8 Health Benefits of Swimming

8 Health Benefits of Swimming

This article is about the surprising health benefits of swimming. Stay with us.

Are you tired of winter? You and me both. But not to worry, summer is just around the corner. While there are plenty of workouts you can try, none are more satisfying than swimming. Were you aware that swimming is more than just a fun warm weather activity, and also has plenty of great health benefits?

This is why once the temperature gets cozier, you’ll want to jump into that bathing suit. Let’s talk about the health benefits of swimming. How many calories can it burn? Can it improve your quality of sleep? Does swimming help your asthma? We’re talking all that AND more...

1. Burns Calories

The first of our list about the health benefits of swimming is burning calories. Swimming serves as a great way to shave off the extra weight you’ve collected over the winter. Keep this in mind, though. The amount of calories you burn, as well as the time it takes to do so depends on several factors. These include weight, body type, age, gender and intensity. One minute of high-intensity aerobic exercise is equal to two minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.

It has been said that men burn up to 15 more calories than women while working out. Muscle mass and metabolism are also crucial elements in the calorie burning process. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be. This allows you to drop these calories easier. Your weight is very important while swimming. The more weight on your body, the more calories you burn.

If you are around 160 pounds, you have the chance to burn 423 calories after one hour of laps in the pool. Now that is an intense workout. Imagine if you were over 200 pounds, After a 60 minute swim, you could burn close to 1000. What better reason to look forward to the pool this summer! Well there’s several more you might want to consider.

2. You’ll Feel Happier

The second of our list about the health benefits of swimming is feeling better. Swimming has amazing benefits on your mental health.

Once you step into a pool, it’s like an automatic mood booster. In Great Britain for example, swimming was shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression on 1.4 million adults. Many of their visits to the doctor had reduced as well. Have you ever heard of endorphins? Endorphins are hormones produced within your central nervous system often released as a “feel-good” reward.

In the case of swimming, the calm and relaxing feeling of being underwater releases these compounds and reduces any stress you may have felt before you stepped into the pool. In a 2015 study, over a 100 people were surveyed before going swimming, 44 of whom reported symptoms of depression and overall stress.

After getting out of the pool, only 8 of the 44 claimed to still feel miserable. Swimming is also said to benefit people suffering from dementia. Another study from 2014 indicated that elderly dementia patients who took part in a 12-week aquatic program showed an improvement in their mood by the end.

3. All Types of Muscles Are Worked

The third of our list about the health benefits of swimming is engaging all muscles. When you go for a dip, a wide variety of muscles are put to the test.

We’re talking about your core abs, shoulders, deltoids, forearms, upper back, glutes and hamstring. Even a good thirty-minutes of back and forth time in the water can serve as an intense full-body workout. Training in a swimming pool can increase the health of your heart, help sculpt your muscles, and build strength.

This is especially beneficial for older people who are looking for a workout. The water puts very little pressure on your joints and muscles. Patients with arthritis frequently report experiencing less physical pain when swimming, along with a higher functional capacity.

Those who suffer from multiple sclerosis would be happy to learn that the buoyancy your limbs experience while in water make their exercises much easier. Swimming is what’s referred to as a low-impact workout. This is typically a physical activity that is less straining on your body than our usual workout.

Due to the moderate level of resistance your body has to put up with, strength training in water is much easier.

Here is also a video you can watch:

4. Reduces Risk of an Early Death

The forth of our list about the health benefits of swimming is reducing the risk of early death. Swimming can help you maintain your blood pressure level. Were you aware that when compared to non-swimmers, those who swim have half the risk of dying? That news alone almost makes you want to find the nearest public pool and dive right in.

A 2016 study showed that 8 weeks of swim training has significant effects on your blood pressure, blood supply and arterial stiffness.

People suffering from hypertension would greatly benefit from a trip to the neighborhood pool this summer. Pools are wonderful places to feel relieved. And NO, not in the way you’re thinking! Get your mind out of the gutter... There’s lots of great internal functions that improve after swimming.

This is a great lead in to our next benefit...

5. Improve Function of Lungs

The fifth of our list about the health benefits of swimming is improving lungs. Do you suffer from asthma? Well prepare to breathe a little easier.

Literally. Swimming allows your lung capacity to flourish. Seriously! Have you seen these professional swimmers and how long they can hold their breath? You’d think they had the gills of a freaking fish! Dunking your head underwater and holding your breath can expand your lungs. Wider lung capacity means stronger lungs.

A person who normally has trouble breathing may see an improvement. A higher lung capacity has been linked to a reduced chance of cardiovascular disease. Keep in mind, if you are looking to swim in order to treat your asthma, you may want to do it in a natural body of water. Some studies have shown that the chemicals in pools may actually cause your lungs to have a reaction.

If you like to know more about the health benefots of swimming, check Here.

6. Much Better Sleeps

The sixth of our list about the health benefits of swimming is better sleepp. If one thing’s for sure, we could all use a good snooze these days. Recent studies have shown that the stress from regular exercise actually hurts your ability to sleep easier. But diving into your local pool can improve the quality of your sleep significantly. Did you know that roughly one in four Americans develop insomnia each year?

This means that 25% of the country’s population can’t sleep. Research has implied that if you’ve been suffering from this disorder, swimming can boost your ability to snooze. Unlike regular exercise, where the high-stress impact can greatly affect your body, water makes you weightless. Exercising in your pool can be an attack on all fronts. But don’t worry, if a good kind of attack exists, this is probably the closest thing to it.

When swimming, you are stretching your muscles, burning calories and relaxing your mind all at once. This is what your body wants in order to fall asleep.

Lets pause the topic of health benefits of swimming. You can eat these food after swimming:

• Banana
• Greek Yogurt
• Turkey Sandwich
• Protein Smoothie
• Cottage Cheese with Fruit
• Hummus and Veggies
• Oatmeal with Berries
• Chicken Salad
• Almonds
• Energy Bar

7. Helps Injuries

The seventh of our list about the health benefits of swimming is helping injuries. If you have recently been hurt, one of the best ways of rehabilitation is to expose yourself to a swimming pool! Again, NOT what you are thinking. In order to smooth out the healing process, exercising in a swimming pool will make a difference. Here, the water will strengthen your muscles and ligaments.

Remember, swimming is a low impact exercise. Surrounding your body with water gives you a great support system as there is limited physical pressure on the body to perform. Swimming has specific benefits for those suffering from back injuries.

If your back has been hurt, try working backstrokes in the water, as it is much more comfortable for you to move around. You

8. Get In Touch With Nature

The last of our list about the health benefits of swimming is getting in touch with nature. Like I mentioned earlier, swimming pools can have a lot of chemicals floating around.

If you’re looking for a fresh take on life and would like more exposure to nature, head for a lake… Or even an ocean! Were you aware that spending time in the wild can boost your health in a variety of ways? I don’t mean living with the wolves. I’m talking about basking in the beauty of nature. People over the age of 70 who spend time outdoors every day report feeling less pain in their muscles and bones. Could you imagine taking a dip in a cool, clean lake?

Your body would be screaming thanks. And the great thing is that you don’t have to be over 70 to enjoy the great outdoors. Spending time freshening up in a natural body of water will boost your mental and physical health in ways you can’t imagine when sitting in a water park. Again, if you’re going to swim in natural waters, make sure that it’s not polluted. You don’t want to be leaving the lake with a third arm.

Besides health benefits of swimming, you cal also lose weight by that. Here are the best techniques for swimming to lose weight:

This is the end of our article about the health benefits of swimming. Tell us your opinion in the comments.