Water Sports for Stress Management

Swimming for The Soul: The Impact of Swimming on The Psyche

It is well known how positively swimming lessons have a positive effect on the physical condition of a person, on his health. However, this is only part of the benefit. Immersion in water and staying in it, even with minimal activity, has a beneficial effect on the mental state of a person. For more information on how to unwind after a long day, click here. 

Swimming as Meditation

Studies by physiologists and psychiatrists have long confirmed a special condition that occurs in people after immersion in water. The dense primordial environment of all mammals, enveloping the body, gives the body weightlessness, relieves consciousness from all the troubles of modern civilization.

Our subconscious retains some of the sensations of the prenatal period. It was then that the most important protection for the fetus inside the mother’s womb was the liquid surrounding it from all sides. Therefore, calm swimming and diving is a very effective way of meditation for a person.

Constant stress not only prevents us from enjoying life. It can lead to serious health problems. Especially often this is faced by residents of megacities. Strong stress awaits us during increased stress, personal problems, in winter from lack of sun and in spring due to beriberi. A tried and tested way to cope with stress at any time of the year is a regular visit to the pool. Like other sports, swimming has a complex beneficial effect on the body. At the same time, it has almost no contraindications and is recommended at any age, and the risk of injury is minimized. The positive effect of water on the body is not fully understood, but it is obvious. No wonder many people want to spend their holidays on the coast. Even calm swimming without heavy loads relieves anxiety, gives a feeling of lightness and provides a restful sleep. Let’s take a closer look at how it affects our health.

What Is the Benefit of Swimming?

  • Water resistance provides a massage effect. It strengthens the nervous system and speeds up blood flow, similar to acupuncture or classical massage.
  • During exercise, endorphins are released. It causes a feeling of joy, helps to overcome depression and even has a good effect on appearance.
  • Soft, but intense exercise strengthens the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. At the same time, blood circulation is increased, which contributes to the overall improvement of the body.
  • During swimming in any style, all muscle groups are trained. The body becomes more resilient, and the figure is taut.
  • In water, body weight decreases, so the spine and joints are relieved of the load. This contributes to the formation of correct posture, which helps us feel confident!  So how does one live without music? Of course, here you need an amplifier! But which one to choose? Which one is better? 4-channel or 2-channel? That’s what you can find out on the official website here 4 channel amp. Hurry up and follow the link and find out what to choose!
  • Swimming helps solve appetite problems that often accompany stress. If you have lost your appetite, after a workout it will surely return! And with constant hunger, physical activity will help not to gain weight.
  • Stress often causes sleep disturbances. Some suffer from insomnia, others walk all day with sticky eyes. Swimming in the pool will help you feel energized during the day and fall asleep quickly at night.
  • In childhood and adolescence, regular training forms useful character traits: discipline, perseverance and determination. These qualities will be useful in adult life, including for overcoming stress.
  • When exercising in a group, the benefits of communication are added to the healing effect of water. A friendly company improves mood and helps to distract from worries.

Swimming Is A Powerful Anti-Stress Factor

A visit to the pool helps to cope with stress, improves the functioning of the brain and nervous system. Staying in the water relieves fatigue, fuss, anxiety, muscle tension disappears, the body moves easily. In addition, efficiency increases, peace appears, sleep normalizes. This does not require heavy loads at all – moderate movements and measured swimming are effective.

The additional amenities and services available in the pool are also important: swimming lessons, coaching, fitness services, and simply the convenience of the premises. 

Reduces Levels of Stress Hormones

Many athletes are familiar with the situation when, under the influence of increased physical and mental stress, catabolism processes occur. The adrenal glands produce excess amounts of the hormone cortisol. Exceeding certain norms of this hormone in the blood does not allow the athlete to recover from training, destroys muscle tissue. In the future, this threatens with problems with the health of the cardiovascular and endocrine systems. The risks of developing arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus increase over time. The risk of heart attacks and strokes increases. You can avoid this if you regularly engage in relaxing swimming on non-training days.

Increases the Level of The Hormone of Happiness

The daily stress of today’s dynamic time, everything that is negative is happening around us, causes a blockage in the production of endorphins and other “happiness hormones”.

In order to restore the normal amount of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphin in the endocrine system, it is absolutely not necessary to contact medical specialists. It is enough to plunge into the cool water of the pool or country pond. Calmly swim for a while, both on the chest and on the back. The effect will be even greater when swimming in the sea, with its even, relaxing sound of the surf. You can also dive, restoring measured breathing. The result will not keep you waiting. With a high probability, you will leave the water psychologically unloaded and renewed.

Interesting Facts About Pool Swimming

  • It is worth swimming for only half an hour, and during the rest of the day an accelerated metabolism will be maintained. So, you are provided with cheerfulness, good mood and burning extra calories.
  • Due to the resistance of the water, muscles expend more effort during swimming than on land. You don’t get as tired as when you run, but you burn the same amount of calories.
  • The influence of water on the nervous system depends on temperature. Cool tones and helps to concentrate. Warm – soothes and relaxes.
  • Although swimming has few contraindications, they do exist. Before entering the pool, you need to visit a doctor and get a certificate. You should not go to the pool, where certificates are not required: you can get skin diseases from other visitors.
  • The water in the pool is disinfected in different ways. The most common is chlorination, but there are more modern ones. These are ionization and ozonation.

We hope that the article was useful for you!

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