The Flushed Dippers: the effects of cold water and menopause

Open water swim coach Marianne Johnson has recently launched a weekly open water swimming group for peri- and post-menopausal women. We caught up with Marianne to learn more about the effects of cold water, breathing techniques and contrast therapy on menopause symptoms. 

Words: Marianne Johnson

How did The Flushed Dippers come about?

In 2023 I trained as a Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner. I’m also an open water swim coach, Thermalist Instructor, and Functional Breathing Coach and I wanted to combine all of these skills to offer women a new lifestyle activity that could help manage menopausal symptoms and boost their long term health post menopause. 

In July 2024 I started the ‘Flushed Dippers’ group on Thursday evenings at WeirWood Reservoir in Forest Row, East Sussex. I wanted to make this group accessible to as many women as possible, so I do not charge for my time, they just have to pay the swim entry fee to the swim venue. I advertised the group on some local Facebook pages and have been amazed at the response. 

The first week, four women turned up, the second week 11 women, and the third week 21 women turned up! I set up a private Facebook group for local women who were already attending the sessions or for those potentially interested. We are about to enter the fifth month of running this weekly swim group and there are currently 99 members in the Facebook group. 

A lot of new women attended during the first month, most of them had never tried open water swimming or cold water immersion. I therefore introduced them very gently, starting the session with them sitting in a line along the jetty, dangling their legs and letting them get used to the water temperature (which was a barmy 21 degrees in July).

What did you cover in the initial sessions?

Some of them were very nervous about the cold, not being able to see under the water and being out of their depth in open water. So we talked about how to calm your nervous system, to take you out of ‘flight or flight’ mode and more into ‘rest and digest’ mode, simply using your breath. 

I usually start by asking people to place a hand on their chest and the other hand on their belly and close their eyes to focus and become aware of how they are currently breathing. I explained that we only want to feel the lower hand moving when we breathe in and out, which signals a deep, diaphragmatic breath. Many people are ‘hybrid’ breathers, using their diaphragm a little (but not fully) and also engaging the upper chest/neck/shoulder muscles to some extent. 

When we are nervous, we tend to breathe faster and into the upper chest, and maybe in and out of the mouth. This type of breathing sends a stress signal to the brain, activating our stress response, whereas slow, deep breathing sends a signal to say we feel calm and safe, activating our relaxation response. So it is important for people to understand that how we breathe on a daily basis can dictate our physiological and mental state. Therefore, we can use our breath to change from a stressed/up-regulated state to a relaxed/down-regulated state and vice versa within a matter of minutes. 

During the initial Flushed Dipper sessions, we practiced breathing in and out of the nose and slowing the breath down as we entered the water, focusing on extending the exhale. Adding a hum to the exhale triggers the Vagus Nerve, which sits very close to our vocal cords, which also helps promote relaxation in a stressful environment.  

Once immersed in the water but still within their depth, I explained how submerging the neck or splashing cold water on the face is another way to trigger the Parasympathetic Nervous System (our relaxation response) to help override the initial Sympathetic response. 

We briefly talked about the impact of poor daily breathing habits on our sleep, cognitive abilities, mental state, energy levels, sports performance and recovery. This is relevant to everyone, whatever age or gender. However, poor breathing habits during the menopause can often exacerbate many symptoms. 

I have written a blog about how breathing can affect our menopause. I also talked about the benefits of cold water immersion in general and that many of these benefits are beneficial during the menopause. From the feedback I have received, the mental health benefits are huge for these women, something I don’t think any of them expected. 

How did the sessions go down with swimmers?

One of our new swimmers, Heloisa, told me she had been trying to find a group to swim with for many months. As a keen hiker, she just felt like she needed to take this ‘next step’ and be in the water more often. “Even though we swim, for me it’s more the sensation of being totally embraced by nature and seeing your surroundings in a whole new perspective,” she said after our first session. “I am kind of looking forward to experiencing this during the colder months. And I am so happy that Marianne got us together. This is now a fixed appointment on my calendar, and a priority during my week. It makes me feel so good.”

