Across the UK and far beyond, a quiet shift in midlife exercise is underway. A decade ago, the cultural image of midlife fitness was the Lycra-clad cyclist speeding along suburban roads. Now, a different scene has emerged: women in hats and tow-floats stepping into freezing lakes at dawn - especially through the winter.
Author
- James Beale
Senior Lecturer in Sport Psychology, University of East London
Outdoor swimming participation has risen sharply worldwide, and women make up a striking proportion of regular year-round swimmers. To many observers, this seems counterintuitive. Why would busy women in midlife choose cold water as their weekly reset?
A new qualitative study published in the European Journal of Ecopsychology set out to understand what this practice does for wellbeing - not just physically, but psychologically. Rather than simply asking swimmers how they feel, the research examined "flourishing". This is a term from positive psychology that describes a sense of thriving. It includes positive relationships, confidence, vitality, emotional balance and coping with challenges.
Nine women aged 39 to 59 who swim year-round at a monitored lake in south London took part in in-depth interviews. These conversations were led by a female interviewer who became familiar with the swimming setting - someone who spent time at the lake, observed routines, and created a space where women felt comfortable talking about personal themes that are often hidden.
What emerged was a detailed picture of how nature based outdoor swimming becomes woven into identity, social life and emotional resources. Several women contrasted the lake with indoor pools - chlorine, noise and confinement made some feel uncomfortable, while the lake felt expansive and calming. They described the atmosphere as "low-key", "homely" and grounded in quiet mutual support rather than competition.
Flourishing showed up in many ways. Women spoke of uplifting emotion after swimming and a calmer outlook that stayed with them long after leaving the water. Some felt better able to face demanding days. Strong social bonds formed too, with swimmers talking about a caring female community built around shared routines.
Nature played an important role. The lake environment - light on water, wildlife, weather and seasons - was part of the experience, not decoration. Immersion helped women feel like "physical, natural beings", suggesting that being in nature helped them connect with themselves differently.
Safety mattered. Lifeguards, water-quality checks and visibility gear created conditions where women could come alone and still feel secure - enabling regular participation without fears that might deter them elsewhere.
One of the most surprising findings surfaced without prompting: menopause.
Participants repeatedly linked open-water swimming with easing symptoms or navigating emotional changes at midlife. This is the first scientific study to show women themselves spontaneously connecting cold lake swimming with relief during menopause - something not widely reported in wellbeing research.
Opportunity and equality
The sample - white, middle-class women - reflects a common pattern in outdoor swimming communities internationally. This highlights opportunity and inequality: access to safe places to swim, time and equipment often depend on geography and resources.
Later exploratory work from the same research group has begun examining how Black women experience outdoor exercise differently, where belonging, safety and visibility can be harder to achieve.
Taken together, these findings help explain why so many middle-aged women are flocking to cold lakes. Outdoor swimming offers challenge, community, soothing immersion, confidence, nature connection and, unexpectedly, support during menopause.
Instead of being defined by deficit or decline, the women in this study through open-water swimming framed midlife as a period of growth, connection and resilience.
As open-water swimming continues to rise, from New Zealand's harbours to Scandinavian fjords, the stories emerging from this London lake shed light on why women keep stepping into icy water: not just to exercise, but to flourish.
This article draws on research conducted with co-researcher JJ Fisher, who led participant interviews. The author has also previously published research on wellbeing among middle-aged recreational cyclists, indirectly referenced here.
