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- The Know Daily - Thursday 25 January 2024
The Know Daily - Thursday 25 January 2024
đââď¸ A cold-water swimming study, Argentinians on strike + making the âperfectâ cuppa.
Read in 5m 44s â Listening to Archie Shepp â Share us to your socials âď¸
đââď¸ Taking the plunge: A new study has found that cold-water swimming can âsignificantly reduceâ menopause and period symptoms.
đź The parent career progression gap: Half of mums think having children has âdefinitelyâ negatively impacted their career progression chances.
â Spilling the tea: A US scientist has claimed to have found the secret to making the perfect cup of tea.
France has introduced a month-long ban on nearly all commercial fishing in the Bay of Biscay, a gulf off the countryâs western coast, to protect dolphins from accidents with fishing equipment. The move, which affects both French and foreign fishing companies, will see fishing cease almost completely in the area until 20 February.
đââď¸ Taking the plunge
Cold-water swimming can âsignificantly reduceâ menopause and period symptoms, a new study has found.
Whatâs the story?
Academics at University College London conducted a survey of 1,114 women who regularly swim in cold water. 785 of those women were going through the menopause at the time - with half reporting that cold-water swimming âsignificantly reducedâ their anxiety.
âLarge minoritiesâ said it also helped to tackle mood swings (35%), low mood (31%) and hot flushes (30%), reported The Guardian, with more than six in 10 saying they swam specifically to address menopausal symptoms.
What else did we find out?
Those who swam for longer or more regularly reported greater benefits, said researchers. 711 women in the study group also had menstrual (period) symptoms, with 38% citing better control of their mood swings as a result of cold-water swimming.
Why is this a big deal?
The studyâs senior author Prof Joyce Harper said she hoped the findings would provide an âalternative solutionâ for women struggling with the menopause and âencourage more women to take part in sportsâ.
One 54-year-old woman who took part in the survey described the experience of cold-water swimming as âhealingâ, and stressed the community it had given her. âThe camaraderie, shared stories and laughter are part of the magic,â she said.
That sounds pretty great.
Agreed. It is, however, worth pointing out that cold-water swimming âcomes with certain risksâ, said The Telegraph, with Harper also emphasising that water quality standards can vary greatly around the UK.
But if this latest news has left you keen to take the plunge yourself, check out the Outdoor Swimming Societyâs tips on acclimatising to cold water. They also have this handy list of local swim groups across the UK.
đââď¸ TRIVIA TIME
New figures from the British Museum have revealed that which county is the UKâs âtreasure capital for detectoristsâ?
A) Nottinghamshire
B) Norfolk
C) Cornwall
Scroll to the very bottom for the answer.
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