Plunge issue one 2024

plunge into cold-water therapy

issue one

HAPPY HORMONES - IN MURKY WATERS - WINE TO WATER meet the four hormones increasing happiness levels

recognising the hidden dangers of water pollution

a sobriety journey to cold-water swimming

What does plunging mean to you? Is it about taking time for yourself leaving your troubles (or nagging children) on the shore? Is it a way to build a new community of like-minded people as you reap the benefits and enjoy the post-dip cake and tipple together? Or is it an exercise in gratitude as you put your body’s happy hormones to work? Whatever the reason behind your plunge, from the first issue we are championing cold-water therapy and the countless benefits and joys that come with it.

For instance, in our cover story on page eight, you will hear from Rosie Regan about her journey to sobriety and the role that cold water played. For Rosie, cold water is a reflective tool, helping her face everything that life throws at her with a clear mind. As you flick through the pages of Plungewe hope we can help you feel this calm mindset too.

Cold-water therapy also boosts the body’s happy hormones, as you will find out on page six. From the release of oxytocin to dopamine rushes, the body’s chemical responses to cold water show that this is rightly all the rage, and the perfect alternative to less healthy (junk food and party drugs, we’re looking at you) sources of dopamine. We’re sure you’ve all felt these benefits first-hand, but now you can understand why icy dips make you feel this way.

We are also introducing our Discover series in this issue where we unveil the hotspot cold-water swimming destinations across the UK. Starting off with the serene Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia, popular for being suitable for swimmers at all levels with its clean water regularly monitored for quality.

Asafe plunging experience, our feature on page 12 delves deep to help you understand the importance of checking the quality of the water you plan to swim in, and where best you can find this information to put your mind at ease.

We hope you enjoy our first issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you. Don’t forget to tell us your favourite article in this issue at dipintoplunge@gmail.com. Happy plunging!

Team

Editorial

Ashley Thieme

Becky George

Eve Davies

Eszter Gurbicz

George Phillips

Hannah Wild

Hansa Tote

Maddie Balcombe

Sophia Grace

Sophie Colson

Thomas Boyd

Photography

Damon Bowen

James Richardson

Rosie Regan

Illustration

Sophie Colson

Podcast

George Phillips

Contact us: dipintoplunge@gmail.com

For more cold-water content visit our website: cardiffjournalism.co.uk/plunge

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Breathing the Wim Hof way

Enhance your cold-water therapy sessions with this simple breathing technique

Words Becky George Photography Damon Bowen

Thanks to Wim Hof, the Dutch athlete who developed the popular breathing method named after him, Damon Bowen Ashwin now embraces life’s possibilities more than ever.

The first thing he does after waking up is connect with nature, opening the windows and listening to the birds chirping. After that, it’s onto the Wim Hof Method (WHM). This involves a combination of breathing techniques and a cold plunge that promise physical and mental benefits for the body.

In 2019, while he was facing a brain tumour diagnosis, it was Damon’s mother who discovered the method on the radio. Despite initial scepticism, he revisited the method in 2021 as his tumour resurfaced. Throughout treatment, Damon felt a shift in mindset from fear to a feeling of control, eventually experiencing tumour shrinkage. He now shares his journey with others as a certified Wim Hof instructor. “It’s amazing what our bodies can do when we can create the right conditions,” he says.

Benefits of the method

WHM is based on three essential pillars: breathing, cold exposure and mindset. Breathing the body to cope with exposure to the cold, and the right mindset is crucial as it requires patience, perseverence and dedication.

According to Hof, breathing techniques help the body maximise the benefits from cold exposure in two key ways. Firstly, it activates the hormonal system, increasing the rate of adrenaline. Secondly, the body’s PH level goes up which improves neural activity and helps the body adapt faster to stressful situations.

According to the official Wim Hof website, there are 4 simple steps to practise the technique:

02 01

Get into a comfortable position, either sitting in a meditative pose or lying down.

Take 30 deep breaths by inhaling through your nose or mouth while pushing your stomach outward and then exhaling through your mouth.

04 03

Hold your breath until you feel the urge to breathe again. Take a giant breath, hold it in for 15 seconds and exhale. This completes one cycle. Repeat the cycle three to four times.

Damon with a workshop participant

DIP SPOT #01

Llyn Padarn :

epic views and guided swims

This lake in the heart of Snowdonia is the ultimate place to be for wild swimmers in Wales

We kick-off our tour of UK cold-water swimming hotspots in Wales – the nation home to towering mountains, spectacular lakes, secluded lagoons and thousands of chill-seeking swimmers.

