Swimming in cold water has been found to significantly alleviate menopausal symptoms, including mood swings and hot flushes, according to a study led by academics at University College London.
The research involved 1,114 women, with 785 going through menopause, who regularly swam in cold water. Half of the menopausal group reported a notable reduction in anxiety, and significant percentages experienced relief from mood swings (35%), low mood (31%), and hot flushes (30%). Over 60% of participants specifically swam to address menopausal symptoms.
The study suggests that cold-water swimming may offer an alternative solution for women struggling with menopause and could encourage more women to engage in sports. The longer and colder the water, the greater the reported benefits. Regular cold-water swimmers with menstrual symptoms also experienced positive effects, including improved mood control. The study identified five key benefits: calming and mood-boosting effects, companionship and community, improved menstrual experiences, reduced impact of hot flushes, and overall health improvement.
Great to see research being done on women, because as we know only 6% of sport science research is done exclusively on females, and hardly any of that is done on midlife women!