It is a question that comes up every year with the beautiful days: the digestion time before swimming. What is the risk of bathing directly after a meal?
Barbecue, picnic, swimming, nap: this may be the program for your summer. In what order to do it so as not to put yourself in danger? For years, there has been a saying that one should not bathe after a meal. We would have to wait three hours to avoid any risk. But in reality, it is not necessarily the meal that constitutes a danger.
The risk of hydrocution
Swimming involves the risk of hydrocution. It is a discomfort caused by the contact between hot body and cold water. However, when the body is digested, body temperature rises. This is why it is often recommended to wait two or three hours after the meal to bathe.
In fact, digestion causes a slight increase in body temperature, too low to be responsible on its own for hydrocution. To avoid any risk, you just need to enter the water gradually, first wetting the back of your neck. Eating right before can cause stomach cramps, but only if you swim for a long time. If you are eating a very large meal, it is also better to avoid swimming, which can be very uncomfortable. On the other hand, it is absolutely not recommended to consume alcohol before or during a swim.
Bathing without taking any risk
[#EtéSansSouci ?] The objective: to educate you in a fun and educational way on the main risks of summer and to tell you how to protect yourself from them.
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– Ministry of Solidarity and Health (@MinSoliSante) June 18, 2018
This does not mean that swimming is safe. Every year, hundreds of people drown in France. According to the NOYADES 2015 survey carried out by Public Health France, 1,266 people drowned during this year and 436 died as a result of their drowning.
The risk of hydrocution exists, but the meal is not the main danger, on the contrary it is the time of exposure to the sun. If you stay in the sun for a long time and then decide to swim, the risk is very high. In his prevention brochure, Santé Publique France reminds you of the precautions to take before dipping. Supervised swimming areas should be favored and you should always check the flags to ensure that the conditions of the day are not dangerous. Also, be sure to warn your loved ones before going in the water. Thanks to these few precautions, you should be able to have a smooth summer!
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