Where is it?

Often referred to by Llanberis locals as “the swimming pool”, Llyn Padarn is a glacially formed lake located at the foot of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in north Wales. Alongside being one of the largest natural lakes in the country, Llyn Padarn is considered a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’ by Natural Resources Wales for its rare rock formations, fish, and plankton species. The Carneddau mountain range offers a secluded spot for a cold-water dip and on the shoreline lies Llanberis, a village providing all the important facilities you need for a day trip.

Why here?

We’re recommending Llyn Padarn as a cold-water swimming hotspot due to the lake being easily accessible, safe and suitable for everyone, no matter your swimming ability.

According to Gwynedd Council Llyn Padarn is certified bathing water, meaning the water quality is consistently monitored throughout the summer months. As a result, you can throw yourself into an afternoon dip with the reassurance of knowing that what you’re diving into is clean, and isn’t going to make you squirm just by looking at it.

Who is it for?

Whether you’re an experienced plunger, or are testing the waters for the first time, Llyn Padarn is suitable for swimmers at all levels. The lake is made up of both shallow lagoons along the shore for beginners and

deeper waters that are perfect for thrill-seeking, adventurous wild swimmers. If you’re a new dipper at Llyn Padarn, we’d recommend starting off by paddling in the lagoons until you feel confident enough to launch yourself into the middle of the lake for a breathtaking swim (both physically and visually).

Llyn Padarn is popular with swimmers and water sports enthusiasts alike, meaning that no matter when you visit you’re guaranteed to be surrounded by a community of like-minded people. Community spirit is essential when trying out somewhere new for a dip, giving you the confidence and encouragement to take your first steps into the water.

Remember...

However, it’s worth noting that while the lake is a bustling hotspot for plungers, there are no operating lifeguards or safety patrols at Llyn Padarn. If you’re a relatively new cold-water swimmer, consider booking in with the nearby activity centre, Snowdonia Watersports, that offers guided lake swims.

It doesn’t get much more spectacular than swimming in a glacial lake overlooked by the highest mountain in Wales, offering breathtaking views for a chilly dip.

Words Hannah Wild Photography Charlie Hammond on Unsplash

Plunge into happiness

Believe it or not, research shows that dipping into icy waters can produce more happy hormones than eating chocolate OR taking drugs

We can all recall the pure joy felt when taking the first sip of a crisp glass of white wine in the sun or the first bite of a silky bar of milk chocolate. But guess what experience we’ve found that trumps all that: cold-water immersion.

Promoting the four ‘happy hormones’ – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins – it is well known that there is a fair case for the mental benefits of cold-water swimming and ice bathing. Alongside getting adequate sun exposure, limiting caffeine consumption, focusing on tasks and working out, neuroscientist and author of The DOSE Effect, TJ Power, recommends cold-water immersion for increasing levels of these hormones in the body.

Happy hormones

Harvard Medical School calls oxytocin “the love hormone” because it can be released through touch and it helps us bond with other humans. Cold-water swimming group founder Sian Richardson says swimmers

enter the water holding hands, and this community aspect of cold plunging releases oxytocin.

Being a physical activity, the exercise involved in getting to, and into, the cold water also promotes the release of this happy hormone.

Endorphins are, according to Havard, the body’s “natural painkillers,” while serotonin is a “natural mood booster.” Electrical impulses are sent to your brain when your body is immersed in cold water, boosting endorphin and serotonin production. With increased levels of these godly hormones your system alertness and energy levels rise considerably, promoting a sense of wellbeing.

According to the academic medical centre Cleveland Clinic, dopamine is a “feel-good” hormone that gives a sense of pleasure and motivation. As a neurotransmitter made in your brain, dopamine is also part of your body’s reward system. When you’re doing something pleasurable, like eating your favourite dessert or listening to music, your brain releases dopamine, making you feel good. Your body then craves more of

that feeling. Hence why you may end up devouring a whole pack of giant Dairy Milk buttons without the intention to do so.

Our brains are wired to restore balance, so a dopamine peak is often followed by a mental crash – the hangover, the ‘come down’, the food coma and so on. With the right balance of dopamine, you should feel happy, motivated, alert and focused. But in our modern world, dopamine has a dark side. People tend to seek out that elevated feeling in things like alcohol, party drugs (cocaine) and technology. Recently many have been searching for ways to boost their dopamine levels with natural sources. Enter cold-water therapy.

