You should never go swimming just after a meal, shaving makes hair grow back thicker, and it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker: many such claims have been debunked over time, while others are still widely believed. Maybe because they are based on half-truths, or maybe just because we have heard them told as fact for as long as we can remember. Here area few unfounded myths that you need to stop believing!
1/ You need to wait an hour before swimming after a meal
Were you ever told that if you went swimming just after eating, you would get a heart attack? Well rest assured, this belief is completely unfounded. Fortunately we have enough blood flowing around our bodies to ensure that our organs continue to function perfectly well after eating!
2/ When we shave, the hairs grow back thicker
Has your beautician always forbidden you from using a razor, claiming that thicker, blacker hairs would grow back in their place? However, despite their training, the beauticians are off the mark on this one: it’s just an optical illusion. Hairs are naturally thicker towards the bulb and finer at the tips, meaning that hairs that have grown for the first time appear finer. When the razor blade passes over the skin, it cuts the hairs at the thickest point, meaning that the hairs that grow back appear thicker. However, it doesn’t matter how many times you shave, the thickness of the hair always stays the same.
3/ It is recommended to sleep at least 8 hours a night
This belief is relatively well ingrained in our heads. However, sleeping 8 hours a night doesn’t correspond to our natural sleep cycle: a natural cycle is comprised of four hours sleep followed by two hours of waking, and then going back to sleep again for another four hours.
4/ You should never wake a sleepwalker
Legend has it that you should never wake a sleepwalker, lest they should jump out the window, or stay in that state forever! However, there is nothing dangerous in approaching a sleepwalker, as long as they don’t become aggressive if you surprise them suddenly. Gently guide them back to bed.
5/ Mixing your drinks makes you more drunk than if you stick to one type
A claim we’ve all heard, and that we continue to hear every time we have a hangover! However, this is yet another completely unfounded belief: it is the concentration of alcohol in the blood that counts, not the type of drink you had. And sticking to the one drink won’t have you in better form the next day either. Unfortunately, alcohol is alcohol.
