Get in the Hole. Cold-Water Swimming in Finland.
Can dipping yourself into an icy hole of water really support your mental and physical health?
“Get in the hole”, I instructed my Finnish partner as we sat in the steaming hot sauna. He had been complaining of backache that evening after an afternoon of chopping wood at the cottage. My partner looking quite stressed and a little fearful of the thought of getting in the hole, considered his options before reluctantly and slowly – climbing in.
I can understand his apprehension, after all the 70x90cm hole was cut into 23cm-deep ice on a frozen lake. Peering into the window of the vastly deep, black hole, nothingness peered back. Old wooden ladders protrude from the hole, attached to the summer pier, leading to the heavily laden snow path back to the cottage. Palm-sized lumps of sharp, jagged-edge ice bobble up and down, reaching up to the -10°c air on the surface. “At least there's no wind”, he states as he pushes his shivering naked body down the steps into the icy bath. At least there's a note of positivity. After a few slow, deep breaths and one final courage-finding breath, he plunges his prickly pained body neck deep. Almost instantly, he resurfaces, swiftly up the ladders, tactfully avoiding slipping on the icy snow path, and retreats with his towel back to the sauna.
Why would I advise him to do this? The people of Finland have been doing this for hundreds of years. Combining their love of the sauna with the almost unthinkable act of dipping their bodies into an ice-cold lake bath (sometimes even done WITHOUT a sauna). The Finns believe the physical and mental benefits of ice-dipping, outweigh those thirty seconds of initial moments of pain sensations felt throughout the body. Apparently, this is good for you.
Whilst living in Finland, I have heard repeatedly, that swimming in that unwelcoming, numbing ice bath that - this is the cure for my aches, pains, and anxiety. That having a quick dip can relieve physical pain, reduce my tension, increase my blood circulation and improve my immune system. It can improve my mood, reduce my stress, reduce my fatigue, oh and finally — it can also help me lose weight. If a quick dip in an ice bath can cure all my ailments, I might not ever have to see a doctor again, but how true are the claims?
Cold-water swimming has become popular in recent years and although countries such as the Nordics have been engaging in this sport for hundreds of years — some people are pretty new to it. And so is the science. Although there isn’t much evidence to support the benefits of cold-water swimming so far — the evidence, like the popularity of the sport — is growing.
So, the cold can improve our happiness
Hear me out. Dipping into the icy lake bath didn’t necessarily make me feel happier in that specific moment (I was probably too focused on actually getting in the water), yet I was proud of myself. I had achieved the goal of trying this barmy activity. After one dip in the water (well four mini-dips), it’s hard to say whether it was the effect of the water or the feeling of achievement that made me feel happy. If I had remained longer in the water at a slightly warmer temperature I might have noticed a certain improvement in my mood but either way, I was happy that evening.
What if I did this on a regular basis?
Many cold-water swimmers claim that regular swimming relieves stress, enhances mood, and generally can be used to improve symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can have a positive effect on our mental health and also be used as a form of anti-depressant.
Cold-water swimming can produce more:
- serotonin (a mood stabiliser that controls happiness and well-being, not enough can cause depression)
- dopamine (the chemical that makes us feel pleasure, satisfaction, motivation)
- oxytocin (the hormone that produces love and trust)
This sounds like a ticket to happiness. After all, I can’t imagine many people wanting to put themselves through this extreme winter activity without reaping in the benefits.
Hmm, but what about stress? Actually, cold-water swimming can be used as a form of meditation. Imagine the moment of submerging your body into the icy cold water. In that moment, you are focused on the senses in your body, you are controlling your breathing- ensuring your breaths are slow and steady, you feel the ice brushing against your back and the cold sensation rising from your feet to your chest. This is meditation. You are in the moment. You are aware of your surroundings. You are not thinking about your task list, emails, or clients. You are meditating.
The cold can also relieve our physical pain
So, I was quite happy that evening. Proud of my achievement, feeling relaxed, and enjoying the silence of the Finnish countryside. And my partner’s back pain? It went away.
Some swimmers claim that regular cold-water swimming can reduce physical pain, tension, fatigue, and improve circulation in the body. The claims have some support — after four months of engaging in a regular cold-water swim, participants in this study, who suffered rheumatism, fibromyalgia, or asthma all reported pain relief.
If I go to the gym and overdo it (rarely I admit), the next day I am bound to wake up with some sore muscles, and the go-to? Ice packs. Blood vessels constrict when ice packs are applied and that reduces blood flow to the sore area, thus reducing the inflammation in the sore muscles. Imagine the ice hole as a giant ice pack. As my partner (remember, reluctantly) climbed into the water, the cold water may have reduced the inflammation in his muscles, tendons, and joints via constricting the blood flow. Returning to the sauna then soothes the muscles, as the heat opens the blood vessels, allowing the muscles the recover and become less stiff.
Relieving pain may be a combination of both using the sauna and dipping in the ice. It may be the combination of the length of time and the temperature of the water which makes all the difference. It may just be an increase in the body’s norepinephrine (the chemical which releases the stress hormone) leading to a reduced perception of pain. Either way — it may be worth a try.
The cold connects us
Have you ever felt more calm, collected, and at ease when taking a beachfront walk or looking out over a seascape? How about stood at a lakeside or riverbank? Blue mind is a theory that just being near water can make us feel more connected, happier, and healthier. I can attribute to this.
Five years ago I moved the coastal capital city of Helsinki from inland England. I spend weekends hiking in the forest, near bodies of lakes or coasts — and when I don’t go, I yearn for this again. On the long summer days, I spend my workday evenings sat on rocky islands, watching the people go by. I feel in the moment and connected to the people I am with, relaxing and chatting. Just by being near the water, I am calm, collected and at ease.
Is it dangerous to swim in the cold? How do I do it?
There is some technique to swimming in near minus temperatures. Some of you might read this and think, “jump in, let’s go!”, but please don’t do that. That is dangerous. Cold water shock is when the body undergoes sudden immersion in cold water — and that can lead to hypothermia and drowning. If you have a heart condition you may want to think twice — take it easy, chat with a doctor before you try it. Immersion in cold water pushes our bodies into a flight-or-fight response. When taking those first steps down into the ice — our brain is informed that we are in cold water. Blood is then redistributed from our arms and legs to our brains and chests to conserve oxygen.
Acclimatising yourself to cold water is the key to being able to engage in cold-water swimming on a regular basis. Many people think that cold water swimmers swim long and far, but in reality, many swimmers dip into the cold icy water for only a few seconds to a minute before retreating back to the joyous warmth of the land (usually the sauna). If you’re an athlete, your body may be fit enough to take a little swim in the plunging temperature, but if you’re a non-athlete, a 10–30 second dip will suffice. It is also common in the Nordic countries to spot people swimming in a woolly hat and even woolly socks sometimes. Although, if you decide you are passionate enough to do this on a regular basis, you might want to invest in some neoprene gloves and socks to protect your delicate fingers and toes.
If you don’t have the luxury of returning to the sauna, be sure to have a dry set of warm clothes ready (lots of dry woollies) for when you have finished swimming. Then, get yourself a hot drink, a nice snack and bask in your good mood, enjoy your ache-free body, and put all the extra energy you have into something fun for the day. After all, this is the end game — the justification for the absurdity of the swim. And the next time someone instructs you to “get in the hole”, you might want to do just that.
