Mental Health

Articles tagged with "Mental Health".

Sugary Drinks Linked to 34% Higher Anxiety Risk in Teens

Tags: Mental Health, Evidence-Based Medicine

February 20, 2026

Can Sugary Drinks Cause Anxiety in Teenagers?

Yes. A systematic review and meta-analysis of nine studies found that teens who drink high amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages have a 34% increased risk of anxiety disorders compared to those who drink less. Seven of the nine studies showed a consistent positive link between sugary drink consumption and anxiety symptoms in adolescents.

Teen anxiety is on the rise, and researchers are looking for everyday factors that might play a role. This review, the first of its kind to focus specifically on sugary drinks and anxiety in adolescents, gathered evidence from nine separate studies to answer a simple question: does drinking soda, energy drinks, and other sweetened beverages make teens more anxious? The answer, across the majority of studies, was yes.

Normobaric Oxygen Treatment for Mild-to-Moderate Depression: RCT

Tags: Mental Health, Clinical Trial, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Can Breathing Extra Oxygen Treat Depression?

Yes. This randomized, double-blind trial found that breathing 35% oxygen at night significantly improved depression symptoms. Depression scores dropped 4.2 points in the oxygen group versus only 0.7 in controls (P=0.007). This simple treatment worked during normal sleep without expensive equipment.

Depression affects 10-20% of people at some point in their lives. Many patients don’t respond well to standard treatments or suffer side effects. Researchers tested whether slightly enriched oxygen, delivered during sleep through a nasal tube, could help.

Cold Water Swimming as an Add-on Treatment for Depression

Tags: Mental Health, Cold Therapy, Research Review, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 16, 2026

Can Cold Water Swimming Help Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression?

This Danish feasibility study is testing that question. About 14% of depression patients develop treatment-resistant depression within a year of their first hospital contact. Researchers at Little Belt Hospital are investigating whether twice-weekly cold water swimming sessions could help these patients.

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a major challenge in psychiatry. Some patients don’t respond adequately to medications. Others stop taking their medication because of unacceptable side effects. This has led researchers to explore alternative approaches, including cold water swimming.

Experiences of Open-water Swimmers with Depression Qualitative

Tags: Mental Health, Neurology, Cold Therapy, Research Review

January 16, 2026

Why Do People with Depression Say Open-Water Swimming Helps?

This qualitative study interviewed 10 people with depression who swim regularly in open water. They described three main benefits: standing up to depression through challenge, belonging in a supportive community, and connecting with their bodies and the natural world. One participant captured it simply: “It seems to sort of wash my brain out.”

Depression affects about 1 in 6 adults in the UK, making it a leading cause of disability worldwide. Standard treatments like medication and therapy have modest effects, and more than half of people experience recurrent episodes. Many people with depression have turned to open-water swimming to manage their symptoms. This study explores why.

Exploratory Study Into Effects of Regular Cold-water Swimming On

Tags: Mental Health, Cold Therapy, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 16, 2026

Does Cold Water Swimming Improve Your Mood the Same Day?

Yes. This diary study found that regular cold water swimmers had significantly lower anxiety and higher self-confidence on days when they swam compared to days when they didn’t. These benefits even carried into the next morning with better sleep and lower anxiety.

Researchers used a twice-daily diary method to track 13 female cold water swimmers in the UK over a two-week period. This is the first study to capture the immediate, same-day effects of cold water swimming rather than measuring changes over months.

Exploring the Use of Sea Swimming in Youth Mental Health Services

Tags: Mental Health, Cold Therapy, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 16, 2026

Can Sea Swimming Help Young People with Mental Health Challenges?

Yes, according to this qualitative study from Ireland. Young people in mental health services reported improved well-being, increased confidence, and a greater sense of social connection after participating in sea swimming. Staff members acknowledged the risks but emphasized the importance of positive risk-taking given the benefits.

About one-third of young people experience some degree of psychological distress, and 13% experience emotional or mental distress. The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse, with lockdowns and school closures increasing isolation, anxiety, and depression among youth. Researchers in Ireland wanted to understand whether sea swimming could help.

