I was recently on a podcast, The Missing Peace with Becca Guy We talked about all things Wild Swimming, The Lake District and the joy of being outside. We also covered the mental health benefits of Wild Swimming, something I don’t often share.
The mental health benefits of wild swimming are not unknown. There’s a study in the British Medical Journal about swimming as a treatment for depressive disorders it claims that patients with diagnosed depression who have taken on a course of Wild Swimming has meant ‘an immediate improvement in mood following each swim and a sustained and gradual reduction in symptoms of depression, and consequently a reduction in, and then cessation of, medication.’ (Christoffer van Tulleken et al., 2018) Plus, it’s been in vogue.
The is a simplification of the entire piece but sums up the benefits and what could be life-changing for a lot of people. In The Missing Peace podcast Becca asked me why I swim, something I’ve been asked a lot of times. I normally answer with something funny to my friends like ‘I just love always having wet hair,’ or a little more serious with clients ‘it is a great way to get outside and be in nature’ but I rarely bring up how it makes me feel.
I was recently on a podcast, The Missing Peace with Becca Guy We talked about all things Wild Swimming, The Lake District and the joy of being outside. We also covered the mental health benefits of Wild Swimming, something I don’t often share.
The mental health benefits of wild swimming are not unknown. There’s a study in the British Medical Journal about swimming as a treatment for depressive disorders it claims that patients with diagnosed depression who have taken on a course of Wild Swimming has meant ‘an immediate improvement in mood following each swim and a sustained and gradual reduction in symptoms of depression, and consequently a reduction in, and then cessation of, medication.’ (Christoffer van Tulleken et al., 2018) Plus, it’s been in vogue.
The is a simplification of the entire piece but sums up the benefits and what could be life-changing for a lot of people. In The Missing Peace Podcast Becca asked me why I swim, something I’ve been asked a lot of times. I normally answer with something funny to my friends like ‘I just love always having wet hair,’ or a little more serious with clients ‘it is a great way to get outside and be in nature’ but I rarely bring up how it makes me feel.
The singular motion of breathing in and out until you feel ready to swim is stillness. Sometimes a moment of peace after a long day, or a time to listen to the water and nature around you. For myself, it is one of the only times my brain is quiet. I would describe myself as having a busy brain. Whilst I’m typing this I am also listening to music and making a mental to-do list for tomorrow whilst trying to remember the lyrics to that Steps song I really liked as a child. The cold water is one of the only times my brain isn’t like this. Some days that feels strange but now I have grown to love it and look forward to those minutes.
The mental health benefits of Wild Swimming are similar to those when you immerse yourself in Nature. You could be running, walking, dancing in the park, climbing, canoeing or whatever floats your boat (intended pun.) In lockdown we had daily walks for our mental health. It’s been proven that seeing the colour green and blue release happy hormones in your brain and the sounds of birds and water too.
I have never appreciated my surroundings as much as I do now and feel so honoured and privileged to live in The Lake District surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the UK. Wild Swimming in it honestly feels like a dream sometimes and I think it makes me a better person.
Somebody presses the reset button in my brain each time I get in cold water and I know I’m not alone. Giving my constantly-whirring brain a well needed break is needed each week. I have been very lucky on the whole with my general mental health, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t have bad days or weeks. This lifts me out of it. Makes me a human again.
