Ice bathing - healthy or unhealthy?

"Ice bathing can increase energy levels, improve resilience, recovery, improve discipline, strengthen the immune system, burn fat and improve mood".

"Ice bathing can lead to shock and hyperventilation".

In the summer of 2023, two of us started swimming and decided to swim every Monday. More people joined the trend, and we are now a group of 4-5 people who swim every week. The idea was to swim on Mondays to start the week with a little energy boost, something that is often needed on Mondays. But our weekdays are very different, and some Mondays it's impossible to swim because I'm in a meeting or have guests all day. Monday bathing became Monday or Tuesday bathing, which has now become bathing once a week.

There are different opinions on whether ice bathing is healthy or unhealthy, but we in the swimming group agree that we think it's healthy. For us, it's social, a boost of energy, joy, a feeling of well-being and a better immune system? We feel that there have been fewer colds in the past year.

BUT, there is no doubt that swimming in cold water can be a shock to the body if you plunge in. Especially on the coldest days, we tend to go down the ladder and not dunk our heads. Cold water in the eyes can also be a trigger for colds, as we have experienced.

Research shows that ice bathing is not recommended for people with heart disease, but for healthy people it can have a positive health effect. Studies show that you can burn fat more quickly and that it is a good way to recover.

At the coldest it has been below 3°Cin the water, this is cold and I notice that my breathing goes fast the first few seconds when I enter the water. We try to stay out for a few minutes, then our breathing calms down and we relax in the water.

We don't have a fixed time for swimming, but if anyone wants to join us, it's entirely possible, the more the merrier! Just get in touch.