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Why Winter Swimming Is Not as Dangerous as You Might think
With experience, most of the risks of cold water immersion are within your control
As winter approaches, it seems I’ve been forwarded every article published that warns about the dangers of cold water swimming or dismisses its benefits. The Observer, for example, questions whether cold water swimming is a “health miracle or a high-risk pastime?” (concluding that the evidence is inconclusive while the risks are real), iNews headlined with “We are not designed for 10-degree Celsius water: The hidden dangers of cold-water swimming,” while the Times led with “Experts pour cold water on the benefits of wild swimming.” I suppose that as winter swimming becomes more popular, there will inevitably be a backlash.
Looking at winter swimming rationally, it’s hard to disagree that they have a point: the evidence of the benefits of cold water immersion is largely anecdotal while the risks can be very real. Why would you engage in a high-risk activity whose benefits are unproven?
But this is a simplistic analysis that ignores two important points about cold water swimming: people’s subjective experience of the activity and their ability to control risk.
