Swimming’s a great form of exercise – it works multiple groups of muscles without putting any strain on your joints. Thanks to the various strokes, you can work different groups of muscles – all without getting hot and sweaty. Our favourite sport does even more than that though – it’s a great way to relieve stress and enjoy a better quality of life.
Getting into the water and swimming laps three times a week for just half an hour has been shown to lower stress levels and anxiety. Many swimmers also find that the body’s naturally positive response to being immersed in water helps to improve their sleeping patterns.
During swimming training, your body and mind are focused on a number of different aspects such as your arm movements, your kick and your breathing pattern. With all this to focus on, the stress and strain of work and other pressures are forced to take a backseat. Thanks to this, swimming has been likened to yoga in terms of its power to soothe the soul. Over and above this, the feeling of being weightless in the water quite literally lifts the weight off your shoulders.
It’s that time of year when just about all of us are feeling the pressure of year-end deadlines and the fast-approaching festive season. Jump into your pool for half an hour and feel the difference!