Men’s Fitness UK – October 2019

42 OCTOBER 2019

IN FOCUSWILD SWIMMING

in the hours after a swim, while

I was able to gain a greater sense of

perspective on any problems, thanks

largely to spending time in nature,

away from screens and the pressures of

day-to-day life.

But are wild swimming’s mental

health bene ts backed up by science?

Dr Mark Harper, a consultant

anaesthetist at the Brighton and

Sussex University Hospitals Trust,

and a keen sea swimmer, is trying to

 nd out. Harper was part of the team

that worked on a case report for the

BBC’s Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs

in 2016.  e patient used in the study,

Sarah, had su ered from anxiety and

depression since the age of 17, but after

two years of swimming in cold water,

she had come o all medication, using

swimming alongside counselling to

help her mental health.

While that case was anecdotal,

Harper is in the process of starting a

new study in Brighton, initially with

30 patients over the course of three

years, to see how they adapt to the

cold and whether they see any bene t

for their mental health. He’ll measure

this against patients who have talking

therapy, or take medication.

Harper says there is a theoretical

basis that adapting to cold water can

help with anxiety and depression:

“We’ve looked at cold adaptation –

how you adapt to cold and the response

your body produces – and there’s an

anti-in ammatory e ect. And we do

know that in ammation is linked to

depression and anxiety.”

Swimming regularly in cold water

means your body can adapt to the

stress which it causes. And scientists

at Portsmouth University have found

that in doing so, this can lessen stress

responses in other situations.  is is

known as cross adaptation. Harper

is hoping that after conducting his

“Cold adaptation has an anti-

in ammatory e ect, and we know

that in ammation is linked to

depression and anxiety”

Salt-water smiles: Joe

Minihane credits sea

swimming with helping to

relieve his anxiety

Photo

Ben Cox