Improved Mood Following a Single Immersion in Cold Water

Tags: Mental Health, Exercise Recovery, Cold Therapy, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 16, 2026

Can a Single Cold Water Dip Improve Your Mood?

Yes. This study found that just one 18-minute immersion in cold sea water significantly improved mood in 42 healthy adults. Total mood disturbance dropped by 15 points in the cold water group compared to only 2 points in controls.

You don’t need to swim. You don’t need weeks of practice. According to this 2021 study from the University of Chichester, simply standing in chest-deep cold water can produce immediate mood benefits. This challenges the common belief that swimming or exercise is required for cold water’s mental health effects.

Metabolism, Thermogenesis, and Brown Adipose Tissue

Tags: Mental Health, Metabolic Health, Cold Therapy, Research Review

January 16, 2026

Can Cold Exposure Help You Burn More Calories?

Yes. This meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials found that acute cold exposure increases energy expenditure by an average of 188 calories per day. Cold also activates brown adipose tissue (brown fat), which burns calories to generate heat.

Researchers from Jilin University in China analyzed studies on cold exposure and metabolism. They found that even brief cold exposure at temperatures of 16-19°C significantly increased both energy burning and brown fat activity in healthy adults. This has important implications for fighting obesity.

Outdoor Swimming as an Intervention for Depression and Anxiety

Tags: Mental Health, Exercise Recovery, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 16, 2026

Can Outdoor Swimming Help Treat Depression?

Promising, but we need more research. This 2023 study describes a rigorous randomized controlled trial designed to test whether an 8-session outdoor swimming course can help adults with mild to moderate depression symptoms. The trial will compare outdoor swimming plus usual care against usual care alone.

Depression affects at least 1 in 10 people during their lifetime. Standard treatments like medication and therapy have modest recovery rates of 45-50%. Many people struggle with medication side effects or long waiting times for therapy. Researchers are now testing whether nature-based activities like outdoor swimming could offer another option.

Sea Swimming as a Novel Intervention for Depression and Anxiety

Tags: Mental Health, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 16, 2026

Can Sea Swimming Help Treat Depression and Anxiety?

Yes. This feasibility study found large reductions in depression and anxiety scores after an 8-session sea swimming course. Attendance was 90%, and 70% of participants were still swimming regularly three months later. The improvements in mental health symptoms met NHS recovery standards.

With rising demand for mental health services and long waiting times for therapy, researchers explored whether sea swimming could be a practical intervention for depression and anxiety. This study tested an 8-session supervised swimming course in North Devon, UK.

Systematic Reviews, Evidence Maps, and Big-picture Overviews

Tags: Mental Health, Neurology, Immune Function, Cold Therapy

January 16, 2026

Does Cold Water Immersion Actually Improve Health and Wellbeing?

Yes, but the effects depend on timing and what you’re measuring. This 2025 meta-analysis of 11 randomized trials (3,177 participants) found cold water immersion significantly reduces stress at 12 hours, improves sleep quality, and reduces sick days by 29%. However, it also triggers short-term inflammation and shows no immediate stress relief.

Cold water immersion has exploded in popularity. Amazon ice bath sales jumped from less than 1,000 units in November 2022 to over 90,000 units just 12 months later. But does the science support the hype? This comprehensive review examined what actually happens when healthy adults take cold showers or ice baths.

Winter Swimming Improves General Well-being

Tags: Mental Health, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 16, 2026

Does Winter Swimming Really Improve How You Feel?

Yes. This Finnish study found that after four months of winter swimming, participants had significantly less tension, fatigue, and negative mood compared to when they started. They also felt more energetic and vigorous than non-swimmers, and all those with rheumatism, fibromyalgia, or asthma reported that swimming relieved their pain.

Researchers from the University of Oulu tracked 36 Finnish winter swimmers over a four-month period. Using validated questionnaires, they measured mood states and subjective symptoms before and after the winter swimming season. The results confirmed what many winter swimmers have long claimed: regular dips in ice-cold water improve well-being.