Perfect mood booster

Studies have shown that eating chocolate and taking party drugs are mood boosters. Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford Medicine, says chocolate can increase dopamine levels 55% above baseline, while cocaine induces a 225% rise. However, a group of young men participated in a study to determine

Words Eve Davies Photography Austin Neill

the effect of cold water on hormone function. This research showed that the concentration of dopamine in their plasma (the part of the blood that carries platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells around the body), increased during cold exposure by as much as 250%, while cortisol (the stress hormone) levels decreased – the perfect concoction for a good mood.

So, we could have the answer to boosting our dopamine levels without the drawbacks of an excess calorie intake or illegal substances.

‘You feel like you are high’ Vintage clothing stall owner and cold water enthusiast from Wales, Jacob Knight, speaks about how he’s been dosing up on happy hormones through cold plunging. Jacob has been practicing it for the past two months and says the morning routine it provides has boosted his mood exponentially.

“A DOPAMINE BOOST MINUS EXCESS CALORIES AND ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES”

“I’ve seen a massive improvement in my mental health since cold-water swimming,” the 25-year-old said. “It was kind of the reason I started doing it in the first place. Number one – getting up early and getting out of the house to do it. But number two – the feeling of getting out of the cold water. It’s like a natural high for sure,” he explained.

When searching for an alternative high that he got from partying in his late teens, Jacob found cold-water exposure to be his new dopamineboosting fix. He now plunges every morning, either in his at-home ice pod or at his local seafront. “That rush when you get out the water, you feel like you are high. Your body is buzzing. Literally vibrating trying to warm yourself up and you’re full of energy. It’s nuts!” he claims.

Jacob describes how cold-water immersion can build mental resilience and establishes a positive mindset to carry him through the

day. He said: “Before you get in, your body is telling you not to get in the water. Then when you’re in the water your body is telling you to get out of the water. But it’s like a mind game where you’re not listening to that voice in your head. It feels amazing to overcome that voice. It definitely sets me up for the day.”

Following surgery, Jacob was not able to dip for five days and he reported a difference in his mood during this time. “If I don’t get my head in the water soon I might lose my mind,” he joked. But seriously, it’s clear from Jacob’s radiating happiness the influence that coldwater immersion can have on our dopamine and endorphin levels.

Cold water can become your alternative high

SUN, SEA AND SOBRIETY

Rosie Regan's sober journey led her to cold-water swimming

Words Sophie Colson Photography James Richardson and Rosie Regan

Long reads

Rosie Regan, 29, has recently celebrated her second anniversary since going sober. It was this sobriety that kickstarted her wellness journey, which has since led her to cold-water swimming in the wild.

Rosie, originally from Merthyr Tydfil but now living in Cardiff, explained that she began drinking as a self-conscious teenager, and liked how it gave her confidence. However, after she started uni, it became binge drinking and she didn’t know when to stop. Binge drinking is common for people between the ages of 18-34 in Wales. Drink Aware, an alcohol awareness charity, reported 73% of drinkers in this age range having engaged in binge drinking in the past year.

She explained that drinking was a way to cope with social situations and push aside her anxiety for a little while. When it became a regular way to curb her anxiety, she started to hate it.

The catalyst that led her to turn sober was her grandfather’s death. After he passed, she realised how many times she had shown up to visit him hungover. She says: “That was really the kick up the bum to put it to an end."

But her sobriety was only step one to actually starting to do the things she’d always wanted to try and she quickly became a member of Sober Gals Wales, an all-women sober community.

“I discovered cold-water swimming a year after I turned sober. I always saw people go in the water and I’d think ‘Oh, I could never do that.’ Or, ‘They’re really brave, I’d love to but no.’ Eventually, I just started saying yes to more things. The first time was when we were in west Wales for my dad’s birthday and I’d asked my mother for a wetsuit for Christmas. Me and my brother went in, and I just absolutely loved it,” she says.

A few months later she caught wind of a Dawnstalkers yard party, a cold-water swimming group, that some of her friends from Sober Gals Wales were going to. She decided to join them and ended up really enjoying herself.

“I WAS LOOKING AT THE SUNSET COMING DOWN AND IT JUST GAVE ME THAT SENSE OF CONNECTION TO EVERYTHING”

Dawnstalkers are at the beach in Penarth at sunrise every day which makes it so much less daunting, she explains.

Rosie, who works at MacMillan Cancer Support, explains that swimming with a group helps her remain social now that she doesn't drink.

“When you stop drinking, obviously, you have a very different sort of social life because you’re not sitting in the pub for hours every weekend like before,” she says, “So cold-water swimming fills in that gap. When I’m celebrating something now, I’ll go into the sea to mark that occasion. Whereas before I would’ve gone for a drink.”

