Cold-water dips, Wim Hof, and dry robes: these terms are creating a buzz, fuelled by charity challenges urging participants to take the plunge. This festive season, campaigns like the “12 Dips of Christmas” are encouraging people to brave chilly waters to raise funds for good causes.
But what’s behind this icy trend, and why is it growing in popularity?
The Wim Hof Method: Science and Simplicity
The Wim Hof Method, developed by the Dutch motivational speaker often dubbed “The Iceman,” combines three key practices: breathwork, cold exposure, and mental commitment. Advocates say these techniques can strengthen immunity, improve sleep, reduce stress, and enhance focus. It’s a straightforward but powerful approach that’s drawing more people into the world of cold-water therapy.
Having recently attended a Wim Hof workshop that included guided breathing exercises and an ice bath, I’ve taken the plunge myself—literally. Since the session, I’ve started weekly sea dips at my local South Coast beach. Spending just a few minutes in the frigid water has been a revelation. By focusing on breathing and mental control, it’s incredible to see how much the body can achieve.
Safety First: How to Ensure Clean Waters
For many, the first question about outdoor swimming is: how clean and safe is the water? In areas like the UK’s South Coast, tools like Southern Water’s ‘Rivers & Seas Watch’ website are invaluable. This monitors (in near-real-time) releases of storm run-off water mixed with wastewater from overflow pipes into rivers and the sea. The tool uses advanced modelling of tides, currents and weather to give swimmers insight into the possible impact of these potentially harmful releases on water quality before they dive in.
The impact of storm releases has attracted considerable media scrutiny in recent years, and rightly so, as wastewater networks across the UK have struggled to handle excess stormwater due to changing climatic conditions.
The ‘Rivers & Seas Watch’ tool was developed with a customer-first approach, with Relish collaborating closely with Southern Water and the local community to meet user needs. Over several months, feedback was gathered via an online hub, where trialists tested a Beta version during their daily water interactions. This input significantly influenced the tool’s design, ensuring data is intuitive, transparent, and informative.
New features were live-tested in a virtual lab, allowing Southern Water’s UX team to engage directly with users in real-time. Relish’s longitudinal research methods emphasize collaboration and ongoing dialogue, offering impactful insights without the high costs often expected. Interested in learning more? Contact us to explore how we can support your project.
Interested in learning more? Contact us to explore how we can support your project.
-Amy Smyth
Insight Director
