Skip to content

Sea swimming is 'amazing' for mental health and menopause

A group of sea swimmers have been taking part in research into the benefits of a dip in the ocean on their mental health.

Doctors and psychiatrists will be analysing the responses of swimmers from the Chill group at Croyde in Devon.

The results are expected in the next six months and researchers say it could lead to more GPs socially prescribing cold water swimming.

Reporter: John Henderson

Editor: Jonathan Morris

24 August 2020

Explore More

People in high-vis jackets walk next to a car submerged in floods on the left of a split screen with a snowy road on the right

Atmospheric river dumps snow and record rain on California

Science & Environment

Phone footage of a skate surfacing out of grey waves to a rigid inflatable boat.ttack the side of a inflatable

Watch the moment a skate attacks a fisherman's boat off Shetland

NE, Orkney & Shetland

Smoke billows from house fire.

Video shows flames and thick smoke at house fire

A view from an EasyJet plane window as it flies above and to the side of an erupting volcano

Plane passengers film Iceland volcano lava from above

BBC News

East of England weather forecast

Composite image of Sir Keir Starmer and BBC Radio WM presenter Kath Stanczyszyn, who is pictured wearing headphones and speaking into a purple microphone

Will there be a Birmingham pub bombings inquiry?

Birmingham & Black Country

A huge Christmas tree on a flatbed lorry in font of the US Capitol building

US Capitol Christmas tree arrives in DC

Blurred still image from video clips shows people being taken out of a car

Migrants asked to rate trip in smuggler review videos

John Darvall sat on the left of a composite image, in a purple studio with a microphone in front of him. On the right is Keir Starmer with grey hair and brown glasses.

PM challenged on West's councils facing bankruptcy

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

BBC Scotland weather presenter Christopher Blanchett in front of a weather map of Scotland showing snow warnings.

Watch the Storm Bert weather forecast for Scotland

Mural of The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke unveiled

Parts of West Burton A power station being demolished

Power station demolition captured by drone

Man clinging to a cliff being rescued

Moment person clinging to cliff is rescued by helicopter

A woman in a hospital gown grins on the left and a monitor lit up with lungs is on the right of a split screen.

Woman gets first double lung transplant done by robot

Ryan Borgwardt

US kayaker who faked own death thought to have fled to Europe

Ruth Dodsworth in the BBC studios in Cardiff. She is sitting on an orange sofa. She has cropped blonde hair and is wearing a fitted mauve top,

Stalking was part of my daily life, says presenter

A Christmas tree with lots of blue and green lights. A building nearby has yellow lights and a red bow so it looks like a present. You can see people stood in front of the building.

Manx capital sparkles at Christmas lights switch-on

A woman has her make up done in a Swansea salon for Beaujolais Day

'Beaujolais day is Swansea's Christmas'

A woman polished a large Gromit statue at the launch of the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail in Bristol. The statue has a multicoloured sparkly pattern. The woman is wearing a red and white shirt and a black dress over the top and she has red hair cut in a bob style

Aardman unveils new Wallace and Gromit trail

A wallaby seen in a garden

Wayward wallaby spotted in Devon garden

The Australian marsupial is seen grazing in the Devon garden before hopping away.

Kitesurfer Tom Bridge leaps from cruise ship

Ship leap 'probably scariest thing I've done'

Kitesurfer Tom Bridge leaps 129ft (39m) from the top of a cruise ship and makes a smooth landing.

The Reverend Leigh Winsbury works out at his gym in Hatherleigh, Devon

Vicar opens gym in church building

The Reverend Leigh Winsbury says the cut-price gym is open to worshippers and weightlifters.

Young person talking into a microphone being held in front of them

Young voters share their election priorities

The cost of living, the environment and better mental health support were among the issues raised.

Pirate flags

Pirates Weekend returns for swashbuckling fun

Thousands of pirates are descending on Plymouth for a weekend of fun and entertainment.

Laura Crane at Nazare

UK surfer in a class of her own

Laura Crane gets towed into a monster wave at Nazare.

Charlotte Cheshire's video diary

Devon mum's video diary tells home-find struggle

Charlotte Cheshire speaks of the battle for an affordable home and council-funded emergency housing.

Newsround presenter Nina Blissett in front of a screen showing an unearthed unexploded WW2 bomb.

World War Two bomb safely exploded out at sea

A World War Two bomb has been safely exploded out at sea after being discovered in a back garden in Plymouth.

Cyclist and tractor

Video: Dashcam footage show driving offences

Vision Zero South West says last year was the busiest year since the operation was set up in 2019.

Ponies

Patients treated to festive visit from ponies

Festive ponies have been visiting Derriford Hospital's ICU garden in Plymouth.

Keyframe #5

Police puppies put through their paces

Two litters of German shepherd puppies are on track to become Devon and Cornwall police dogs.

Erasure

Artist wants people to rub out her work

Why artist Fran Gynn is giving people an eraser and asking them use rub out her work.

Steve Wharton goes out with his children

First time outside in 18 months for man with MND

Steve Wharton took his children to soft play on his first trip out of the house in more than a year.

South Sands Hotel

Doors burst open as waves crash into hotel

Storm Ciarán brings chaos to a hotel as sea-facing doors are blown off their hinges by huge waves.

Car in the sea

Devon and Cornwall battered by wind and waves

Watch as Storm Ciarán causes flooding and damage in Devon and Cornwall.

Keyframe #3

Car washed into sea gets smashed about by waves

The 4x4 vehicle was left unattended when it was dragged off a promenade during Storm Ciarán.

Car overtaking on A road

Poor driving in Devon and Cornwall caught on camera

A record number of submissions is made to the police road safety initiative Operation Snap.

Blackberries in a hand

Early blackberries sign of 'climate breakdown'

Early fruiting from blackberries is a sign of "climate breakdown", an expert forager claims.

Swimmer

Long-distance swimmer tackles the Hudson River

Lewis Pugh says the 315 mile (507km) swim is one of his most challenging yet.

Keyframe #1

Students finish coast path walk on breakwater

The Devon Royal Navy students were granted access to the breakwater to finish the walk.