Do you really know? How long do I have to wait to swim after eating?
Jul 17, 2025
The podcast delves into the popular myth about waiting to swim after eating. It challenges the 30-minute to two-hour rules, pointing out that digestion can take over three hours. The discussion highlights that cold water shock poses a greater risk than digestion, and offers tips on how to mitigate this danger, especially for kids and older adults. Tune in for some eye-opening insights that might just change your summer swimming plans!
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Digestion Takes Over Three Hours
- Popular belief suggests waiting 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating before swimming.
- However, digestion actually takes more than three hours.
Cold Water Shock Risk Explained
- Danger in swimming after eating isn't just digestion but cold water shock (hydrocution).
- It causes rapid blood vessel constriction and heart rate increase, risking cardiac arrest.
Cold Water Shock Halts Digestion
- Entering cold water quickly shifts blood flow from the digestive tract to the skin, halting digestion.
- This may cause vomiting risking drowning if stomach contents enter lungs.