I love swimming outside. But I hate being cold. Probably that means I should live somewhere else! Bora Bora was lovely. See above.
The other day this came through my social media newsfeed: The remarkable health benefits of cold water swimming. That article focuses mainly on the mental health benefits of swimming in cold water, especially helping with depression. But it’s also said to be great for relieving the symptoms of menopause.
It’s said to be all the rage: Why wild swimming in depths of winter is the new natural high. I love being outside. I love being in the water. But I prefer it if the water is hot! See Sam’s day at the spa. On my spa day I did dump a couple of buckets of cold water over my head after the too hot sauna but I couldn’t get myself to swim in the river. Next time I’ll try it. Promise.
How about you? Tempted to swim in the cold water outside?
Yep–we swim year around, and in cold water in ATX. I’ve written about that experience (I’m the weenie of the bunch) in a piece called “The Flower Cap Cult” https://leahruns100.com/2018/11/27/the-flower-cap-cult/
Leah, I loved your blog post! Beautifully written, and the photographs are luminous. And I want one of those flower caps! With friends, I think I could manage cold-ish water. Been thinking about getting a wetsuit– will see at the end of this summer.
🙏🏽 the water’s warmest with flowers and friends 💕
Sam, I’m taken by the hardiness and also romanticism of swimming in cold water. But the reality keeps me away… Hopefully I’ll be swimming more this summer, so will see if I end up buying a wetsuit for pond swimming in the fall. It’s a romantic idea (to me).
I love swimming in the cold! I’m hoping that this year is the year I finally make it into the open water at least one day every month (I live in Ottawa, so finding open water can be a challenge in February and March). I find that it takes away all my aches and pains, and the exhilaration of a successful swim, even if it is only for a minute or two, is a huge mood booster. Mind you, that might also come from swimming with a gang of women who have become good friends thanks to our shared love of the open water. It’s not for everyone though, and safety during and after swims is something we are very strict about.