Outdoor swimming - the new mental health intervention?

A blog by Hannah Denton, Principal Counselling Psychologist at Sussex Partnership NHS Trust

Interest in nature-based interventions for mental health has been slowly rising for years. However, lockdown brought into sharp focus how important being able to exercise outside is for our wellbeing. With less access to swimming pools the interest and engagement in outdoor swimming rocketed, and with it increasing numbers of people reported finding a benefit. 

I am one of a team of researchers at Sussex Partnership NHS Trust, along with colleagues from University of Portsmouth, Oxford and Birmingham who are now attempting to investigate these claims with our new study.

This is the first time that a Randomised Controlled Trial has been undertaken. In this study, called OUTSIDE, participants will be randomly allocated to either the intervention group (in this case a swim course) alongside their usual care, or a control group, who continue with their usual care only. Standardised measures will be collected from both groups at the beginning, after the intervention group have finished their swim course and at a six month follow up. Any differences in the changes in the scores on the standardised measures will then determine the impact of the swim course. In addition, information will be collected so that qualitative and health economic analyses can be undertaken to further explore and understand the impact and experience of the swim course.

We have already completed a feasibility study with 87 participants, however, the full study requires 480 participants over two years. There are 15 swim courses planned this year, from Sunderland to Penzance, each with up to ten participants. The focus of the team is currently on recruiting as many people as possible although the time is tight!  Outdoor swimming can only be safely started in the summer months and so we have a very short window when the courses can take place. The research assistants are working flat out to give as many people as we can the opportunity to take part.

A number of the researchers, including me, use outdoor swimming to support their own mental health and wellbeing, and so are motivated to make the activity as available as possible for others who might benefit. This includes providing opportunities for groups who are not so well represented within the swimming community, for example people from lower socio-economic or minority ethnic backgrounds. Although medication and talking therapies might be the mainstay of mental health treatments, it is exciting to think more broadly and holistically about what might be helpful and to be part of a team that are looking to find evidence to support the introduction of alternative interventions.

You are welcome to join us!