Aside from being a beloved activity nationwide, swimming has a whole host of health benefits. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week. If running and other high-impact activities are challenging for your joints, swimming is a fantastic alternative.
If you have an inground swimming pool at home and aren’t already using it on a regular basis, here are 12 wellness benefits of swimming that will convince you to start:
1. Swimming Prolongs Your Lifespan
Plenty of studies show that regular exercise — including swimming — lengthens your lifespan. Additionally, a 2017 report by Swim England found that swimmers have a 28% lower risk of early death and 41% lower risk of death due to heart disease than their non-swimming counterparts.
2. Swimming Keeps You Lean
While it might not feel like it, swimming is a full-body workout. In fact, it engages everything from arms, shoulders, abdomen, legs, glutes, and back. According to a study by Harvard Medical School, a 155-pound person burns about 432 calories per hour of swimming (significantly higher than 266 calories per hour of walking).
There was also a 2021 study that found that 16 consecutive weeks of swimming led to significant reductions in body fat and BMI.
3. Swimming Supports Heart Health
Like other types of aerobic exercise, swimming significantly boosts your cardiovascular fitness. Not only does it strengthen your heart and expand lung efficiency, but research shows that swimming also improves hypertension and blood pressure.
4. Swimming Strengthens Your Lungs
It’s probably no surprise to hear that your lungs are one of the biggest benefactors of swimming. That’s why it’s incredibly beneficial for people with lung conditions bitcoin exchanges (like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Additionally, the humidity and warmth of a swimming pool make it an ideal location for exercising.
5. Swimming Boosts Brain Function
Would you believe us if we said that swimming boosts brain power? Because it has some pretty incredible benefits surrounding cognition. According to a preliminary study from Physiological Reports, participants who did a 20-minute, moderate swim processed visual information and responded faster on cognitive tests conducted before and after the swim. Additionally, another preliminary study linked swimming with short- and long-term memory in mice.
6. Swimming Enhances Your Mood and Relieves Stress
All exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. However, a 2003 study found that a single swimming session elevated one’s mood significantly more than a single aerobic dancing or yoga session.
Additionally, routinely swimming for long stretches of time causes your brain to undergo hippocampal neurogenesis. For those who might not know, this is the process of regrowing brain cells in areas of the brain that have been atrophied due to chronic stress.
7. Swimming Improves Your Sleep
Exercise helps rest your body’s internal clock and restores your circadian rhythm. This is great because nearly 50% of older adults experience some level of insomnia. Additionally, studies show that people who opt for aerobic exercise sleep better.
Swimming is a kind of aerobic exercise that’s easily accessible to people dealing with a wide range of physical issues. Therefore, it’s a terrific choice for older people who might struggle with joint pain or discomfort.
8. Swimming Relieves Chronic Pain
Speaking of joint pain, health conditions like fibromyalgia and arthritis reduce mobility and lead to short- or long-term pain. However, swimming regularly offers some relief.
One study revealed that a three-month swimming program for people with osteoarthritis decreased joint pain and stiffness and improved muscle strength. This is because the buoyancy of the water adds resistance, yet the exercise remains low-impact.
9. Swimming Supports Bone Health
According to the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, roughly 54 million Americans have osteoporosis or low bone mass. However, research shows that swimming regularly might help. Specifically, a 2020 review found that three to six hours of swimming per week improved bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
10. Swimming Lowers Your Risk of Diabetes
Aerobic exercise is linked to a lower risk of diabetes. In fact, a 2016 study shows that short bursts of high-intensity swimming prevent type-2 diabetes in middle-aged women. Additionally, research indicates that people living with diabetes can minimize their risk of cardiovascular disease and lower their blood sugar levels by swimming.
11. Swimming Is Safe During Pregnancy
Another wellness benefit of swimming is that it’s pregnancy-safe. Generally, swimming is a kind of moderate aerobic exercise that is safe for all trimesters. However, all pregnant women should consult with their doctor or health care professional before embarking on an exercise regime.
Aside from being a safe activity, swimming actually has benefits for both mothers and their babies. In fact, one study revealed that a mother rat’s swimming altered the brain development of her offspring.
Some believe that swimming also protects babies against a neurological issue known as hypoxia-ischemia. Women who swim during their early- to mid-pregnancy actually had a lower risk of preterm labor and congenital defects.
12. Swimming Helps People with MS
Water makes the limbs buoyant yet provides a gentle resistance. Because of this, it’s the perfect location for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to exercise. One study demonstrated that a 20-week swimming program was linked to a significant reduction in pain in people with MS. Additionally, they also experienced improvements in symptoms like fatigue, depression, and disability.
Get Your Custom Chicago Swimming Pool Today
If you were previously unaware of these 12 wellness benefits of swimming, we hope that today’s blog post provided you with some inspiration to get out there and swim this summer. If you’re in need of regular or one-time maintenance for your Chicago swimming pool, Chip & Dip Pool and Spa Service is here to help.
As Chicago’s leading inground pool professionals, our time has helped tons of homeowners transform their outdoor spaces with swimming pools, landscaping, and outdoor structures. Now, we’d love to do the same for you.
Browse the service page on our website or contact our team to get started.
