“One study, conducted in Britain in 2020, reported that swimming in the cold ocean reduced depressed mood up to 10 times as much as it did in a group of controls who watched the swimmers from the beach”
Swim anytime 9am - 11am this Sunday 29th OCT for the next Serotonin Swim of the season at the historic Jesus Green Lido.
Swim 1 length or more. Get your stamp, sticker and edible reward!
Water will be about 12 degrees. Sunshine forecast. Sauna ready.
Check out the photo at the foot of this email! - Thank you Di!
As It Gets Colder
As the waters gets colder it’s important to make adjustments to your swim. These adjustments will be personal preference. Some people are in full wetsuits, others in gloves and boots, double hats (two swim caps) or bobble hats. Do what works for you. It’s your swim, your body, your experience. I’m currently still in skins with double hat but I think I’ll be in a wetsuit within the next 2 weeks. One thing I’d recommend to everyone is to swim less lengths then normal. Give your body time to adjust.
Isn’t the sauna cheating? Someone asked me last week. No way! I replied. Cold water swimming is different for everyone. There is no single ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do it. At it’s core is the courage to try. To feel the trepidation and get in anyway. To remind ourselves that discomfort is temporary, that pain passes and often in it’s wake leaves a renewed sense of appreciation and connection to the things that matter most.
"Admiration is a form of recognition we give to others but often withhold from ourselves." - Adam Phillips
Do what you can and know that it’s enough.
First Serotonin Swim?
Please book your swim via the Better site here (they manage the pool). This makes it much quicker to get in on the day.
Click here for Jesus Green Lido community survey data on how to adjust to cool water swimming
BBC Science here - Why an icy dip is good for your mental and physical health
Article here - Neoprene and afterdrop: how to keep swimming outside this winter
BBC Just one thing - benefits of swimming here
Look at this brilliant photo by early morning lido regular Di Bellow.