – Bella Mackie, for instance, is extremely open about how running every day helps her to keep her mental health in check. And, in a move that feels extremely on brand for me, the inspiration for what I consider my chief coping mechanism was a Vogue article by Esther Freud which was in essence, a love letter to the Ladies Pond at Hampstead Heath.
“I don’t think it was a huge surprise to anyone when swimming quickly became a very important coping mechanism for me.”
I’d heard of the concept of cold-water swimming before, of course I had, but reading that article made me rethink my scepticism about the whole thing and I suddenly started wondering whether swimming might help me manage my anxiety. Bear in mind that at the time my options were limited to local leisure centres or the pool at my school, so the cold-water part would have to wait, but it was a start. It wasn’t an overly stupid idea, either – I’ve always loved water. I suspect it all comes down to the fact that, like lots of people, I spent lots of happy summers during my childhood (and still do now) on a Cornish beach, so I’ve always associated it with being relaxed and having a good time. I don’t think it was a huge surprise to anyone when swimming quickly became a very important coping mechanism for me. It wasn’t, however, until I moved to St Andrews for uni just over a year ago that I started to see the full benefits of cold water swimming. And don’t worry, if you’d told me a year and a half ago that I would regularly and, might I add, entirely of my own volition, go swimming in the North Sea, I’d have asked if you were feeling okay – but it’s been a weird year for everyone, so you can’t really rule out anything anymore, can you?
So what actually are these benefits that I keep banging on about?
- Boosts Immune System
There have been many many studies on the effects of cold water swimming on your immune system, and though the results vary, most agree on the fact that there’s a positive impact. Supposedly, cold water forces your body into a mild state of shock, speeding your metabolism up which in turn stimulates your immune system. In response to this, your body produces more white blood cells, helping you fight off illness more quickly. What’s not to love?
- Reduces Stress
As we already know, getting into cold water puts your body into a form of shock, similar to when we’d be in an anxiety provoking situation. And so, you start to produce cortisol (the stress hormone), triggering your automatic flight/fright/freeze response – that’s why you want to scream and run out of the water as quickly as you possibly can. The longer you fight this urge (without doing yourself harm!), the better you acclimatise and can handle it in future – in and out of the water, meaning the next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, your brain can deal with it more easily!
- Reduces Inflammation
Cold water causes your blood vessels to constrict, redirecting blood flow and reducing swelling and inflammation in your body – so, if you’re injured, give it a go!
- Triggers dopamine release
Exposure to cold water activates the hypothalamus – the reward centre of your brain, which in turn produces dopamine (one of the most important mood boosting hormones). Though the ‘runners high’ might be talked about more often, ‘swimmers high’ is a real thing! You’ll start to feel more awake and energised, too.
- Mindfulness
Now, onto my personal favourite side effect. It might not seem like it, but your brain only has a limited capacity to focus on one thing at any one time. Getting into cold water forces you to focus on staying calm, breathing, and staying afloat – any worries you have will be taken off your mind for a blissful few minutes and by the time you get out, you’ll be ready to tackle it head on.
If you do fancy it, make sure to stay safe – check out this handy safety guide before you do, but why not give it a go? It just might be helpful for you, too.
Featured image courtesy of Millie Perry.
Amelia Perry
Amelia (Millie) is a former Editor in Chief here at Empoword Journalism and is a third-year History of Art student at the University of St Andrews where she is the deputy editor at The Saint. Aside from writing, she enjoys true crime podcasts, a good book and attempting to cook.