How can swimming aid menopause symptoms?
There are mental and physical benefits to gain!
Let's jump in...
Menopause and perimenopause can have a big impact on people’s day-to-day lives, including work, social life, and family life.
We’re so glad that menopause is no longer a taboo topic – rightfully so! Menopause directly affects much of the population, so the more we can learn and talk about its symptoms, the more we can discover how to make menopause manageable.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
According to the NHS, common menopause and perimenopause symptoms include:
- Changes to mood, such as mood swings
- Trouble with memory or concentration
- Hot flashes
- Difficulty sleeping
- Headaches and/or migraines
- Muscle aches and joint pains
It's important to remember that these symptoms aren't exclusive to menopause. If you're concerned, seek professional advice from a GP.
How can swimming help?
Easing muscle aches and joint pains
Swimming is a full-body workout that keeps you active while being gentle on your joints and muscles.
The natural buoyancy of the water supports your body’s weight, meaning there will be less impact on any painful joints and muscles you may have. Being in the water makes it easy to adapt movements too!
Improving mood
Whether you’re experiencing menopausal symptoms or not, exercise releases a range of beneficial brain chemicals—like serotonin and dopamine, our ‘feel-good’ hormones—that can positively improve your mood and overall wellbeing.
According to Swim England, swimming has helped to reduce the symptoms of anxiety or depression for 1.4 million adults in Britain. Almost half a million British adults with mental health problems have stated swimming has helped to reduce the number of visits to a medical professional regarding their mental health too!
A boost in sleep quality
Moderate exercise, like swimming, can increase sleep quality for adults by reducing the time it takes to fall asleep (sleep onset). If you’re somebody who struggles with daytime sleepiness, physical activity can help to alleviate this too!
The sound and feeling of the water can feel soothing and calming too, giving your body and mind a chance to relax and recharge.
Fancy braving the cold?
There’s evidence to say that cold water exposure can provide some menopause relief!
In a study by University College London which examined women who regularly swim in cold water, and who were going through menopause at the time, half of that group said cold-water swimming significantly reduced their anxiety, with more than six in 10 (63%) saying they swam specifically to address menopausal symptoms.
You can read more about cold water swimming in our blog here.
Have you heard about Move through Menopause?
Move through Menopause is a course we deliver at a number of our centres in partnership with Menopause Movement.
For many Communities, there’s still a knowledge gap when it comes to improving the experience of people going through menopause, so by the end of the 12-week course the aim is for every course participant to have a better, evidence-based understanding of menopause and the role that exercise plays in relieving symptoms.
The range of exercise sessions that accompany the course also give participants the opportunity to experience different kinds of exercises to find what suits them best. The more you enjoy an exercise, the more you’re likely to stick to it!
Get started in the water with us!
If you never learned how to swim or want to brush up on your technique, we have a range of adult swimming lessons which can help you do this and more! We’ll guide you through your first experiences in the water and build up your confidence, so that you’re eventually able to swim independently.
View our swimming lessons here
In addition to swimming, many of our centres offer water-based group workout classes too, like AquaFit. They’re a great way to exercise and stay motivated, and you may even find a whole new Community while you’re at it!
If you found this blog helpful, you can view our full list of blogs here.
Sources: Exercise and Sleep (Sleep Foundation) | Symptoms – Menopause (NHS) | Cold-water swimming eases menopause and menstrual symptoms, study finds (The Guardian) | Cold water swimming improves menopause symptoms (UCL News) | How swimming improves mental health (Swim England) | Exercising for better sleep (John Hopkins Medicine) |