Winter Swimming: The Nordic Way Towards a Healthier and Happier Life

by Susanna Søberg

A beautifully illustrated exploration of cold-water traditions in Scandinavia and around the world, and a thorough account of why it provides such a boost to body and soul.

Whether in lake, lido, river or sea, we know the benefits of swimming outdoors and in nature - environmentally friendly and accessible, it can influence our happiness, our energy and our inner tranquility. WINTER SWIMMING takes this one step further, as contact with cold water all year round can also have a significant positive impact on our physical health, confidence and well-being.

Danish scientist Susanna Søberg leads us step by step into the icy water and explains the "cold-shock response", the massive endorphin rush as our body reacts and adapts. Not only do our circulation, heart, lungs and skinrespond positively, but our immune system and metabolism too. Most specifically she explains how our "brown fat" is activated to benefit multiple health conditions.

WINTER SWIMMING is both a beautifully illustrated exploration of cold-water traditions in Scandinavia and around the world, and a thorough account of why it provides such a boost to body and soul.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Science, Self Help, Personal Development, Productivity, Education

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was super excited to start this book. I follow Susanna on Twitter. So I was thinking she’d be the more accessible, less extreme Wim Hof of the cold water swimming world. However, the American version of this book doesn’t come out til the end of January 2023… well into Winter Swimming season. But the British version came out at the end of September. So I found a British bookseller that ships international to get this book! And I followed my tracking information for the exact moment to get this book! I was that excited.

The book is filled with beautiful colored photos of what she describes as people around the world doing cold water swimming. Yeah, it was limited to the cold sections of Europe… Russia, England, Nordic Countries, Germany, the Baltics and Croatia. No photos from North or South America, Africa, or Australia. She did talk about cold swimmers in China and Japan tho and had a few photos.. Hopefully she will talk more about North America in her American edition.

Also, she had a section on swimming naked. I have to wonder if that will be nixed for American readers.

The author studied for her Ph.D, the role of brown fat, metabolism and winter swimming. So while I was looking for a how to, brown fat kept coming up. She would also talk about other benefits to winter swimming… mental health, inflammation, fitness with the caveat that it’s inconclusive. Um, I just read The book on wild swimming called Chill that showed it wasn’t so inconclusive.

So while I was excited for this book, it didn’t meet my expectations. But I do think I want to buy the American edition next to see how the book differs.

[Joshua Bremerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am already a believer in cold plunge/sauna, so this book was a fun and easy read on the history and benefits of the practice. A lot of the research comes down to epidemiology, which I know is beneficial to an extent, but is not nearly as conclusive as people would like to think.

Some of the research does point to four benefits of winter swimming/cold plunge/cold shower: 1) metabolism; 2) blood circulation/heart function; 3) immune system; 4) mood. I think it is actually an enjoyable health practice, so this book basically functioned as confirmation bias. Easy read.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Katrine Engelhardt Thomsen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sikkert velment, men en smule overfladisk og i afsnittet omkring overvægt og vinterbadning anvendes den nu forældede BMI skala. En knap så forfriskende læseoplevelse.

[Andrew Tankersley · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

The good:
This is a great introductory book to winter swimming providing statistics and anecdotal evidence regarding the positive impact that winter swimming has had. The book is also aesthetically pleasing with beautiful photos scattered throughout it. An easy read to go through as I got through it in 2.5hrs.

The bad:
The author, Dr. Susanna Soberg, has a PhD in research metabolism so I was excited to read quantitative research pulled from scientific articles… this book read more akin to a HS informational essay. Actual data was few and far with the majority of evidence having the form of studies having not yet been conducted, personal stories, or “suggest, possibly, perhaps” as the justification on scientific evidence. The book was a tad repetitive as well and could have wrapped up 60-75 pgs shorter. Lastly, Dr. Soberg studied “brown fat” in her dissertation and the book felt like it was stretching and pushing a connection between winter swimming & brown fat creation. However, the evidence/connection was not scientifically based.

Overall, it was a nice read to breeze through as I learned more on winter swimming but would not recommend and was disappointed as I was expecting a more quantitative book coming from a PhD perspective.

[Sj Makepeace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited my husband bought me this present.
However wasn't quite what I'd expected. Don't get me wrong the history of cold water swimming was enlightening and the information on saunas was informative for me.
Now I don't profess to be an academic and I'm a slow reader BUT it wasn't as in depth as I'd hoped.
I'm on my 2nd year of cold water swimming myself and yes a lot resonated with me but the information was, in comparison with stuff I'd already researched and learnt. I was expecting more quantitative facts rather than 'probablys' or 'possiblys' from a Dr.
And if research has shown the brown fat kicks in your metabolism then why am I still fat?
Repetitive in some places.
All in all a good book for a beginner cold water swimmer who hasn't taken the plunge yet.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very science-y book (translated by Elizabeth DeNoma) by a Danish author with a PhD in metabolism studies who is researching the effects of cold-water swimming. And when she says cold, she means *cold*—there are lots of (beautiful) photos of people dunking in slushy water and holes carved into the ice. While the definition of cold water could be anything under 15C/59F, she mostly seems to be writing about water temperatures of 5C/41F and below, which is far colder than anything I've been in (my coldest so far is about 8C/46F and I don't have any particular desire to go colder).

Nonetheless, cold is cold, and I was interested in her explanations of what's happening in your body when you submerge yourself in frigid liquid. I can't say I understood it all, but I feel like I got the gist of what physical systems kick into action, what you can do to acclimatize to cold water, and how all of this may or may not be mentally and physically beneficial.

That "may or may not" is key here, because much of this book is (scientifically based) speculation; there are a lot of instances of "maybe," "possibly," and "this requires more research." The truth is that it's not really clear exactly how or even whether cold water can help any number of conditions; there's tons of anecdotal evidence, but the hard scientific evidence is lacking. I'm personally wary of anything being promoted as a panacea, which cold-water swimming often is—not necessarily in this book, though it walks a fine line, I think. I was also suprised to find some long-debunked myths repeated here, like the notion that you lose 80 percent of your body heat through your head (you really don't!). I didn't expect that here.

That aside, there were some nice takeaways, and it was an intriguing insight into a different cold-water swimming culture—one that involves much colder water and many more saunas than we usually have here in England!

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was pretty interested when I picked this up but quickly found that my interest wouldn’t last for the length of the book. I found this informative, yet poorly organized and repetitive. There are some cute infographics, photos and anecdotes within, but the overall tone was kind of preachy and leaned at times to pseudo-science or heresay. I may also have been partly turned off by an underlying antifat bias, as there were lots of statements about winter swimming for weight loss or to manage type 2 diabetes. All that said, maybe someone who wants to be convinced to take the plunge into winter swimming would benefit from this book.

[Bryson Boddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who’s been religiously taking daily ice cold showers for two years now, I was really curious to see if there were levels to the health benefits of cold exposure. Apparently, it was a clear yes. The colder it is, the better it is for, in moderation of course, and only to a certain extent.

I’ve never even taken a bio class before, and I was able to keep up with the scientific concepts. This is a positive sign for explaining the efficacy of this practice to a widespread audience. However, the content does feel quite repetitive, and the authors own research has not been published yet, which does dilute the impact of the book. However, if you’ve never looked into health benefits of cold showers/swimming, even just the first few chapters of this boom will do you some serious good.

[Kelly Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ overall

Picked up this beautiful hardback from an independent bookshop in Woodbridge at the start of the year. I saw it in the window and couldn’t resist a book about winter swimming (as someone who enjoys the cold and is enamoured by water)

This book depicts the benefits of cold water swimming/winter swimming in bite size science. Thoroughly enjoyed use of beautiful Nordic and international images.

I can’t wait to start taking winter swimming seriously…

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a thesis in a book, a lot of repeating the statements (up to 8 times) and I did enjoy the knowledge I gained from it. However it was not written for an audience to enjoy the writing. Maybe it was the english translation, but would only recommend if you are up for a scientific read.

[Krista Stubbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has definitely motivated me to keep up my ocean dips! I’m becoming addicted to it! Very informational too and loved the pictures!

