Latest Research on the Mental Health Effects of Cold Water Swimming!

Breaking News: Latest Research on the Mental Health Effects of Cold Water Swimming!

Once again the cold swimming season is here and you can find Myssy team and Grannies swimming in Aura river, lake Pyhäjärvi or local outdoor pool on weekly bases. Why on earth one volunteerly wants to go in icy water? Why does it make one feel so good?

In spring 2024, we learned about the latest research on the mental health effects of cold water swimming when psychologist and psychotherapist Riikka Airo and psychotherapist Miia Lehtonen spoke at the “Myssy, Mieli & Avanto” brunch, held as part of the Mielinauha campaign. Now that the cold-water swimming season is here again, it's time to find out how cold water swimming affects both the body and the mind.

Kylmästä Mielen Hyvinvointia (mental well-being from cold water) project, led by Airo and Lehtonen, is funded by the Jenni and Antti Wihuri Foundation. This project is investigating a treatment approach for anxiety and depression that combines short-term psychotherapy focused on emotional regulation and cold exposure, i.e., winter swimming. The research is being conducted by the Department of Psychology at the University of Jyväskylä. Participants have reported benefiting from the treatment based on their personal experiences. The analysis and conclusions of the project's results will be published in the fall of 2025.

According to earlier studies conducted, the following effects of cold water swimming have been reported: 

• A 2021 study by the Finnish "Suomen Latu" organization found that the positive impact of winter swimming on mental health was the most significant perceived benefit.
• Cortisol levels have been shown to decrease after regular, short-term cold exposure, likely reflecting a reduction in stress response.
• Improved sleep quality, helping with fatigue and mental alertness.
• Release of feel-good hormones.
• Increased levels of noradrenaline, which have been found to alleviate pain sensations.
• Reduction of fat tissue or transformation/increase in brown fat.
• Cold water swimming reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases through various hormonal effects.
• Activation of the immune system, which is believed to reduce susceptibility to infections.
• The swimming experience has also been found to have positive effects on the participants' body image. The minimal physiological stressors of modern life may expose individuals to mental health disorders, which is why the short-term stress induced by winter swimming can offer significant benefits for mental health, including the release of beta-endorphins and noradrenaline. This, in turn, may enhance positive effects on mental health and stress regulation, potentially reducing susceptibility to depression.
• The activation caused by cold water exposure reduces general activation of the sympathetic nervous system and leads to increased parasympathetic activity, which may reduce overall tension in the body and mind.
• Changes in autonomic nervous system function can theoretically be linked to anxiety and mood regulation, which have been associated with both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity, as observed through heart rate variability. Positive feelings in cold-water swimmers have been shown to strengthen, while negative emotions diminish, and anxiety is alleviated.

SOMETHING ALWAYS DISSOLVES INTO COLD WATER – WATER SUPPORTS, TOUCHES, AND PROVIDES COMFORT.

Source: Psychologist, Psychotherapists Riikka Airo & Miia Lehtonen, Therapy House Tunnetila (Terapiatalo Tunnetila)

Myssy team encourages you to try cold swimming in a good company wearing a warm beanie. Our cold swimming guide can be found here: https://myssyfarmi.fi/en/blogs/news/cold-swimming-tips