Cold Water Swimming and Other Recovery Strategies for Burnout

Recovering from burnout isn’t one-size-fits-all. While sleep, nutrition, movement, and mindset form the foundation of recovery, some people find alternative strategies like cold water swimming or mindful rituals can enhance resilience and wellbeing.

These approaches complement the structured steps in our Burnout Recovery Guide for working women navigating burnout while continuing their careers.

Why Alternative Strategies Matter

Recovery from burnout is highly individual. What works for one person may not work for another, so experimenting with different recovery approaches can help you find what restores your energy, focus, and emotional balance. Integrating alternative methods alongside core strategies like sleep, diet, and stress management can accelerate recovery and support sustainable wellbeing.

Cold water swimming for burnout recovery may sound extreme, but for me it’s been life-changing. Beyond the well-known physical benefits like boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation, and supporting cardiovascular health, cold water swimming has played a crucial role in restoring my mental health and resilience. Three years into my journey, plunging into the North Sea has become one of the most powerful tools in my recovery from burnout.

The Challenge: How Cold Water Builds Burnout Resilience

Anyone who has attempted cold water swimming is familiar with the mild (and occasionally not so mild!) sense of trepidation when getting ready to enter the water. In my experience, this feeling diminishes with experience but never completely disappears. I've discovered that consistently pushing through these feelings and diving in anyway boosts your resilience to stress and anxiety in other areas of life. Beginning my day by conquering this small personal challenge provides me with the confidence I need to face the day ahead.

The Stillness: Cold Water Swimming for Mental Clarity

Once I'm in the water and my breathing stabilises, I experience a feeling of complete stillness and calm. The vast sea stretches before me and the physical space around me translates into space in my mind. Sometimes I can almost physically sense stressful thoughts leaving my body, as my blood rushes to support my essential organs. This mental clearing allows me a fresh start, reminding me that I can decide what is important enough to worry about and where I just need to let things go.

The Adrenaline Rush: The 'Cold Water High' and Burnout Recovery

Those who follow my blog are aware that I used to be somewhat of an adrenaline junkie at work (read more here). Cold water swimming is refreshing, and the chilly water frequently triggers an adrenaline surge, commonly known as the "cold water high." Anyone who has experienced a cold dip understands it's difficult to leave without feeling empowered to handle anything. Having already fulfilled my adrenaline cravings elsewhere, I now find myself able to relax at work, manage a reasonable workload, and keep things in perspective.

Connection with Nature: Healing Through the Seasons

I swim at the beach, usually first thing in the morning before work. Going at the same time throughout the year means I can connect with the change in seasons. In winter, we swim in the dark in our bobble hats, sometimes under skies full of stars, shooting stars, full moons, crescent moons and everything in between. As the seasons shift, I get to experience the sun rises, with skies painted with pinks, oranges and purples. Then, in the height of summer, I am swimming in full sunlight, the heat of the sun warming my head in my swimming cap. Sometimes a seal joins us or a heron on the groyne sign. Somedays, the sea is crystal clear like a sheet of glass and sometimes its too rough to swim and we jump in the waves instead. No two days are the same but the connection with nature seems to put me and my worries in my place, reminding me of what's important.

Companionship: Why Shared Swims Boost Mental Health

For safety, cold water swimming usually requires a companion. To start me off, I joined a beginner session organised by Wild Swim Scotland, and then joined local swims advertised by the Edinburgh Bluetits. I now swim with a regular group of friends but the point is cold water swimming offers the opportunity for connection without pressure. When you are feeling overwhelmed going out with friends can feel like too much, but meeting people through a shared activity can feel easier, providing you with the important benefits of connection. It was during a swim I first felt able to open up about feeling overwhelmed at work, an important part of my recovery.

Other Alternative Burnout Recovery Strategies

For me cold water swimming has really supported my recovery from burnout and I encourage everyone to give it a try. However, for those who don't fancy a cold dip, any activity you enjoy which provides challenge, a connection with nature and people and an opportunity to switch off is really important to living a balanced life and protecting you from burnout. Other alternative burnout recovery strategies might include:

• Mindful Movement: Gentle yoga, stretching, or tai chi can restore energy without adding stress.

• Nature-Based Recovery: Walks in green spaces or forest bathing support mental clarity and emotional restoration.

• Restorative Rituals: Simple daily practices like journaling, breathing exercises, or brief digital detoxes can reinforce resilience.

These methods can be tailored to your lifestyle, workload, and stress levels, aligning with the principle that recovery is personal and context-dependent.

Integrating Alternative Strategies With Core Recovery

Alternative approaches work best when combined with foundational recovery pillars:

• Prioritising sleep and managing microstressors

• Maintaining movement and physical activity suitable for your current energy

• Mindset and boundary-setting at work and home

• Balanced nutrition 

For a structured guide to recovery while working, see my Burnout Recovery Guide.

Mairi x

Last Updated January 2026