“IT'S A NICE TIME TO SWITCH OFF AND JUST REFLECT, WHICH WE DON'T REALLY GET THE CHANCE TO DO NOWADAYS"

She explains that it’s a ceremonial thing too, and she uses coldwater swimming as a way to commemorate or reflect on moments that are either sad or celebratory. Rosie is training to become a counsellor, which she finds challenging but also a real privilege.

“While I was doing my counselling course, my tutor suddenly passed away, which was a massive shock. But to mark that for myself, I just went into the sea, and I think I’ll remember that now as my way of dealing. Whereas, when you have a drink and your emotions are high, it’s more likely to go down a destructive route. And with that, you

might have shame attached to that day rather than thinking ‘oh, I did something really nice.’”

She marked her tutor’s death on the May bank holiday. “I specifically wanted to go for the sunset. My partner and I went to Southerndown Beach in Bridgend and he just stayed on the side. I went in. I was looking at the sunset coming down and it just gave me that sense of connection to everything. I’m not a religious person, but it does give me that sort of spiritual sense that you’re more connected to things. So that’s what I like to do," she explains.

Rosie, who also volunteers at Mind charity, says cold-water swimming is great because you can do it either socially or on your own. In a group, you have that community which can encourage you and understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, which is really important when pursuing sobriety too, she explains. But for Rosie, going solo offers a completely different experience. Going for a swim on her own gives her time to reflect on her life and get into a “meditative state.”

Pictured above, Rosie Regan, swims in Penarth with the Dawnstalkers and Moon Mermaids swimming groups

“I just started saying ‘yes’ to more things" says Rosie Regan, which is how she started to brave the cold of wild swimming in winter

“When you’re in the water, you haven’t got to think about anything else and you’re totally in your body at that point because of the cold. It’s a nice time to switch off and just reflect, which we don’t really get the chance to do nowadays. And you certainly don’t get that chance when you’re having a drink,” she adds.

Taking time for yourself is a big reason why some women choose sobriety. It’s also a good reason to start cold-water swimming, says Rosie.

“There’s a connection between slowing down for cold-water swimming and not drinking,” she explains. Slowing down can feel daunting when you’re so used to saying yes to social occasions, but cold-water swimming with a group is a great way to use your free time while still being social.

“Even last week I was planning to go to Moon Mermaids and I was tired and I didn’t know if I could be bothered,” she says, referring to the sister branch of Dawnstalkers who go for a dip as the sun sets. She explains that it’s an achievement to get into the water, and she feels invigorated and fresh as soon as she gets out of the water. This sense of achievement has resulted in her saying yes to more things outside of her comfort

What’s the difference between freshwater and saltwater?

Rosie says you can feel the difference as a swimmer. The saltiness of the saltwater remains on your body when you get out, so you have that gritty feeling everyone recognises from summer holidays to the beach.

The quality of water is different too, although this can depend on specific swimming locations. “In Penarth, there’s been a lot of protesting recently because of the state of the water, the sewage and stuff going in. The water in Penarth is brown. I try not to think about that too much,” she says.

Freshwater can feel a lot colder too, says Rosie, who has only tried freshwater swimming a few times but would like to go more. “You get more of a shock but also more of a buzz afterwards. That first time I was literally buzzing with the adrenaline and all the endorphins once I got out,” she explains.

zone. “It builds your confidence to know that you can do difficult things,” she says.

Slowing down has let Rosie pursue other mindful activities too. By no longer drinking and having to deal with subsequent hangovers, she’s got more time when she’s feeling well enough to do yoga, meditation and breathwork. “The last two years, I’ve done so many more new things that I just wouldn’t have done before,” she admits. Being more mindful of her health has meant that instead of turning to a beer when she’s feeling anxious, Rosie is more willing to try healthier methods of dealing. “I do think the catalyst is sobriety,” Rosie concludes.

Dawnstalkers is a cold-water swimming group that goes out every morning as the sunrises. It's sister group, Moon Mermaids, goes out less regularly but always at sunset

“BACTERIA ARE THE POLLUTANTS THAT POSE THE GREATEST RISK TO SWIMMERS’ HEALTH”

THE OUTDOOR SWIMMING SOCIETY

HIDDEN HEALTH HAZARDS

With open water pollution becoming increasingly common in the UK, Plunge discusses how to stay safe and recognise the signs of contamination

When setting out on your cold-water dips, staying safe is essential. A lot of the time when swimmers and cold dippers talk about getting into the water, the main safety advice is to swim with another person or a group in case you, or someone else, gets into difficulty. But what about the hidden dangers in the water as a result of pollution? What effect can such dirty water have on your health?

