
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.
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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
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