[Charlton Soesanto · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very captivating. I love plunging but there was a lot of filler content between the scientific insights. The stories in-between the insights were not interesting

[Kitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

lootsin siit veidi rohkem teadust ja konkreetsemaid seletusi selle kohta, kuidas külmas vees ujumine inimese organismile mõjub. aga sain teada, et see teadus on veel tegemata, kuigi autor juba tegeleb ja kunagi vast tuleb ka. siiamaani oli tal meile pakkuda palju entusiasmi ja mõned teooriad, mille tõestusi, kui need kord tulevad, loeks täitsa huviga küll. eelkõige siis pruuni rasva osas, et mis see ikkagi on ja kuidas täpselt töötab ja kuidas külma veega seotud on. ja et kas tal on roll diabeedi ennetamises ja kaalukaotuses ja sellistes asjades.

huvitava faktina sain teada, et külmaks loetakse vett 14C ja allapoole, mis minu tagasihoidliku hinnangu kohaselt... ei ole üldse veel eriti külm.

ja natuke liiga palju oli siin juttu saunast, mis, jah, mingites kultuurides käib külmaveesuplusega käsikäes, aga autori enda sõnul tema kodumaal Taanis tegelikult mitte, alles viimase aja mood. mingis mõttes oli jah huvitav võrrelda, kuidas mõjub kehale külm ja kuidas kuumus, aga lõppeks ajas see tegelikult pigem asju segasemaks kui tegi selgemaks, ja ma oleks vist eelistanud, et oleks olnud raamat ühelainsal teemal.

[Andrew Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

When getting into a new hobby, I am the kind of person who starts of slowly, does the research, and then begins to investing into it.

I had heard of the benefits of winter swimming but Søberg's book sets you straight with the health benefits, practical guidance and right amount of personal stories to inspire you. A complete guide to winter swimming.

So now on a weekly basis you can now find me in the morning dipping in the Øresund (the sea between Denmark and Sweden).

[Cinzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a decent read with interesting insight - mostly for beginners - but I had a few issues.

Research findings were too often sprinkled with anecdotal evidence. The author acknowledges when that is the case to avoid confusion, and that is fair enough. But the reason I read the book was precisely to go beyond anecdotes and find out about what's actually backed by research.

Also, while there is a bibliography at the end of the book, there are no clear citations linked to each claim made throughout the book. It's always vaguely expressed as in: "a study" or "a cohort test", "studies" etc. without any clear specification. That came as a surprise considering that the author has a Ph.D.

There were a few mentions here and there about obesity and weight loss that I personally found out of place and addressed quite superficially, like associating obesity with being comfortable as opposed to being active, to name one.

Finally, most of the studies mentioned only involved male swimmers or men. While that may the be the only dataset available, I would have appreciated a brief mention of the fact that there were no studies available (?) that involved more heterogeneous groups in terms of gender/age/body type. But nothing was said to that regard.

[J_BlueFlower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended over The Wim Hof Method. Also don’t let the silly Danish title (Hop i havet) fool you.

The book is an instruction in starting winter swimming, mixed with results from science studies mostly about cold exposure but also a bit about saunas and a few interviews about winter swimming.

I had expected a bit more research and a lot less intro to starting winter swimming. I usually come over prepared, but even I did not pick up this book before starting winter swimming.

I read the Danish version Hop i havet. It is on Ereolen both as ebook and audio.

[Jennifer Bair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have recently gotten into winter swimming and this book was recommended to me by someone in my swimming club. She raved about the photos which I agree were quite lovely and gave me winter swimming experience I aspire to have someday.

I wanted to read this book to learn about the science and studies of winter swimming. Despite the photography and the anecdotes, which I found to be very enjoyable, the science felt overall inconclusive.

I found myself overwhelmed with new terminology when reading about the studies, data that leaned one way or the other and then the study would wrap up with no definitive conclusion. This felt like a trend item throughout the book and left me disappointed.

The book offers a lovely insight to winter swimming, bulleted pages throughout on different aspects of swimming and glimpses into people’s first experience taking a plunge into the cold. There are definitely informative bits that I found helpful, such as how to manage the after drop.

Depending on what you are hoping for, this book may or may not be the book you are seeking.

