Cold water swimming and grief
It’s not often that your hobbies collide with real life and provide a ‘support’ to help in difficult times but – this is happening to me.
Back in 2020, when swimming pools were shut and we were all told to stay 2 metres aware from one another, a group of local friends started to swim outdoors at a local lake.
I’d always wanted to try outdoor swimming having swam a lot in a local swimming club growing up but I was scared of the cold and dark water but intrigued to try it. The perfect opportunity opened up when I saw my friends enjoying it and I bravely asked to join them to try it out and I haven’t looked back.
I was terrified the first time – all the wrong gear, not knowing what to expect and worried I would freak out; but I braced myself and tried it and over time, learned to embrace the cold, the distance and I was hooked – swimming in lakes, rivers, outdoor lidos and the sea whenever I got chance.
Not only has it helped make my head ‘lighter’, the sense of achievement, camaraderie, friendship and ‘natural high’ has made cold water swimming a real hobby of mine.
I’ve read a few books on it and the evidence behind cold water swimming is pretty consistent – it helps so many things – depressions, pain, migraine, fatigue, menopause and grief.
The Cold Water Swim Cure by Mark Harper is a great book, sharing the science behind it as well as practical tips around how to get started. He is also on instagram
There is also a great series on BBC called Jules and Greg’s Wild Swim which follows the couple around Scotland’s outdoor swim spots but also covers how cold water swimming has helped a lady in particular with her grief.
Since my Dad died in February 2025, I’ve really felt the pull and urge to be in cold water – almost craving some kind of physical pain to help counteract the pain of him dying. I’m lucky enough to be a member of a local lido which I can access year round so, around work, I try to get there once a week.
It allows me time to focus totally on the sensation of the water and then to shift my focus to Dad to try and process what has happened. I have imaginary conversations with him – telling him how I’m feeling and how much I miss him.
It’s early days so ‘I think’ it is helping to process things – but at the very least, it’s getting me in the water, moving, outside, with friends and doing something for myself.
There are so many ways to get involved and find groups near you – here are a few to get started: