Sea Bathing for Happier Hafnarfirðingar Today

Sea Bathing for Happy Hafnarfjörður Residents

“I can’t imagine living far from the cold sea for long,” says Margrét Leifsdóttir who, along with Tinna Thorlacius, leads the Happiness Sea Bath at Langeyrarmalir at 17:30 today. The effects are such that it’s essential to get into the cold sea regularly. “It’s so easy, free, and everything surrounding it. These are priceless life qualities,” she says.

The event is part of the Happy Days in Hafnarfjörður, which are now taking place this September. The days are only halfway through, with many events ahead. During the sea bath, Herjólfsgufan is also open between 17:00 and 19:00, so you can warm up after the dip.

Let’s All Become a Happier You

Margrét and Tinna invite people to join a sea bath under the banner “Happier You,” and after today’s dip, that’s exactly how everyone will feel, happier and more content! But how will it all take place today?

“We’ll start by asking: who is coming to the sea for the first time? Then we’ll split the group in two before we head into the water, but we warm up together first. Afterwards, we dance on the beach,” says Margrét, welcoming the fact that Herjólfsgufan will also be open.

“Then we can take turns, depending on how many of us there are. We’ll let the 15 coldest people go into the steam bath first, while the rest of us keep doing exercises for about 10 minutes. I hope a few from Happier You will come along. They can wait for the steam bath, they’re used to skipping the heat afterwards. They just slip into a dry robe,” Margrét says cheerfully, recommending that people bring a robe and a jacket.

“It really makes a difference.” She explains that warming up before jumping into the steam bath has a big impact. “With sea bathing, we convert white fat into brown fat. Brown fat burns more energy, this happens when the body has to warm itself up. It’s better for the body, especially for beginners.”

A Dip in the Sea to Feel the Benefits

Margrét and Tinna have been leading sea baths for five years now, this November. “There’s been a huge increase in people taking sea baths. It’s much more common than it was just five years ago, among sea swimmers but also for those of us who do short dips,” she says.

“We don’t swim in the sea; we take sea baths. We’re just relaxing and staying in the water for 1–3 minutes. There’s no gain from staying longer,” she adds. “We aim to get the most benefit from the sea in the shortest time.” Interest in this has grown enormously.

Margrét herself started sea bathing around 2006, nearly twenty years ago. “Back then, I went once a week. I always meant to go twice, but I never got it into my routine.” That changed when she and Tinna began leading the sessions, and now she goes three times a week. “It makes a difference because the effects last two to three days, then you need to go again.”

• See more about the sea bath here
• See the next Happy Days event here