Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

Cold water swimming and mental health

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45487187

Interesting, but I think I'll stick to medication.

Having said that, I do love swimming in the sea - so maybe there's something in it. But where is there for cold water swimming locally?

Comments

  • Pleased for the lady in the article. I do wonder if it’s just the endorphins being released through exercise though and the fact she took to it and has carried on, means that it’s just a natural form of exercise on a consistent basis that is helping alleviate some of the depression she had.

    If it helps her then why not suggest to other people.

    I believe there are any number of treatments that could benefit people, so the more out there, the better.

    Not sure of local place arsene, where are you based?
  • cabbles said:

    Pleased for the lady in the article. I do wonder if it’s just the endorphins being released through exercise though and the fact she took to it and has carried on, means that it’s just a natural form of exercise on a consistent basis that is helping alleviate some of the depression she had.

    If it helps her then why not suggest to other people.

    I believe there are any number of treatments that could benefit people, so the more out there, the better.

    Not sure of local place arsene, where are you based?

    Near Swanley

    By the way - didn't mean to put this under general Charlton :)
  • Last month me and my missus were staying in a camper van on the western isles.
    With no shower facilities and not a person in sight, I decided to use the North Sea off Tolsta as my personal bath.
    I was only in there for max ten minutes, but it was truly invigorating. Left me relaxed and refreshed.

    No question that I would if I could do this more often.
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45487187

    Interesting, but I think I'll stick to medication.

    Having said that, I do love swimming in the sea - so maybe there's something in it. But where is there for cold water swimming locally?

    Depends where you live in/around London. I know there will be open water swimming at Beckenham Place Park once the lake project is completed sometime next Spring. Otherwise there is the Royal Docks or The Sepentine.
  • Swimming in moderately cool water is the best exercise in my view
  • Leybourne Lakes or Holborough Lakes are the nearest i know of - getting colder though!
  • PopIcon said:

    Last month me and my missus were staying in a camper van on the western isles.
    With no shower facilities and not a person in sight, I decided to use the North Sea off Tolsta as my personal bath.
    I was only in there for max ten minutes, but it was truly invigorating. Left me relaxed and refreshed.

    No question that I would if I could do this more often.

    Good excuse for it being like a button mushroom down there too.
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45487187

    Interesting, but I think I'll stick to medication.

    Having said that, I do love swimming in the sea - so maybe there's something in it. But where is there for cold water swimming locally?

    Depends where you live in/around London. I know there will be open water swimming at Beckenham Place Park once the lake project is completed sometime next Spring. Otherwise there is the Royal Docks or The Sepentine.
    Is there a lake in Beckenham Place Park.......I can’t remember there being one.....whereabouts is it?
    I know The Ravensbourne runs through it but didn’t know there’s a lake.
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45487187

    Interesting, but I think I'll stick to medication.

    Having said that, I do love swimming in the sea - so maybe there's something in it. But where is there for cold water swimming locally?

    Depends where you live in/around London. I know there will be open water swimming at Beckenham Place Park once the lake project is completed sometime next Spring. Otherwise there is the Royal Docks or The Sepentine.
    Is there a lake in Beckenham Place Park.......I can’t remember there being one.....whereabouts is it?
    I know The Ravensbourne runs through it but didn’t know there’s a lake.
    They're building it now, some doubts locally that there'll ever be open swimming there as it's being build on contaminated land.

    Then again people in Beckenham love a moan, so it could be fine.

    Remarkable how much cold, fresh water can invigorate you. I love an early morning dip when away, makes you feel like you can do anything that day.
  • cabbles said:

    Pleased for the lady in the article. I do wonder if it’s just the endorphins being released through exercise though and the fact she took to it and has carried on, means that it’s just a natural form of exercise on a consistent basis that is helping alleviate some of the depression she had.

    If it helps her then why not suggest to other people.

    I believe there are any number of treatments that could benefit people, so the more out there, the better.

    Not sure of local place arsene, where are you based?

    Near Swanley

    By the way - didn't mean to put this under general Charlton :)
    White Oaks always freezing :wink:
  • Sponsored links:


  • The Thames.
  • The Thames.

    good luck with the currents!
  • The Thames.

    good luck with the currents!
    This one's raisin a good point
  • a related book which has been on my to read list for a while
  • I dared myself over three years ago to take a dip in the sea every single month for a year. Rules: no wetsuit - just trunks; shoulders under, at least one minute in the sea. I'm into my fourth year of regular sea swimming now and can confirm, it's great for mental well-being. The worst months are February and March when the temperature has gone down to 5 degrees but that coldness gives the biggest buzz. Several colleagues have joined me to see what all the fuss is about.

    Highly recommend it.
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45487187

    Interesting, but I think I'll stick to medication.

    Having said that, I do love swimming in the sea - so maybe there's something in it. But where is there for cold water swimming locally?

