Swimming in cold water can reduce menopause symptoms: study

Women’s health

as if Tracy Swartz

Day sea!

Menopausal women who make cold water swimming a part of their daily routine show significant improvements in physical and mental health. A new study found.

Of the 785 women surveyed, 46.9% said swimming relieved their anxiety. 34.5% said mood swings helped them; 31.1% said it boosted their mood; And 30.3% said it reduced their hot flashes.

The findings, researchers at University College London, were. Published this week In Journal of Postnatal Health.

“Cold water has previously been shown to improve mood and reduce stress in outdoor swimmers, and ice baths have long been used for muscle repair and recovery in athletes,” Joyce Harper, senior author of the study, said in a statement.

“Our study supports these claims, while the empirical evidence shows how the movement is used by women to relieve physical symptoms such as fever, pain and aches,” she added.

Menopause – when a woman goes 12 months without a period – usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. Symptoms include anxiety, mood swings, discomfort during sex, vaginal dryness, fever, sleep problems, weight gain, and decreased metabolic rate.

Of the menopausal women surveyed online for the study, 63.3% said they specifically swam to relieve symptoms.

A 57-year-old woman said: “Cold water is amazing. He saved my life. In water, I can do anything. All the symptoms (physical and mental) go away and I feel like my best self.

Harper said those who had been swimming longer had more noticeable damage.

Most participants go out in summer and winter, wearing swimsuits instead of wetsuits. Wetsuits are designed to keep users warm.

“Care must be taken when swimming in cold water because participants can put themselves at risk of hypothermia, cold water shock, heart rhythm disturbances and even drowning,” Harper said.

“Depending on where you swim, water quality levels can also vary,” he added. Raw sewage pollution in UK rivers and seas is a growing concern. And unfortunately, this increases the risk of stomach ulcers and other infections.

Harper says more research needs to be done on the frequency, duration, temperature and exposure needed to reduce menopausal symptoms.

Her team studied the effects of cold water swimming on women who were still menstruating.

Of the 711 women with menstrual symptoms, 46.7% reported that cold water swimming improved their anxiety. 37.7% said it helped them change their mood and 37.6% said it reduced their frustration.

The researchers acknowledged some limitations to their study – the study was only conducted on women who had previously swam in cold water. And if these women see a connection between cold water swimming and their symptoms, they are more likely to complete the choice.