It’s a trendy healthy therapy gaining interest in the U.S. and I decided to find where this likely originated. In the U.S. spas and natural clinics are calling it cryogenic therapy. In Finland, where it has been practiced for generations, it’s called Talviuinti or winter swimming. In Finland where temperatures dip into the negative double digits for months water swimming is almost a cult experience in Finland.


It is the practice, often daily for some, of taking a plunge into one of the more than 180,000 lakes or when the Baltic Sea freezes. Many dippers follow in the icy dip with a sauna, but there are many hearty souls who jump daily and don’t warm up in a sauna. Winter swimmers say they feel more alive with this practice.


Some swimmers are obsessive about swimming 5-7 days a week treating like a habit to feel better. The article shared that one 73 year old woman has been winter swimming religiously for years, 2 teenage girls started a year ago and are now addicted and a 40 yr old father swims as a break from his kids.


It’s interesting to note that the Finnish have not over analyzed winter swimming. They know they feel better, it relieves pain, helps with inflammation and other things. In the US, I found studies on it in research 0and now call it cryotherapy. The studies noted it eases arthritis, improves blood circulation, releases endorphins and dopamine and even helps with depression. Winter swimming is also done in many clinics.


Often groups go out for polar bear swims on New Years Day as a fresh way to begin a new year. Maybe a polar bear group could assemble in different cities and towns and start weekly during cold winter months and eventually incorporate it into a lifestyle like going to the gym but just outside and when it’s freezing!

Photo by Mika on Unsplash.