People who choose swimming over other exercise have a higher average step count, better sleep and a healthier heart, according to Nokia.
The company, which used data from its Nokia Health Mate app, found that the number of users logging swimming sessions increased around 35% between March and June 2017.
Read next: Best waterproof fitness trackers
And while this kind of spike is somewhat to be expected in the summer months, the numbers also show that those who log active time in the water are also generally more active than the average person when out the pool.
When comparing the average daily step count of swimmers to non-swimmers, male swimmers clocked 17% more steps, while female swimmers logged 28% more steps than those neglecting the water.
This also varied between countries, with some nations offering a big disparity between swimmers and the rest of the pack. Swimmers in Russia (26%), Belgium (25%), and Canada (24%), for example, all totted up more activity than non-swimmers in their respective country.
But while there would appear to be a trend between swimming and being more active, this was also reflected in sleep quality and heart health.
As the data showed, swimmers log around 10 minutes more sleep than non-swimmers, and spend four fewer minutes awake during the night, at 22.6 minutes compared to 26.3 minutes. This slight link was also present in the time it takes swimmers to fall asleep, at an average of 4.7 minutes, as opposed to regular loggers' 5.9 minutes
In addition to better sleep, swimmers also appear to possess healthier cardiovascular systems. This is noted by Nokia through their lower pulse wave velocity, at an average of 7.06 m/s, versus 7.11 for non-swimmers, and lower blood pressure - averaging 126.3/77.9 mm Hg versus 128.8/79.7 mm Hg for non-swimmers.
Of course, while Nokia itself has pointed out the potential benefits of swimming and what would appear to be a notable trend, it's also worth mentioning that this is just collating data from one source.
If you're looking to take a dip in the pool alongside your usual activity, though, it seems it certainly won't hurt your overall health.
Source: Nokia
How we test
Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.
Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides.
He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror.