Off Jeju Island, Older Women Vanish Beneath The Waves On One Breath, And Science Is Finally Measuring What Their Bodies Learned | ECOnews

In May 2025, a team led by University of Utah geneticist Melissa Ilardo compared 30 haenyeo to 30 non-diving women from Jeju and 31 women from mainland Korea. The participants averaged 65 years old. Researchers tried to “simulate dives” by asking the participants to hold their breath and place their face in cold water.

The haenyeo’s heart rates fell more sharply than those of other women, helping their bodies use limited oxygen more efficiently. In one specific case described by Ilardo, a diver’s heart rate dropped by more than 40 beats per minute in less than 15 seconds. This response appears to be largely tied to training, showing what years of repeated dives can teach the body.

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