    Depends where you live in/around London. I know there will be open water swimming at Beckenham Place Park once the lake project is completed sometime next Spring. Otherwise there is the Royal Docks or The Sepentine.
    Is there a lake in Beckenham Place Park.......I can’t remember there being one.....whereabouts is it?
    I know The Ravensbourne runs through it but didn’t know there’s a lake.
    They're building it now, some doubts locally that there'll ever be open swimming there as it's being build on contaminated land.

    Then again people in Beckenham love a moan, so it could be fine.

    Remarkable how much cold, fresh water can invigorate you. I love an early morning dip when away, makes you feel like you can do anything that day.
    Actually Eddie they are simply refurbishing an already existing lake......which is more or less split into two separate stretches.
    I have looked on the web and sure enough the lake has been there for many year.
    To think I have been within a few hundred yards of it countless times both as a kid and an adult and never knew it was there.....I’m having trouble believing it to be honest.....but there’s no getting away from it, it’s true.
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45487187

    Interesting, but I think I'll stick to medication.

    Having said that, I do love swimming in the sea - so maybe there's something in it. But where is there for cold water swimming locally?

    Depends where you live in/around London. I know there will be open water swimming at Beckenham Place Park once the lake project is completed sometime next Spring. Otherwise there is the Royal Docks or The Sepentine.
    Is there a lake in Beckenham Place Park.......I can’t remember there being one.....whereabouts is it?
    I know The Ravensbourne runs through it but didn’t know there’s a lake.
    They're building it now, some doubts locally that there'll ever be open swimming there as it's being build on contaminated land.

    Then again people in Beckenham love a moan, so it could be fine.

    Remarkable how much cold, fresh water can invigorate you. I love an early morning dip when away, makes you feel like you can do anything that day.
    Actually Eddie they are simply refurbishing an already existing lake......which is more or less split into two separate stretches.
    I have looked on the web and sure enough the lake has been there for many year.
    To think I have been within a few hundred yards of it countless times both as a kid and an adult and never knew it was there.....I’m having trouble believing it to be honest.....but there’s no getting away from it, it’s true.
    Then you learn something new every day. I thought it was on the site of an old lake, just that it hadn't been there. Used to play golf there a few years ago and can't remember water hazards at all.

    But then I never knew there was an ornamental garden there either til they closed the golf course.

    It's going to be a great park when finished.
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45487187

    Interesting, but I think I'll stick to medication.

    Having said that, I do love swimming in the sea - so maybe there's something in it. But where is there for cold water swimming locally?

    Depends where you live in/around London. I know there will be open water swimming at Beckenham Place Park once the lake project is completed sometime next Spring. Otherwise there is the Royal Docks or The Sepentine.
    Is there a lake in Beckenham Place Park.......I can’t remember there being one.....whereabouts is it?
    I know The Ravensbourne runs through it but didn’t know there’s a lake.
    They're building it now, some doubts locally that there'll ever be open swimming there as it's being build on contaminated land.

    Then again people in Beckenham love a moan, so it could be fine.

    Remarkable how much cold, fresh water can invigorate you. I love an early morning dip when away, makes you feel like you can do anything that day.
    Actually Eddie they are simply refurbishing an already existing lake......which is more or less split into two separate stretches.
    I have looked on the web and sure enough the lake has been there for many year.
    To think I have been within a few hundred yards of it countless times both as a kid and an adult and never knew it was there.....I’m having trouble believing it to be honest.....but there’s no getting away from it, it’s true.
    Then you learn something new every day. I thought it was on the site of an old lake, just that it hadn't been there. Used to play golf there a few years ago and can't remember water hazards at all.

    But then I never knew there was an ornamental garden there either til they closed the golf course.

    It's going to be a great park when finished.
    Agreed. Lots of work going on in that park and will be awesome when (if) completed. Been running up by Ravensbourne Station and through the park the last few days and been impressed. Sprucing up the Mansion as well it looks like.
  • Leybourne Lakes or Holborough Lakes are the nearest i know of - getting colder though!

    The dive school at Holborough Lakes is currently closed whilst construction is ongoing. Bloody beautiful lake though (I live here)

    Leybourne Lakes I’m not sure about but have often seen people swimming there. Also lovely surroundings
  • I switched to cold showers last October and think that has had mental health benefits.
  • Sponsored links:


  • Dont know about mental health but been in the sea round the UK quite a few times this year and the coldness gives a great temporary numbing of the arthritis in my fingers.

    Have a feeling Mehmet might follow up on this...
  • Reminds of one of those stories Billy Connelly used to recant in his shows, about how as kids on visits to the seaside his mum would give them a pair of woolly swimming trunks she’d knitted herself and let them go and swim in the North Sea...and how, when he was telling the story and, relating it to the oil industry, anybody going into the North Sea was told to wear loads of protective clothing and to not stay in it too long otherwise they’ll freeze to death.
  • I swam at the lakes over somewhere near Teddington I think a few years back as i was training to do the swim leg of a triathlon at one of Kent's castles. It was lovely but it was summer and most are closed for the winter. Different to sea swimming though.

    Can always go for a dip in charlton lido which although is heated i imagine pretty bloody cold in December and January.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Roland Out Forever!