Benefits Of Swimming

Swimming is an incredible form of physical activity that promotes full-body weight loss and muscle toning. Due to being low-intensity, individuals with obesity and chronic joint and bone pain, for example, can burn almost as many calories for swimming an hour daily as they would while running without the extra impact of the high-intensity movement. People living in the United States enjoy swimming as the fourth leading popular hobby in the country, and it's no surprise considering swimming provides a long list of health benefits.

• Swimming provides an all-over workout.

If you're seeking a straightforward, head-to-toe workout that's easy and low-maintenance, swimming is the way to go. It helps by:

• Promoting increased strength
• Enhancing physical stamina
• Helps define muscles
• Promotes cardiovascular health with minimal physical stress

You can also switch up your swimming sessions by trying out multiple strokes, such as:

• Butterfly
• Backstroke
• Freestyle
• Breaststroke
• Sidestroke

Swimming provides mild resistance as you practice various stroke styles, which all stimulate the use of specific muscle groups. Researchers have even suggested swimming may promote more extended life longevity. Individuals who make swimming part of their routine reduce the onset of premature death by nearly 50 percent. Healthy blood pressure and blood sugar rates have also been supported by swimming, as proven by different studies.

• Swimming is a known mood elevator.

In as little as one workout, swimming does wonders to brighten a person's spirit and is better than just one aerobic dance session, as a 2003 Journal of Psychology published study reports. In another study of a few individuals with dementia, researchers evaluated the participant's moods throughout an aquatic program for 12 weeks and had notable mood improvement.

• Swimming is a kid-friendly exercise.

Children need everyday aerobic exercise for at least an hour. For infants and toddlers, the gradual and gentle bodily movements encourage early muscle development, which is not generally stimulated out of water. The low-impact intensity of swimming is also a safe physical activity that drastically lessens injury risk. Greater joint flexibility and stronger joint muscles are also beneficial for children who begin swimming from an early age.

• Your sleep schedule can benefit from swimming.

Swimming, amongst all forms of exercise, can help you have a more restful and longer sleep duration every night. According to Radermacher, "Exercise helps reset your body's internal clock and restores your natural circadian rhythm." As reported by a poll known as the National Sleep Foundation's 2013 Sleep in America, which explored the correlation between sleep and exercise, exceptional or moderately good sleep quality was reported by 76 to 83 percent of participants who exercised at all intensities compared to 56 percent of sedentary individuals. As an added benefit, longer deep restorative sleep duration was prevalent in physically active participants.

• Swimming is a low-budget exercise.

Swimming only requires a little fancy equipment to join, and it can be done in just about any sizeable (and clean) body of water. Complimentary swim hours are sometimes offered at schools and various centers or offer swimming sessions for income-based sliding scales.