“I feel dizzy when swimming”

Swimming coach and Olympian Cassie Patten has advice for if you find yourself feeling dizzy when swimming – and how to rebuild your confidence in open water

“I once had a dizzy spell during a swim. Nothing bad happened but I have been anxious about swimming ever since and lost the confidence to swim far from the edge of the lake or into deep water. I now get anxious about getting anxious – help!”

Firstly, what I would recommend is to speak to a doctor or have your blood pressure checked by a nurse. We just want to rule out any health issues that may have caused that dizziness. I know I can feel quite lightheaded and dizzy when my blood pressure is low, or if I am either dehydrated or in need of some electrolytes.

Start slow and steady

In terms of swimming and regaining the confidence you feel you may have lost; I want to let you know that this is not unusual and you are by no means a failure. My recommendation for you is to start slow and steady, try and alleviate any pressure on yourself. I recommend visualisation. Imagine yourself swimming out into the lake, close your eyes and feel the water all around you, take some slow deep breaths telling yourself that you are okay, and you are safe. Repeat this several times a week. By doing so you are helping to create neural pathways that are overcoming the feeling of anxiety and replacing them with a sense of calm.

For your first couple of sessions back in the lake, don’t try and swim the entire way across, or go out of your depth. Set yourself a goal of staying close to the shore, where you feel safe and can put your feet down at any time. Invest in a tow float, although they are not rescue devices if you roll on your back and hug them, they will give you enough support to help calm you down. Repeat this action again and again when you know you are within a depth where you could easily stand up. What we are aiming to do is to re-train your brain into feeling safe and secure in the water and calming down your land mammal mind.