Winter swimming; give your health a boost

Why winter swimming? Yes, why jump into ice-cold water when you can swim in the mild water of summer? Because the latter is exactly what we already have enough of. In our modern lifestyle we have become accustomed to comfort and warmth. The result is that the body and more specifically the immune system is lulled to sleep. And yet this defense mechanism is of great importance for health, because it combats pathogens in the body.

Operation

How exactly does it work? When you enter the ice-cold water, the body is subjected to extreme stress, everything is done to save the body from the cold. The body produces stress hormones, including adrenaline (survival instinct) and cortisol (active in the immune system). These are substances that give you a happy and calm feeling as soon as you are back on dry land.
Of course, to exchange your warm clothes for swimming trunks you also have to go through a mental barrier. Winter swimming is the combination of physical and mental victory and it turns out to be very healthy.

Winter swimming is done in water that is preferably colder than five degrees Celsius. The water then has the most vitalizing effect on body and mind. An effect that is also compared to the state of being of meditation. Although swimming receives more attention than before, it is a fairly unique phenomenon in the Netherlands. There are known cases of (groups of) swimmers who persevere in the winter, but there is no swimming tradition such as that which exists in, for example, the Scandinavian countries, the Baltic states and Russia. We don’t have the harsh winters they do either. But make no mistake, winter swimming is possible even without ice.

Wim Hof

The biggest advocate of cold training at the moment is of course Wim Hof, better known as the Iceman. The Dutchman has broken record after record in recent years, by, among other things, climbing Kilimanjaro and Mont Blanc in swimming trunks and by publicly locking himself in a box of ice for as long as possible. He also ran a half marathon on ice barefoot. He manages to achieve this, he says, through meditation and physical training. However enviable, such extensive training is not necessary for winter swimming, but more on that later.

The swimming water

In practice it appears that water roughly assumes the 24-hour temperature of the air. For inland water, such as in the Dutch peat lakes, this means that the water temperature passes the limit of five degrees Celsius for the first time in November. Cold nights, often with night frost, contribute to a sharp drop in the water temperature. Different standards apply to seawater and river water, as they are also strongly influenced by other factors, such as meltwater, rainfall and large water volumes. Other factors such as water depth, current, wind and degree of precipitation also play a role. The influence of precipitation on the water temperature is strong, so don’t be surprised!

If you want to be well prepared, it can be useful to use a thermometer (e.g. a cooking thermometer) to check the water temperature. The situation on land is also important for swimming. The air temperature largely determines the cooling that your wet body suffers when you step out of the water. Experience shows that common sense can be used to determine very well where your limits lie.

Preparation

If you plan to go swimming in the winter, it is wise to practice in October and November. Swim two or three times a week so that you experience the (sometimes large) differences in water and air temperature. The fact is that your body releases heat up to twenty times faster to water than to air. For this reason, professional swimmers swim in a full-body swimsuit at water temperatures of around twenty degrees.

As it gets colder, it is wise to slowly shorten the distance you swim. An example from practice; In October you can easily swim seventy-five meters in one go, in November this can drop to around forty meters depending on the temperatures. While when the water approaches freezing point, a lane of twenty-five meters is sufficient. Sometimes you swim it twice, depending on the circumstances. A common indicator is not to swim longer than the temperature in minutes. Never swim in a place where you cannot easily get out of the water. A beach or stairs is a must in case the muscles cramp or something unexpectedly goes wrong.

Good preparation is half the battle, see table 1 for indication values of hypothermia specified by the Royal Dutch Rescue Company (KNRM). Please note, these are absolute extremes!

Table 1

Before swimming, it is a good idea to inform yourself extensively about hypothermia. Hypothermia can be recognized by symptoms and it is good to know them. You cannot always avoid mild hypothermia (36-34°C) with winter swimming, these are symptoms that everyone has experience with, such as chattering teeth and shivering. Mild to moderate symptoms are something to be wary of, because they disrupt your functioning and can therefore pose a danger to your health. Experience shows that you know it when you have them. See table 2 for an overview:

Table 2

Warm up before and afterwards

Before you go swimming, it is important for your muscles that you warm up thoroughly. It is important that your muscles are warm before you enter the cold water, otherwise cramps or muscle pain may occur. A good indicator of a warm body is warm hands and feet. Remember that they are the most vulnerable to cold, although sensitivity varies from person to person. It can be nice to warm up injury packs (hot-cold packs) and take them with you to the swimming location. When the clothes are back on, they can stimulate blood circulation again so that you go home with warm hands and feet. What also helps for your feet is to walk a bit afterwards before getting in the car or on your bike.
An additional tip is not to keep the head under water too much. A dive cannot hurt, but if you immerse for a longer period of time you will notice that it causes dizziness and other discomforts. This is probably due to the contraction of the blood vessels in the brain.

Do’s and don’ts:

• Do not swim alone if you have little experience and/or extreme temperatures
• Warm up your body well in advance
• Don’t be rushed or pressured to swim longer than feels good, everyone has different limits
• Keep a close eye on hypothermia symptoms (in the beginning).
• Preferably go swimming in a place where you can get out of the water via a beach or steps
• Always carry a phone ‘just in case’
• Take the swimming distances into account, past results do not guarantee future results. Precipitation in particular can mean that you can suddenly no longer swim the same distances as before.
• Gear: bring slippers, as wet surfaces and/or snow and ice cool your feet very much. In case of cold, make sure you have a hat and/or scarf and good gloves. Cold hands or feet; Bring hot/cold packs in a towel.

Important!

People with heart complaints and thyroid or kidney complaints are advised to contact a doctor before bathing in cold water.

read more

• The Iceman; the Wim Hof method