HIT THE RE-SET BUTTON!

There’s a lot written about the health and mental health benefits of swimming...particularly open water swimming and swimming in cold water. I usually just switch off when I see an article related to the topic. I’ve read far too many of them and they’re everywhere!

 I have however, made a couple of observations during recent weeks and the lockdown situation we find ourselves in that I’m going to share. Firstly, just how much you (most anyway) take sea and pool swimming for granted when it’s on your doorstep and how lucky many of us are to be in that situation. It seems only now that I’m unable to swim that it really hits home. Secondly, how swimming completely re-sets your brain. I’ve been running and doing a lot of weights over the last few weeks and I’ve found that if something is playing on my mind, it continues to do so through these activities. There’s no respite. When I swim I shut my brain and thoughts off to the outside world. It completely re-sets my mind and mood. Even when I get out of the pool or sea I seem to get a period of ‘peace’. I’m just thankful that I don’t have any major stresses on my mind at the moment…other than the obvious!

 I’ve found myself taking baths and dunking my head under for a minute or so at a time to switch my brain off a little and taking the odd cold showers. Whilst it clearly isn’t the same, it temporarily does the trick.

 We (the Sea Swim Cornwall team) hope everyone is staying safe and we hope to see lots of you in the sea some time soon.