By Kelly Bjornstad
As summer approaches and the weather warms up, you might find yourself taking advantage of one of the best things summer has to offer: Swimming! Swimming is one activity guaranteed to provide multiple benefits for your health and wellbeing this season.
The same way that going to school is a great way for you to see some familiar faces and be productive, swimming can also serve as a great way to stay social and keep yourself on-track mentally. Going swimming with your friends and family, whether that be in a swimming pool, lake, or the ocean, is, as Better Health writes, “a great way to keep fit and make friends.”
Being under the sun has some great benefits, too. Chances are that wherever you’re in the water this summer will be under the sun for most of the day. The National Institutes of Health explain that “The best-known benefit of sunlight is its ability to boost the body’s vitamin D supply”. Immune, bone, and tissue health are all supported through Vitamin D, so it’s essential that you get out and enjoy some sunshine- for health purposes!
More sunshine means more serotonin, and, as Web MD writes, that can help keep you both calm and focused. For both men and women, swimming has been proven to improve mental health and have a relaxing effect on the mind and body. The CDC states “swimming can decrease anxiety, and exercise therapy in warm water can decrease depression and improve mood.”
Physically, swimming is a perfect way to stay fit this summer. If going for a run isn’t your thing, maybe try going for a swim! Healthline states that muscle toning, endurance building, heart and lung strength are all things that come with exercising your body through swimming. It doesn’t take much, either. The CDC writes that only two and a half hours a week of aerobic activity in general can both decrease the risk of chronic illness and help those with existing conditions.
Summer is oftentimes a well deserved period of time for students to relax before resuming school in the fall. If you’re a student whose sleep schedule has been thrown off, this summers a good time to reset. Swimming can help you do that! Everyday Health states “Exercise helps reset your body’s internal clock and restores your natural circadian rhythm.”
This summer has been long awaited for many. Whether you’re a senior ready to relax before the next chapter of your education, or a student looking forward to some downtime, this is a great time to slow down… and take a swim!
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