Swimming is one of the most popular and healthy sports/activities around the world. Doctors and health experts consider swimming highly beneficial for the body, as it makes use of virtually all your body parts. One of the best things about swimming is that it is a sport for all age groups. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you’re 5 or you’re 50 – you can easily take a dip in the pool!
And why not? After all, an hour of swimming benefits your body as much as an hour of running , without taxing your bones too much. If that isn’t enough to get you to take the plunge, read on for more reasons why taking up swimming could be one of the best health decisions you take in your life.

Gives your whole body a workout

Swimming is considered a near substitute to many fitness routines like going to a gym or cardio , because it involves almost every single bone in your body, from head to toe. In addition to that, it also builds endurance, resilience, strength and increases your heart ate without giving a single ounce of stress to your body.

Beneficial for people with injuries, arthritis and related conditions

Swimming is considered a vital exercise for people with injuries , disabilities, and other issues that make physical exercises involving heavy impact. According to a study conducted by a team of researchers and orthopaedic doctors, patients suffering from osteoarthritis witnessed a significant relief in their symptoms like stiffness in muscles and joint pain after following a swimming routine.

Aids in asthma treatment

Not only is swimming beneficial for your bones, it also comes with various cardiovascular benefits. Swimming involves a lot of breathing exercises, which comes in real handy for patients suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems. Techniques like holding your breath, precision in inhaling and exhaling end up increasing the capacity of your lungs.

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Burns calories

Swimming proves to be very efficient when it comes to torching those extra calories from your body. The more you weight, the higher the amount of calories you will burn when swimming. For instance a person weighing 200 pounds would lose around 530-890 calories, when swimming. No other sport or fitness activity would give you results of this magnitude without causing a heavy impact on your bones and muscles.

Enhances your mood

Swimming does wonders not only for your physical health, but your mental health as well. Its known to be quite a stressbuster, as it can prove to be highly beneficial for people suffering from anxiety, dementia and other related issues. Whether you’re suffering from mental health issues or just a little stress , swimming acts as a natural mood enhancer.

Helps in stress management

During the course of a research study conducted by a group of scientists and psychologists at YMCA, New Taipei city, Japan, a total of 101 swimmers were tested, out of which 44 were mildly depressed and stressed about the fast paced city life. The study further stated that after their swim, only 8 of these swimmers still showed symptoms of stress and anxiety. While there is still plenty of research left to be conducted on the subject, it does seem evident that swimming is a quick and effective means of relieving stress.

Beneficial for children

Children perhaps benefit the most from swimming. Regular exercise is very important for children, but you can’t make your child do rigorous activities like crunches and planks at such a tender age. Swimming, on the other side is a rather fun activity, and less impactful on children’s bodies, while providing many of the same benefits.

Helps treat insomnia and improves sleep

With growing urbanisation and a faster pace of life, an increasing number of people are facing insomnia and related sleep issues . Swimming might prove to be very beneficial in helping you sleep better at night. As it works out your whole body, you will find it easy to fall asleep than usual.

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Good for recreation

Swimming is considered to be a great recreational activity for people of all ages. Recreational swimming activities can help you a great deal when it comes to taking a break from your hectic routine. Breast stroke, back stroke, side stroke, and freestyle are some of the recreational swimming routines.

Improves flexibility

Swimming releases a great amount of tension from your body, which allows the muscles and joints in your body to move more smoothly than before. The muscles that were worked out during swimming tend to get warmer and lengthen easier, which eventually helps with enhancing your flexibility.

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