Swimming in cold water has been found to alleviate symptoms of menopause and menstruation.
The study, conducted by scientists from the University College London in the UK, involved 1114 women aged 16 to 80 who regularly swam in cold water.
With an average age of 49, 785 women in the group were menopausal at the time of the study, while 711 of them suffered from menstrual symptoms. Half of the participants said that swimming in cold water significantly reduced their anxiety.
Thirty-five percent of the women in the study reported a reduction in sudden mood swings, 31 percent experienced an improvement in negative mood, and 30 percent reported a reduction in the effects of hot flashes.
Sixty-three percent of the participants reported swimming in cold water specifically to alleviate menopausal symptoms.
The study, published in the scientific journal Post Reproductive Health, stated that this activity "can be used by women to alleviate physical symptoms such as hot flashes, aches and pains". The study found that the longer the swim and the colder the water, the greater the positive effects.
A 54-year-old woman who participated in the study said, "Swimming in cold water had a great effect on my menopausal symptoms. Exercising alone or with a group of women in nature is therapeutic."
Another 57-year-old participant said, "The cold water is extraordinary. It saved my life. All physical and mental symptoms disappear and I feel very good."