We all love getting into the water and letting it wash our worries away, but being aware of the water quality is absolutely essential. The UK Health Security Agency says, “Open water swimming can increase the risk of gastrointestinal illness” (i.e. stomach bugs and vomiting), as well as respiratory, skin, ear and eye infections.

While some effects of these infections are generally mild, a microorganism called E.coli poses a danger to health and can lead to Weil’s disease, which can cause liver and kidney problems.

Marine algae, most commonly blue-green algae, can also be a risk to health when swimming in freshwater. Water contaminated with this algae can lead to skin irritation, muscle and joint pain, and is especially dangerous to domestic animals – if you were planning on dipping with a furry friend.

In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly declared that everyone on the planet has the right to a healthy environment. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, said: “This resolution sends a message that nobody can take nature, clean air and water or a stable climate away from us.” This has been a huge step towards protecting the natural world.

As scary as all of this sounds, there are steps being taken to ensure you never have to encounter

contaminants in open water. So, as long as you and your swimming group follow advice given by government regulated organisations, such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), you will be protecting your health while simultaneously improving it with cold-water therapy.

Is it safe?

The UK has designated bathing zones. These are coastal sites that are regularly monitored in the summer months to ensure that swimmers can be confident that the water they are swimming in is clean.

There are easy ways to check the status and quality of the water wherever you are in the UK to avoid coming into contact with ‘low quality’ water. Each UK country has different ways of displaying their findings but they all follow the same classification system – rating water quality from ‘excellent’ to ‘poor’.

In England, you can use the ‘Swimfo: Find a bathing water’ page from the Environment Agency on the DEFRA website. The map on the site is updated weekly from May to September to show where they’ve tested the water quality. This will help you be sure of the quality of water and decide where to take your cold-water dip.

Scotland has a similar system where the water is tested by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). They test the quality of over 80 designated bathing waters from 15 May to 15 September and their findings are published on their website.

Natural Resources Wales, a government body that manages Welsh natural resources, measures the quality of water from May to September and will advise swimmers via the map on their website if there is a water quality warning in any designated bathing sites.

Words Ashley Thieme Photography Kayla Gibson on Unsplash

Northern Ireland works slightly differently to the rest of the UK. Displayed on the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs website is a bathing water compliance chart which sets out the quality of the water. The results here are assessed against The Quality of Bathing Water Regulation from 2008.

Local reaction

This February, minister at Defra, Robbie Moore, has revealed plans for dozens of new bathing sites. These plans set out to create 27 new designated swimming spots on the English coast. If the sites gain designation, regular water testing will take place, ensuring swimmers of the quality of the water in the area.

Defra only monitors designated bathing sites and recommends that people should not swim in other areas. As a result, communities across the UK have requested that the areas they swim in gain bathing certification. One group having their say are The Manningtree Mermaids, who are a wild swimming group based on Manningtree Beach in Essex. They are campaigning for bathing status with the campaign S.W.i.M (Safe Water in Manningtree) and are asking the council for regular testing of the water from the River Stour, which runs to Manningtree Beach.

Sewage has previously been recorded in the river and the group has said that some members of the swimming group have fallen ill after swimming there.

Why bathing status matters

When considering why waters having bathing status matters, staff at the Outdoor Swimming Society has said: “Bacteria are the pollutants that pose the greatest risk to swimmers’ health, so this information is really useful to help swimmers avoid pollution and make informed choices about where and when to swim.”

The Environment Agency has said that in the summer of 2023 they took more than 7,000 water samples at bathing sites in England. The results of these samples are published on the Swimfo website and are publicly announced so that you can make sure that the water you swim in is of good quality.

According to The UK Health Security Agency’s Swim Healthy guidance, rivers are not designated bathing areas and are managed mainly for protecting fish and wildlife and not for protecting the health of swimmers. River Action UK is one charity that is on a mission to raise awareness of river pollution.

River Action UK pressures the polluters like farmers and water companies. Their goal is to influence government policy to ensure that pollution into rivers is stopped. They state that our rivers are at a “crisis point” and they have a charter that holds political leaders to account to make rivers healthy for people and nature.

The River and Lake Swimming Association advises that you should “Contact the Environment Agency to find out the rating for the location you intend to swim.” They also advise people to avoid swimming in rivers and lakes after heavy rainfall as water run-off from the surrounding land can add to pollution levels.

Wherever you swim, whether it be on your own to relax or with a group to give your endorphins a boost, always put your health and safety first. Check the bathing status of your area before you dip.

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