Is there anything the sport can't do?!
In a previous post, we told you about Six Ways Swimming Transforms Your Health, today we’ve decided to add to that, with four more ways swimming can help your health!
1. Swimming Makes You Smarter:
Well actually, just being immersed in water will do the trick!
A small study by Howard Carter of the University of Western Australia School of Sport Science found that participants immersed in water up to heart level had a 14% increase in blood flow to the middle cerebral artery and a 9% blood flow increase to the posterior cerebral artery. This increased — and therefore healthier — blood flow to the brain helps improve memory, clarity, mood, and concentration.
2. "Blue Spaces" Enhance Physical and Mental Well-being:
"Blue spaces" are a hot area for researchers interested in well-being. Blue spaces are exactly what they sound like: The sea, shoreline, rives, lakes, canals, waterfalls, and even fountains!
People who are near blue spaces have higher physical and mental fitness than people who are not. This is because proximity to water generally correlates with a healthier living environment. Think about it, which is more polluted: The beach or the city?
Further, people who live near water tend to be more physically active, which has a host of benefits for your physical and mental health.
Lastly, there is increasing evidence that water has a psychologically restorative effect. Quite simply, people who are near water report higher happiness and lower stress!
3. Swimming Helps Varicose Veins:
Varicose veins appear when faulty valves allow blood to flow in the wrong direction or even pool. Approximately 1 in 4 adults in the United States are affected by this condition. While some people are mostly concerned by the vein's cosmetic appearance, other people experience physical discomfort.
If you have looked into it, you have probably read that exercise is key in treating varicose veins, but do you know which exercise is the best? Swimming is the most recommended by vein specialists, and we’ll tell you why:
We already mentioned that swimming is non-weight bearing, which means less pressure on those veins. This decrease in pressure allows for enhanced blood circulation, which moves it back to your heart more efficiently than when you're on dry land. Swimming also engages so many muscles in your body that is improves your blood flow overall without straining your joints.
4. Swimming Reverses Aging:
Get this: People who regularly swim are biologically 20 years younger than their birth certificates state, according to research by Indiana University.
There is a typical physiological functional capacity decline beginning at around the age of 35 but they found that people who swam roughly 2 miles three to five times a week, postponed the gain process by decades — delaying this natural decline until the age of 70!
To quote twelve-time Olympic medalist Dana Torres, and at age 41, the oldest swimmer to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team, “The water doesn’t know your age.”