5 ways of making the most of cold therapy in the summer months

Unfortunately for us lovers of swimming in the cold and taking ice-cold showers, the weather is getting warmer outside. And that also means that the natural waters we take our beloved dip in during the winter months are getting warmer and warmer. In this blog you will read how you can still enjoy cold therapy in the summer months.

1.Take a dip in sea water

If you still want to swim in natural water that is cold, it is best to go to the coast. Seawater is always a few degrees colder than fresh water inland, such as lakes, streams and small ponds. The temperature of our sea water varies in the winter months from about 5 degrees to 23 degrees in the summer. So it is not ideal to take a dip for cold therapy in the summer months.

Via Buienradar you can easily see the current temperature of the North Sea. This temperature is updated weekly. This way you can check whether the water has the ideal temperature for your ice-cold dive. At the time of writing (May 2022) the North Sea has a temperature between 7.5 and 12 degrees. For most people it is still perfect for a cold dive. Please be aware of the risks of swimming in cold water.

2. Choose deeper water

Are you unable to drive to the sea every day or several times a week? In spring, choose open water that is not shallow and which flows through. Do not go to shallow pools or smaller lakes. This water heats up faster because of the sun and the outside temperature.

The large lakes, rivers and canals are deeper and therefore a lot cooler at this time of year. But be aware that these locations can also be warm in summer. Would you like to know where you can swim safely in the Netherlands? The Dutch government has made a handy list of locations where you can safely take a dip in the water.

3. Step under the cold shower

According to Vitens, cold tap water enters your home at a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees. If the water stands still overnight, it can warm up in the pipes in the summer months, but in the winter it can also get a lot colder. Is this really too warm for you as an experienced cold showerer? You can still create a shock effect by first showering hot and then turning the tap cold.

As your body is warmed up by the warmth of the shower, the cold water is much colder than stepping directly under a cold tap.  

4. Holiday in the mountains

Unfortunately, we in the Netherlands do not have the opportunity to drive to a mountain or glacier lake for a daily dip in cold water. However, more than 85 percent of the Dutch population goes on holiday, of which almost ¾ goes abroad (CBS). According to the ANWB, Germany is the most popular destination this year. Followed by France.

So would you like to enjoy some cold therapy during your holiday in the middle of the summer? Something that is not really possible in the Netherlands by jumping into a lake? Then choose to go into the mountains. In the mountains it is often cooler and the mountain lakes are generally very deep. For instance the Königssee in Bavaria.

Do you want to swim in really cold water during your summer holidays? Then choose not to go to one of these popular holiday countries but take the car and drive towards Scandinavia. The higher you drive to the North, the colder it gets on land, but also in the water.

5. A self-cooling ice bath is the solution for year-round cold therapy

As far as we are concerned, this is the solution for cold therapy in the summer months. But not only in the summer months, in fact all year round. Because where do you find ice-cold water up to 3 degrees every day? Not in the Netherlands. Not in open water, not in the sea and not in the shower either. Yes, you can if it is freezing and there is ice, but that is quite rare.

With Icetubs, you put a bath in your garden, bathroom, gym or wherever you want and you set the temperature you want. That can be 10 degrees, but also colder. The built-in cooling system keeps the water clean and ice cold. The ideal solution for jumping into that ice-cold water in the summer.