[Phil Calandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author, Suzanna Soberg, has a Ph.D. in Metabolism specializing in brown fat and has been conducting research into winter swimming. The author has drawn on publications of health agencies such as the World Health Organization and has investigated the short- and long-term effects of cold-water immersion albeit it there is still extensive research that must be completed. The author details the "cold shock response" and the benefits of winter swimming including decrease incidents of atherosclerosis, stress, mood swings and other conditions. Also, winter swimming can increase our energy, our inner tranquility and metabolism. Although this book is an anecdotal study which includes interviews of several people who have benefitted from improved physical, mental and emotional health as a result of winter swimming, I would recommend this book.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Lots of motivating pictures and useful information around wild swimming with reference to scientific research. I think this book will be a good one to go back to when needing reference or just to confirm something. The Scandinavians must be doing something right as they have the best quality of life in the world, but until we make fundamental changes to our society, particularly related to stress and wellbeing, as much as we crave the Scandinavian factor, it’s harder to achieve as their society values wellbeing and everything is centred around that, whilst ours seems more geared up to work, work, fast, fast, living… but I think this book highlights we can take our own steps towards small part of that lifestyle. Also, we need more right to roam, particularly in England, so these benefits can be safe and accessible for everyone.

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so eager to read this book and gain some understanding about the science which supports cold water immersion for health benefits. As a recent devotee to cold water dipping, it was helpful for me to know some of the benefits I was not aware of, such as improving insulin sensitivity, lowering blood sugar, and burning calories. The author, who earned her PhD researching metabolism, has spent many years conducting clinical studies. I found it comforting to know that the reasons I began cold dipping - to reduce pain and inflammation and to help my mindset, were backed up by science.
I also loved the many watercolor photographs of winter swimmers, mostly from the Netherlands and Russia. I am definitely inspired to continue my cold immersion practice.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a really fun read. Dr. Soberg takes the science, sprinkles in anecdotes from her studies, traditions from around the world and really makes you want to go swim in some cold water. A lot of great photos from people winter swimming around the world. An end section on the Finnish sauna tradition, and how your bodies reaction to it is and isn't similar to winter swimming.

If you are interested in health, personal development, and pushing yourself, this book is an excellent read. And, since I am sure you want to know; I have not yet found a convenient place to go winter swimming. However, I do take a cold shower multiple mornings a week. Looking into getting a cold plunge outdoor tub. I would love to build a sauna at my house.

[Shannon Woollett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winter Swimming by Susanna Soberg : This book is the sine qua non of information for people wanting to learn about winter swimming, cold showers and even saunas! Dr Soberg is most likely the world’s foremost expert on metabolism and cold exposure for health and mental health. The science is deep but her language and translation is super easy to understand. Winter Swimming is manual for beginners and a deep dive for veteran cold swimmers. The pictures are luxurious and the scientific references are abundant. I highly, highly recommend. I give it 5 snowflakes ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

[Ross Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully crafted book… as someone who started cold water swimming this year, it was a ‘must buy’ when I saw it in the bookshop
The book itself is very good but I found it offered few ‘new’ insights into the subject - there were many open questions and requests for further research.
…however I does cover the science very well and i think it would be very useful for someone making their first steps into the subject.

[Abbie Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book but not quite what I was expecting, which doesn’t seem fair because I can’t put my finger on what I didn’t like. I was only further encouraged to figure out how to make cold water swimming/therapy a reality based on emerging research. It also made me want to do more research into the potential positive effects it can have on mental well-being. 3.75⭐️

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book title was gifted to me from the publishers.
It was a very interesting read as I have a friend who winter swims and had previously asked me to join her. I was very reluctant but after reading this book my opinions have changed and I may well join in this hobby of swimming in colder water. Interesting facts of the benefits and the outcomes for different environments and locations.

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok book. I found the concept of winter swimming interesting but the book was a little shallow. It felt like each chapter was just a different way of saying "swimming in cold water is hard, but I promise it will feel good afterwards!" The concept of brown fat was the most interesting part, and I wish it got more attention and in-depth exploration.

[Ido · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for anyone looking to get into cold exposure and know the benefits and why everything happens as it is
The first 3/4 of the book is very informative and helpful for understanding
I’d say the rest of the book repeat it self a bit
Mostly good read and if you’re into cold exposure you’d like it
Also There’s a chapter about sauna

[Julie Zilkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading all about the benefits of cold plunging for over a year now, and now reading this book about this ancient practice, I am convinced it has much value. I bought my own cold plunge and did my first one yesterday. It was not nearly as bad as I thought it might be, and I will be adding into my health regimen from now on!! Kids are loving doing it with me, too!

[Rosie]

I mostly skimmed this overview of cold-water swimming. I enjoyed the brief history at the beginning of the book, but overall it was somewhat repetitive and straddled the line between coffee table book and nature/science writing. I couldn't seem to glean all that much from it, maybe because I like the idea of winter swimming more than the actual application.