How Swimming Is Helping You To Stay Healthy?

It is one of the favorite sports of many people and is quite famous for its contribution to general well-being and health benefits. You may not know that swimming can do more for you than you expect. No matter whether you are an expert or beginner, you will be able to feel those benefits from day one. Even many people switch to swimming for a healthy lifestyle. 

So if you want to gather some logical reasons to start swimming or are willing to know how your body is benefiting from it, you must read the blog till the end. 

Health Benefits Of Swimming You May Not Know About

According to NHS guidelines, persons aged between 19-64 years should perform 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activities a week. It can include walking, running, circuit training, etc. However, if you switch to vigorous activity such as skipping, gymnastics or swimming it could be reduced to 75 minutes a week. 

Therefore, swimming for almost an hour a week is evident to offer a healthy lifestyle. Let’s explore some other benefits of swimming together. 

1) Increases Muscle Mass

If you notice swimming athletes, you will observe that their body features are well-defined and their bodies are toned well. Why? 

Swimming allows you to workout in a consistent resistance pattern therefore the muscles get stretched hard to enable a toned body. 

2) Affects Less On Your Body Than Cardio

Well, cardio exercises usually end up giving sore knees or joint pains. Swimming comparatively has a lesser impact on the body. 

In cardio, you stress your entire body, joints and muscles. Whereas in swimming, the water weight automatically lets you float in the water by holding 90% of your body weight that enables your muscles and joints to rest even during the workout (swimming). Therefore, after swimming physical stress is less than cardio. 

However, if your main focus is to reduce weight, cardio will be a better choice, every time. 

3) Great Impact On Mental Health

As we all know physical exercise or workouts help alleviate stress or anxiety by releasing the ‘feel good’ hormones. Swimming does the same. However, it is considered more effective as you will have to keep your distraction out of the pool. It helps to forget the stress for a while and relaxes your mind. 

Rather, swimming could be as effective for your mental peace as Yoga. Thus, whenever you feel stressed, you perhaps plan for a dive.

4) Increases Your Breathing Rate

As compared to gyms or tracks, pools have higher moisture in the atmosphere that makes it easier to practise breathing. Also, asthma patients can reduce their symptoms with the help of swimming and the positive effects stay up to a year after leaving to swim. 

Thus, if you have any breathing issues or just want to maintain a good respiratory system. You must opt for swimming. 

5) Improves Sleep Cycle

Exercises can drift you off easily as you become tired and feel like taking a rest early. Even doctors recommend workouts to people with sleep disorders to help them feel tired and drowsy. It is quite a general way to improve the sleep cycle. 

Now since swimming is considered a healthy workout too, it helps in enhancing sleep quality and increasing sleeping hours. 

6) Pregnancy-Safe Exercise

Yes! You read it correctly. It is a pregnancy-safe exercise. However, do not practise it before consulting your doctor as each body and its pregnancy differs. It could be safe for one, and unsafe for others. 

In general, water supports you and your bump to float in the water and helps reduce swelling in ankles and feet. Moreover, it diminishes the risk of preterm labour and congenital defects. 

7) Different Techniques, Various Benefits

Anything which has health benefits should be practised consistently. However, some daily workouts start feeling like a boring routine. Well, it is not the case with swimming.

You can try doing it in various forms:

• Backstroke
• Breaststroke
• Sidestroke
• Front Crawl
• Butterfly

and many more ways too…

Backstroke is considered a whole body workout, and it strengthens your heart too. Whereas, breaststroke tones thighs, hamstrings, and lower legs. At the same time, sidestroke improves endurance, front crawl improves overall posture and butterfly form improves flexibility, tones & builds muscles. 

So keep swimming and getting the respective benefits. 

8) Linked To Intellectual Intelligence

The Griffith Institute for Educational Research studied 7000 children under the age of five to examine the swimming effects on their minds. They observed that children who practise swimming from an early age seem to be smarter than those who do not. Their grasping power and understanding abilities improve. They are more adept at mastering skills like mathematics and language. 

Heads up for the parents! If swimming fits in your budget, do not let your child be unfamiliar with it. 

Conclusion

It is as healthy as it is famous among the world population and most of them prefer swimming for a healthy lifestyle rather than due to their personal interests. It helps regulate your respiratory health, builds your muscles and tones up your body. If you feel it is one of the easy ways to stay fit, you should start learning it. Do not think it is a luxurious sport; many places offer swimming at affordable prices to fit your budget.