In the cold winter, plunging into the sea, it should be completely cold, right?
But for the Danes, it's all just right.
They see winter swimming as a way to stimulate the senses and combat winter depression. Some companies are even using winter swimming to establish bonds and tacit understanding in working relationships.
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On a cold, breezy afternoon in Jutland, northern Denmark, a row of men in white bathrobes emerged from behind the dunes and headed for the coastline, where they took off their robes and jumped into the sea.
They have a common name, "The Icebreakers."
Being able to preserve a complete and safe ice-hole in the wild is not a very easy technical task.
Icebreakers take part in activities in the morning and then form groups at local restaurants for hot coffee and soup. "I don't know if winter swimming will make you healthy or if only healthy people will go winter swimming, I think it's a chicken or egg first." But I know it makes you a little bit of a bunch of pride. Icebreaker Berrit Sidse Kvorning said. Clubs that specialize in winter swimming or ice bathing have at least 93 clubs in Denmark and more than 25,000 registered members – almost one in 200.
In the past, the average age of "icebreakers" was 40 years old. Now, more and more young people are getting involved. You can even see a group of 7- to 12-year-olds gritting their teeth and diving into the icy waters. Lily, the 8-year-old girl, said, "I'm not looking forward to spring because that means the end of winter swimming."
But why does it look so cold?
Taking winter swimming to the next level is the variety of winter sauna rituals.
Essential oils are poured on scalding rocks, and in layers of heat, aromatherapy can be chosen according to personal preference, and after 10 to 20 minutes, everyone is extremely hot, as if winter and summer are intertwined.
From November to February, Copenhageners come here to shuttle back and forth between saunas, hot tubs, chilly oceans or ice-water baths.
One sauna enthusiast described his feelings this way: "Even though it's February, close to zero, I don't feel cold, I'm relaxed. I took off my robe and tentatively descended from the ladder into the water, the first few steps of which made me take a breath of cool air, and as I walked up to the other ladder and climbed out, I began to feel the heat, and I felt like I was truly alive. The energy in my body seemed to be soaring, and I felt more alert than before. ”
Many people enjoy a sauna before soaking in cold water
In the eyes of the locals, winter swimming is both fun and crazy.
Whenever it's time to get into the water, take a towel and prepare to climb down the stairs and drown yourself in the cold and bone-chilling water, you can only choose to overcome it yourself. Then, you quickly climb the stairs, reach for a towel wrapped around your body, and your attention is only one: get into the sauna as soon as possible. If you wish, you can sit quietly, listen to the howling wind, look out the window, enjoy the feeling of the heat warming your body, and dream of summer.
In Northern Europe, such pools are often the signature items of hotels
When you watch the sun rise over the horizon... In jokes and conversations, beads of sweat drip down your body, and you desperately want to go into the cold water for the second time to recover your spirits...
Local residents say such activities will greatly alleviate anxiety and depression in winter: "From November to April, Denmark can be really bad. There is almost no daylight and we often don't see the sun for weeks. ”
"When you throw yourself into cold water and then into a boiling sauna, it gives you energy and gives you an extremely exciting thrill."
In addition to fighting depression, winter swimming enthusiasts also advocate that it will make their minds quick and even lower their blood pressure. There have been some preliminary studies on these claims.
Mike Tipton of the University of Portsmouth studies the threats and benefits of over-cold water immersion. The threat depends primarily on temperature and soaking time, and physiological response to cold water immersion can lead to sudden heart attacks, hypothermia, and drowning. But at the same time, cold water soaking stimulates the body's instinctive response to "fight or flight", allowing stress hormones to be released. Many believe that cold water helps reduce swelling and inflammation, and some athletes use ice baths after a race to help with recovery. Many Danes also say that swimming in cold water can improve their mental outlook and mental health. But in the eyes of scientists, this kind of research is not systematic enough to form rigorous conclusions.
While not well researched, it doesn't stop winter swimming from becoming a social activity, and some companies incorporate it into their team-building culture as a way to create emotional bonds between employees.
In Europe, winter swimming as a "team-building activity" dates back to 1972 and is popular not only in Denmark, but also in Finland and Estonia. The picture shows Estonia in 1972.
Swimming and sauna meetings are gradually becoming popular in Denmark, and in the face of the invasion of people's lives by digital devices, this can be called a novel resistance. "For many people, doing this together is a social event. In my swim club, there is a men's restroom, a women's restroom, and everyone can go in. Everyone is naked, and it's always been like this. I think it will make people feel more relaxed about themselves and their bodies. "It teaches us to overcome fears, to trust ourselves or others a little more, and if others are willing to do the same, it's definitely easier to jump into the cold sea together!" Froda, a 31-year-old local, said. Lingerie company Organic Basics organizes groups to go winter swimming on the first working day of each year.
"For many employees, it's not their comfort zone, but I think it will be an eye-opener for them." Company boss Emmanuel said he also thinks it will help people put down their phones and focus on people. The happiness that others get from the sun, the Nordics can also find it in the cold.
Key References:
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200228-the-danish-trick-to-shock-your-body-into-happiness
https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/what-its-like-when-you-go-winter-ice-swimming-in-denmark-512644
https://danishhomeofchicago.org/the-hope-chest/2018/12/17/polar-plunge-winter-swimming-danish/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_swimming