Your body will love the benefits of water movement. Swimming is a low-impact activity that has many physical and mental health benefits. The buoyancy in the water, helps support the body, taking strain off joints, lessen back pressure and gives you more fluidly movements. The water creates the resistance which increases muscle tone and strength. It is an overall, great way to keep fit and a healthy activity that you can continue for a lifetime.  Today many health gyms, YMCA’s, physical therapists, and resorts offer pool activities from aerobics to actual weightlifting in water. Swimming is also an opportunity to meet new friends, socialize and have fun.

Swimming is a good all-round activity because it:

• keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body
• builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness
• helps you maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs
• tones muscle and builds strength
• provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all your muscles are used during swimming.

   Swimming has many other benefits including:

• being a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise
• alleviating stress
• improving coordination, balance and posture
• improving flexibility
• providing good low-impact therapy for some injuries and conditions, especially if you have arthritis
• providing a pleasant way to cool down on a hot day being available in many places – you can swim in pools, beaches, lakes, and rivers. 

Swimming is the perfect exercise without the sweat. As a swimmer, you will never feel sweaty no matter how hard you work because the water around you is constantly cooling you down. 

Being surrounded by warm water facilitates a calming and meditative feeling and cold water facilitates an invigorating and energetic feeling. The overall benefits of swimming contribute to a feeling of well-being as well as renewing energy. Blue Mind” is a term associated with water-related calm and peace. This science tells us that as humans, we are naturally drawn to blue space. This leads to a feeling of wellness and peace when we are in or around bodies of water. As water makes up 70 percent of our bodies and covers about 75 percent of the earth’s surface, our brains have an immediate positive response when we are near water. Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, author of the best-selling book Blue Mind, says,

“Research has shown that being near, in, on or under water can provide a long list of benefits for our mind and body, including lowering stress and anxiety, increasing an overall sense of well-being and happiness, a lower heart and breathing rate, and safe, better workouts. Aquatic therapists are increasingly looking to the water to help treat and manage PTSD, addiction, anxiety disorders, autism and more.”

Well after summing up the benefits of swimming physically, mentally, and emotionally, I say it is time for a beach day! What about you? Find yourself a place for some water movement and have to water fun! Living a moving life is a healthy life.

#Swimming #healthylifestyle #health #strength #muscletone