Engström Åsa, Hägglund Hans, Lennkvist Maria
Department of Health, Education and Technology, Division of Nursing and Medical Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden.
Hematology Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2025 Dec;84(1):2540670. doi: 10.1080/22423982.2025.2540670. Epub 2025 Jul 30.
Cold baths have been used in various cultures for centuries, with modern scientific interest growing over the past few decades. The aim of this phenomenological hermeneutic study was to explore the meaning of outdoor cold bathing of people who regularly engage in that practice. Nine people, seven women and two men aged 44 to 70, who regularly cold bathed in Sweden participated in the study. They were interviewed during the winter-spring of 2025. Participants described cold bathing as a powerful coping mechanism during periods of stress and life transition, often beginning in midlife when facing personal or professional challenges. Cold bathing was described as a powerful practice that not only challenges the body but also uplifts the mind, often becoming a valued ritual for both physical recovery and emotional renewal. Being in nature was an important part of the holiness of the experience.
几个世纪以来，冷水浴在各种文化中都有应用，在过去几十年里，现代科学对其兴趣与日俱增。这项现象学诠释学研究的目的是探究经常进行户外冷水浴的人的冷水浴体验的意义。九名年龄在44至70岁之间、经常在瑞典进行冷水浴的人参与了这项研究，其中七名女性，两名男性。他们在2025年冬春季节接受了采访。参与者将冷水浴描述为压力和生活转变时期一种强大的应对机制，这种做法通常始于中年，当面临个人或职业挑战时。冷水浴被描述为一种强大的行为，不仅挑战身体，还能振奋精神，常常成为身体恢复和情绪更新的重要仪式。身处大自然是这种神圣体验的重要组成部分。