Another participant, Jen, told me how cold water swimming helps her feel as though she has more control of her body, her symptoms, and emotions and how she’s then able to regulate things better. “It improves my mood and the outdoor setting gives me space in my mind with the added benefit of experiencing nature, such as the sunsets and the wildlife which lifts my heart.”

Others spoke of the thrill of being weightless and swimming in inky black water, how it helped them focus on the here and now, and the feeling of freedom on the vastness of the water. 

“It’s such a lovely activity to get women together, some never having an experience of open water swimming and others who enthuse about it – I fall into the last  –

“It’s so exhilarating to get into open water,” Annie told me. “It’s good for the soul, and even though cold water wakes you up, it’s also strangely calming. I can get lost in the moment or it gives me thinking time. I love the fact that a group of strangers can come together and find so much in common – women have this ability to connect on so many levels. The camaraderie is wonderful, there’s no judging, only support and laughter and enjoying the beauty of nature.”

Do you have any advice or encouragement for peri- or menopausal women who want to explore the benefits of cold water?

When you tell people that you swim in cold water or sit in a cold pool in your garden when you wake up, the average response is “You’re mad!” or “I couldn’t possibly do that!”. So the first hurdle is to set yourself the goal of trying it, but to take a gentle approach, like starting with ending your shower with cold water for five seconds and gradually building up the time. If you prefer to try open water straight away, I would definitely advise going to a lifeguarded venue initially, or going with a friend or family member, as you can motivate and support each other, as well as looking after each other.

Cold water is safe and has many health benefits for most people, but not everyone. If you have a heart condition, particularly arrhythmia, or unregulated high blood pressure, or other serious health conditions, cold water immersion should be avoided. If you are unsure, then always check with your GP.

However, if you have no health concerns, research is showing that cold water immersion is great for our immune system, our circulation, our insulin sensitivity, our metabolism and consequently weight loss with the activation of brown fat to keep us warm, along with shivering. It reduces inflammation which has been shown to be linked to anxiety and depression, our cellular health is strengthened with the release of cold shock proteins, our mood and feelings of relaxation/de-stressing is enhanced from hormones that are released. Having to cope with an extreme stressor like cold water immersion makes us more resilient and able to cope with daily stressors in life. 

What’s next for The Flushed Dippers?

As an alternative option to trying open water swimming in the colder months, I have started running ‘Garden Spa Evenings’ for those Flushed Dippers who may not be confident to go to the reservoir but are keen to try cold water immersion in a more controlled environment, and together with heat!

As a Theramlist Instructor, I introduce people to the benefits and safe practice of contrast therapy. I have a barrel sauna, 4m x 2m steel framed pool, cold outdoor shower and changing room. These evenings have been hugely popular and many Dippers booked onto another Spa evening straight after the first one.

These are two-hour sessions and we spend the first 30 minutes talking about their menopause transition and how dysfunctional breathing patterns can exacerbate menopausal symptoms, particularly feelings of stress/anxiety and a racing mind. Certain breathing techniques can also be used to help with brain fog, low energy, hot flushes and sleep issues. We also talk about the benefits of cold water immersion during the menopause. 

Before going into the garden we practice breathing techniques that we’ll use before entering cold water and as we enter the water to calm the nervous system and avoid the cold water shock response. 

We aim to start and finish a contrast therapy session with cold water immersion to boost metabolism by making the body work to warm you up in the cold. We then go into the sauna for 10-15 minutes, and repeat two more times, finishing with a cold plunge. We finish the evening with hot chocolate or herbal teas and a chat about the experience and usually a calming breathing exercise. 

Find out more about The Flushed Dippers or about the Garden Spa Evenings via Marianne’s Weightless Swimming website or Facebook group.