Cold Showers vs. Cold Water Dipping: Why They’re Worlds Apart
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you will know that I’ve recently taken to cold water dipping and I love it. In fact I’ve taken to it like a duck to water!
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Despite feeling the cold like no-one else I know, I’ve always been able to cold water dip. Long summers in Guernsey taught me the joys of swimming in the sea and it’s something I’ve continued whenever I’ve been near to the a beach.
I’ve been sea swimming in Wales in December when there’s been snow on the mountain tops. I’ve hit the ocean in April when the water is at its coldest. I’ve also taken to swimming in waterfalls, gorges, huge rockpools and lakes.
Next to sea and waterfall swimming, cold water dipping in my garden pod is my favourite activity - especially if there’s ice on it!
People often talk about taking cold showers in preparation for cold dipping but in my experience, they couldn’t be more different.
If you’ve tried a cold shower and hated every second of it, don’t let that deter you from exploring the magic of cold water dipping. The two experiences are so different that comparing them feels almost unfair. Let me explain why.
Why Cold Showers Feel Like a Form of Torture
The Pain of Tiny Pin Pricks
From my experience, a cold shower normally follows a wonderful warm shower, which in itself is a harsh reality. But more than that, it feels like being assaulted by thousands of icy needles. The water comes at you with force, hitting your skin in sharp, unforgiving bursts. It’s not just cold—it’s actively painful, leaving you gasping and bracing for the next wave (or in my case, trying to dodge it, in which case you’re likely to bash your elbow or knee on the shower screen!)
The Element of Surprise
The worst part? Although you may have switched the shower to a cold setting, your body and mind don’t ACTUALLY expect your shower to be cold. Showers are meant to be warm and comforting and when they’re not, there’s a mental dissonance that makes the experience all kinds of wrong. When I look around my bathroom and see my usual tiles and toiletries but there’s cold water hitting me - well in my mind, that just does not add up!
Time Slows Down
Not only that but in a cold shower, every second stretches into an eternity. Thirty seconds feels like three hours as you slowly turn around to ensure that the cold water trickles over the whole of you. Oh the torture of cold, dripping, water. It’s hard to resist the urge to leap out. Whilst when it’s over you can feel tingly and lovely, the experience of itself is a claustrophobic, confining one that offers little to no solace.
Why Cold Water Dipping Is Entirely Different
An Immersive and Expansive Experience
Cold water dipping, on the other hand, is a completely different story. When you step into a lake, river, ocean or dipping pod the experience itself (and not just the after-feeling) is immersive and beautiful. You’re not confined to a narrow space with water heading towards you and pelting you. Instead, you’re in control of how the water meets your body and even in a back garden, you’re surrounded by nature.
The Magic of the Moment
When you’ve settled into it, cold water dipping allows your mind to wander and meander. You can listen to music or a podcast, watch the clouds go by or the stars twinkle above, observe the sway of the trees, or hear the birds sing. The experience is expansive, not claustrophobic. It’s as much a mental journey as it is a physical one.
The Reward of Contrast
And here’s the best part: when you leave the cold water, you can head straight for a hot shower. As far as I’m concerned, this is what showers were designed for—a soothing embrace after the invigorating chill of a dip. The contrast makes the warmth feel even more luxurious.
Enhance Your Cold Water Dipping Experience
To make your cold water dipping even more enjoyable, I highly recommend the Lumi Maxi Pod. After much research, I concluded that I didn’t need to spend a lot of money on a dipping pod. There was a chance I wouldn’t take to it like I have and I didn’t want to be heavily out of pocket. With it’s good size, protective lid and inflatable ring to lie my head back against, it offered all that I needed.
Accessories in the form of neoprene gloves and boots and my sauna/dipping hat from Denham & Derby (which is my own brand) will help you to keep warmer during your dip and elevate the experience, keeping you warm and stylish.
The Denham & Derby sauna/cold dipping hat and neoprene gloves and boots for dipping
Conclusion: Don’t Judge a Dip by a Shower
If you’ve written off cold water dipping because of a bad cold shower experience, it’s time to reconsider. These two practices are worlds apart, offering entirely different sensations and benefits. Cold water dipping is immersive, calming, and life-affirming—so why not give it a try?
What’s stopping you from taking the plunge?
Since I started cold water dipping everything has changed. The anticipation of an evening dip gives me something to look forward to during the day.
When the time comes, there’s the ritual of getting changed, donning my gloves, boots and hat, turning my music on and slowly lowering myself into my pod. Then I regulate my breathing, listen to my music, look at the stars and let my mind wander.
When I come out I’m still singing (either in my head or out loud!) and tingly from the water. Honestly, there’s nothing like it.
The important thing is to look beyond the fear of being cold. It’s about taking your mind somewhere far away where no-one can get hold of you. And in the long term, it’s about what having been in the cold water offers you. Peace.
If you’ve got any questions, please leave a comment below.
Have a super week,
Beth x