A dip in an ice hole sounds worse than it is, especially when there is a hot sauna to go back to. Done right, it is a few seconds in cold water, a rush through your whole body and then a calm warmth that many people call the best part of winter. Here is how to do it for the first time.
Why sauna and winter swimming go together
The sauna makes the cold manageable. When you are properly warm, the cold water is less of a shock, and afterwards you have somewhere to warm up again. It is the switch between hot and cold that gives the feeling, not how long you can stand the water.
That is why sauna and ice swimming is an old Nordic tradition. In Finland and Sweden people have done it for generations, and it is the easiest way to start winter swimming.
What happens in your body?
When you step into water close to freezing, your body reacts with cold shock. You gasp, your breathing speeds up and your heart rate and blood pressure rise. The reaction is strongest in the first minute and then settles.
That is why you should get in slowly, never jump or dive, and focus on breathing out slowly. Once your breathing has calmed down, it is usually time to get out.
Afterwards the blood vessels in your skin tighten and then open up again as you warm up. Many people feel awake and clear-headed afterwards. We don't promise any health effects, but the feeling is hard to describe until you have tried it.
How long should you stay in?
Shorter than you think. For a beginner, 10–30 seconds is plenty, and a quick in-and-out is perfectly fine. There is nothing to gain from staying in long.
Step by step
- Warm up in the sauna for 10–15 minutes, until you are warm all the way through.
- Walk calmly out to the ice hole. Take your slippers off right by the ladder.
- Hold the ladder and climb down backwards, one step at a time.
- Breathe out slowly when the water reaches your chest. Keep your head above water.
- Stay a few seconds, up to half a minute, then climb out.
- Wrap yourself in your towel and go back into the heat.
- Rest, drink some water and repeat two to four times.
Safety first
- Never swim alone. Someone should always stand by the ice hole and keep an eye out.
- Save the alcohol until you are done with the dips. It dulls your sense of the cold and your judgement.
- Never jump or dive. Use the ladder and keep your head above water.
- Get out straight away if you start shivering uncontrollably, feel dizzy or struggle to move your hands.
- If you are pregnant or have a heart condition or high blood pressure, ask a doctor before you try.
- Only walk on the ice where we have shown you. We check the ice ourselves and let you know if it isn't safe.
What to bring
- Swimwear (or nothing at all, the raft is private to your group)
- Two towels: one to dry off with and one to sit on in the sauna
- Slippers or swim shoes for the cold deck and the ice
- A hat and gloves to wear between dips
- Warm clothes for the walk out and home
- A thermos of something hot and a bite to eat
After the last dip
It's nice to finish in the sauna, but let your body warm up at a calm pace. Your body can keep cooling for a while after you get out of the water, so put on dry, warm clothes and have something hot to drink. A bite to eat helps too.
Winter swimming at Sjöbastun
Sjöbastun is a private, wood-fired sauna raft on Lake Drevviken, about 20 minutes from central Stockholm. When the lake has frozen, you walk across the ice to the raft, which is already hot and lit up when you arrive. Before the ice is thick enough, you row out as in summer, and the cold autumn and early-winter dips give the same rush.
The whole raft is yours for three hours, for up to 12 people. There is a lifebuoy and a swim ladder on the raft, and life jackets on request. Never tried it? Ask us and we'll go through everything when you arrive, in English.
