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Winter Swimming The Nordic Way Towards a Healthier
and Happier Life First Edition Susanna Søberg Digital
Instant Download
Author(s): Susanna Søberg
ISBN(s): 9781529417463, 1529417465
Edition: First edition
File Details: PDF, 6.52 MB
Year: 2022
Language: english
 Dr Susanna Søberg

WINTER SWIMMING
The Nordic Way Towards a Healthier and Happier Life
Translated from the Danish by Elizabeth DeNoma

MACLEHOSE PRESS
QUERCUS, LONDON

First published as Hop i havet – Vinterb adninggor digsund ogglad by Gron-

ningen 1 in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2019

First published in Great Britain in 2022 by

MacLehose Press
An imprint of Quercus Editions Limited
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y ODZ

An Hachette UK company
Copyright © Susanna Søberg, 2019
English translation copyright © 2022 by Elizabeth DeNoma
Picture researcher – Cathie Arringto
The moral right of Susanna Søberg to be identified as the author of this work has
been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
Elizabeth DeNoma asserts her moral right to be identified as the translator of the
work.

Winter swimming is a physically challenging activity and, as with all physical

activities, it carries a risk of personal injury. As such, it may not be suitable for
everyone. If you are unsure whether swimming is appropriate for you, you are
advised to consult a doctor before participating.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, re-
cording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publisher.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN (HB) 978 1 52941 746 3

ISBN (Ebook) 978 1 52941 748 7
109 8 76 543 2 1

Designed by Nick Evans

Printed and bound in China by C & C Offset Printing Co., Ltd.

Papers used by Quercus Books are from well-managed forests and other respon-
sible sources.
 CONTENTS

CONTENTS ................................................................................................................... 4
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER 1. WINTER SWIMMING THROUGH TIME . ...................................... 10
CHAPTER 2. WHY SWIM IN THE WINTER? ........................................................ 16
CHAPTER 3. THE WHERE, HOW AND WHEN OF WINTER SWIMMING ....... 25
CHAPTER 4. BAPTISM BY FIRE . .......................................................................... 37
CHAPTER 5. THE COLD-SHOCK RESPONSE ...................................................... 47
CHAPTER 6. COLD ACCLIMATIZATION ............................................................ 59
CHAPTER 7. BROWN FAT . .................................................................................... 74
CHAPTER 8. ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A CLUB? . ............................................ 88
CHAPTER 9. DANGER AND SAFETY IN COLD WATER . ................................. 98
CHAPTER 10. DOES IT MAKE YOU HEALTHIER? . ......................................... 113
CHAPTER 11. WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR ANCESTORS ................ 127
CHAPTER 12. WINTER SWIMMING AND MENTAL HEALTH . ...................... 131
CHAPTER 13. IN THE SAUNA . ............................................................................ 137
AFTERWORD ........................................................................................................... 151
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ...................................................................................... 154
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................... 156
PICTURE CREDITS . ................................................................................................ 166
About the Author and Translator . .............................................................................. 168
Racing the waves on New Year’s Day at Aberystwyth, Wales.

5
 INTRODUCTION
“Life is too exciting to stay neutral”
SUSANNA SØBERG
Disney’s superheroine from the blockbuster movie Frozen is cool in more ways than one.
Leaving aside Elsa’s magical ability to build castles from ice and change summer into winter,
she is, more than anyone, fond of the cold. And the joy to be found in cold can be recognized
by winter swimmers in Denmark and the rest of the world. Cold habituation is nothing super-
natural or magical – everyone can achieve the ability to sit or swim in icy water (and even in
ice holes) – with a big smile on their face, and to the delight of both body and soul.
There was a time when I found very cold water difficult to endure, but now I’ve become a
winter swimmer and the cold bothers me much less. If a popsicle like me can learn to winter
swim, anyone can. It’s a question of mindset.
A few years ago, before I became a winter swimmer, my husband and I were walking along
the coast of Denmark on an early winter’s morning. We noticed a small group of people in
bathrobes walking towards the sea. The sun was shining from behind greywhite clouds, and
the fog had settled like a wide, white blanket over the blue-black water. There was frost in the
air, and it bit our cheeks. “Look, they’re going to swim,” I said. The men and women went
along the jetty and threw off their bathrobes. They were naked. At the end of the jetty they
turned, and without hesitation walked step by step down the ladder. The water must have been
freezing. “Plop” was the sound as the winter bathers slipped elegantly into the cold water.
They had it under control, you could tell. They swam around for a short time and came back
up onto the jetty. They smiled and laughed together – wow, what energy!
Since then, my husband and I have become winter swimmers and sometimes our children
come along too. It’s incredibly enjoyable to do together as a family, and afterwards we’re all
like charged batteries.
“But wait a minute,” says the healthy sceptic, “Why would you swim in the winter? It’s so
unbelievably cold!” The answers to this question lie in the physical, psychological, social and
nature aspects of winter swimming. As a researcher, I am glad to know that there’s a general
interest in what is happening within the body – and a curiosity about what contributes to good
health. In this book we will cover many of these topics. The healthy sceptic may gain a per-
spective on why winter swimming is loved by such a large (and growing) number of people.
There’s a reason why they’re often known as “the happy winter swimmers”. And perhaps it
will inspire more people to take the plunge.
We all know what it feels like to have a lot on your mind. In my experience, the cold makes
you feel great during good times, but even better in bad times. There is nothing – no medica-
tion, no other form of exercise – that can shock you out of your head and back into your body
like cold water can. In this book, I’m going to explore why.
Many people will be apprehensive and wonder how to get started, or they may believe win-
ter swimming is for the brave few. I’ve heard people says it’s “extreme”, or that it takes a lot
of strength. But you don’t have to be made of something special – like Elsa – or be particularly
sporty, for that matter. I advise new winter swimmers to start off in peace and quiet, build up
their courage and get used to the cold gradually (habituation). Winter swimming is a social

6
activity which generates happiness, but equally it’s a form of stress reduction and a means of
self-development in other contexts, too.
This is a guide for new winter swimmers, which may also inspire and challenge experienced
swimmers. Winter swimming is something most people can do, and it can be learned. Never-
theless, there are exceptions: winter swimming is not recommended for patients with untreated
coronary artery disease and/or chest pain (angina pectoris), severe heart arrhythmia or un-
treated hypertension. If you are in these groups, or are in any doubt, you should first consult
your doctor.

Members of the “Rostock Seehunde” (Rostock Seals) taking part in their tradi-
tional end-of-season swim, Rostock-Warnemuende, Germany.

In this book I draw on research and the publications of health agencies such as the World
Health Organization. I investigate both the immediate and long-term effects of cold-water im-
mersion, although these cannot be dealt with exhaustively in this book as there is still much
research to be done. Among other things, we cannot yet know if winter swimming makes us
live longer or if there are any long-term risks. These are important questions still to be an-
swered.
Alongside my personal training in winter swimming, I achieved my PhD in Metabolism,
specializing in brown fat and winter swimming, from the University of Copenhagen. As a
researcher, I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to examine the happiest people in the
world!
Some of my own research is also included here, in a survey of 180 adults over the age of
eighteen who are not winter swimmers. In addition, I share the experience of the clinical trials
from my PhD. The experiments consisted of controlled temperature tests in the laboratory and
a randomized controlled experiment, with the introduction of new winter swimmers to the
activity from a jetty in Copenhagen. The subjects had impressive willpower and dedication;
it’s amazing what the body can do, as long as the brain wants it to. This book gives an insight
into the early stages of a scientist’s work. The results of my experiments have not yet been

7
made public, and so the material is based on research already available, as well as my experi-
ence of carrying out the experiments.

Taking an icy dip on Christmas Day builds a healthy appetite!

So is winter swimming healthy? This is a good question, and one which I partly highlight
in my research, specifically in relation to brown fat. It is an exciting organ, especially if you’re
a winter swimmer, sleep in the cold or otherwise expose yourself to low temperatures. But,
surprisingly, it is barely known about. Brown fat works for your health – it’s activated by the
cold and generates heat, which leads to increased calorie burning. Brown fat therefore has the
potential to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes.
They are also known as “the warm winter swimmers”, and many will no doubt nod in recog-
nition of the fact that outdoorsy people don’t seem to suffer from the cold. Brown fat bears

8
part of the explanation for that. We may imagine that Elsa, who has fantastic cold habituation,
has a lot of brown fat. And who doesn’t want to be like Elsa?
Winter swimming might be the closest we get to having her superpowers.
Of course, winter swimming is not a new invention. People have been taking to cold water
since time immemorial, but for various reasons it’s now having a renaissance.
Allow me to start by inviting you on a journey in time to the fourth century BCE, when the
first anecdotes about cold water and health began to be told. Then we’ll board a ship with the
famous Scottish doctor James Currie ...

Cover of Puck magazine from February 1914 depicting “The chap whose fiancée
is an all-year bathing girl”. Illustration by Will Hammell.

9
 CHAPTER 1.
WINTER SWIMMING THROUGH TIME
“Nothing burns the skin like cold!”

GEORGE R.R. MARTIN

Author of “A Song of Ice and Fire”

Throughout history, cold water has been a friend and a foe to humanity, with both beneficial
and harmful effects. That is to say, it’s nothing new for people to be interested in the effects
of cold water.
According to Hippocrates, who lived around the fourth century BCE, water therapy reduced
violence; and for sixty years in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Thomas Jefferson
swore by taking a cold foot bath every morning to maintain his good health.
But to a large extent, interest in the effects of cold water on well-being and health was based
on anecdotal evidence. It was simply assumed that there were a number of health benefits as
a consequence of specific physiological reactions and the biochemical environment occurring
in our bodies upon exposure to cold water. It was also believed, even before the advent of
modern science, that acute physiological changes occurred upon initial exposure to cold water,
while repetition elicited physiological adaptive responses and a number of positive long-term
health benefits.

The dawn of science

In the Middle Ages, people were generally not taught to swim, even if they lived near to the
water or depended on it for their livelihoods. The return to swimming in Western Europe began
only in the sixteenth century. In 1538 Nikolaus Wynmann, a German professor of languages,
wrote the first book on swimming, The Swimmer or A Dialogue on the Art of Swimming. His
intention was to persuade more people to learn to swim, to reduce the number of drowning
accidents. This foreshadowed modern science’s more pragmatic approach to being in water.
In December 1790, the Scottish physician James Currie witnessed the drowning of the crew
of a capsized American sailing ship. The sea was 5 °C (41 °F), and the crew perished from
hypothermia. The event made a great impression on Currie and led him to undertake the first
experiments to measure the effect of cold water on humans. He became the first to discover
that cold water acts as a stimulus on the central nervous system. Currie was also behind the
first scientific reports on the healing properties of cold water; for example, he investigated
whether the cold could cure fever. In 17 9 7, on a ship off Jamaica, he developed a fever and
recorded the following experience:

10
Other documents randomly have
different content
 Science - Solution Manual
Summer 2024 - Faculty

Prepared by: Teacher Jones

Date: July 28, 2025

Abstract 1: Fundamental concepts and principles

Learning Objective 1: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Learning Objective 2: Critical analysis and evaluation
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
[Figure 2: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Learning Objective 3: Study tips and learning strategies
• Case studies and real-world applications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
[Figure 3: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Learning Objective 4: Critical analysis and evaluation
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Learning Objective 5: Experimental procedures and results
• Historical development and evolution
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Definition: Practical applications and examples
• Interdisciplinary approaches
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Key Concept: Comparative analysis and synthesis
• Historical development and evolution
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Remember: Case studies and real-world applications
• Study tips and learning strategies
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Important: Theoretical framework and methodology
• Assessment criteria and rubrics
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Practice Problem 9: Comparative analysis and synthesis
• Theoretical framework and methodology
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Part 2: Interdisciplinary approaches
Practice Problem 10: Problem-solving strategies and techniques
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Remember: Experimental procedures and results
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Example 12: Literature review and discussion
• Research findings and conclusions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
[Figure 13: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Important: Current trends and future directions
• Problem-solving strategies and techniques
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Important: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Study tips and learning strategies
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Important: Interdisciplinary approaches
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Important: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Assessment criteria and rubrics
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Note: Interdisciplinary approaches
• Experimental procedures and results
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Example 19: Interdisciplinary approaches
• Key terms and definitions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Module 3: Fundamental concepts and principles
Definition: Practical applications and examples
• Current trends and future directions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 21: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Important: Comparative analysis and synthesis
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 23: Key terms and definitions
• Key terms and definitions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 24: Current trends and future directions
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Definition: Practical applications and examples
• Theoretical framework and methodology
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Example 26: Research findings and conclusions
• Problem-solving strategies and techniques
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Practice Problem 27: Ethical considerations and implications
• Study tips and learning strategies
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
[Figure 28: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Remember: Ethical considerations and implications
• Critical analysis and evaluation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Definition: Case studies and real-world applications
• Current trends and future directions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Results 4: Learning outcomes and objectives
Remember: Historical development and evolution
• Ethical considerations and implications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Note: Theoretical framework and methodology
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Comparative analysis and synthesis
• Problem-solving strategies and techniques
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Example 33: Ethical considerations and implications
• Literature review and discussion
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Practice Problem 34: Research findings and conclusions
• Critical analysis and evaluation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Remember: Current trends and future directions
• Experimental procedures and results
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Note: Critical analysis and evaluation
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Definition: Interdisciplinary approaches
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Ethical considerations and implications
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Important: Ethical considerations and implications
• Problem-solving strategies and techniques
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Methodology 5: Study tips and learning strategies
Practice Problem 40: Historical development and evolution
• Ethical considerations and implications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Practice Problem 41: Case studies and real-world applications
• Research findings and conclusions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Key Concept: Practical applications and examples
• Experimental procedures and results
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
[Figure 43: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Example 43: Research findings and conclusions
• Study tips and learning strategies
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Example 44: Research findings and conclusions
• Study tips and learning strategies
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Important: Problem-solving strategies and techniques
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
[Figure 46: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Note: Comparative analysis and synthesis
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Example 47: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Research findings and conclusions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Definition: Learning outcomes and objectives
• Key terms and definitions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 49: Learning outcomes and objectives
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
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