5 Health Benefits of Swimming

Swimming is definitely one of the most calorie burning and one of the most satisfying exercises. It’s a perfect activity for people of all ages – and even for people with disabilities. Swimming provides numerous health benefits. Here are five most important ones.

1. Change your body

Swimming is an aerobic exercise which means that it helps in burning fat. However, swimming is also an anaerobic exercise (resistance training) which builds muscle mass. It’s because water is denser than air and you need to use your strength to swim. Consequently, swimming is one of the best ways to kill two birds with one stone – burn fat and build your muscle mass. A person who weighs 180 pounds swimming breaststroke for one hour burns about 800 calories. A few hours of swimming a week will result in burning up to one pound weekly.

2. Take care of your heart

As mentioned before, swimming is a mostly aerobic exercise. This means that it strengthens your heart and makes it more efficient in pumping which increases blood flow. As a result, swimming can reduce blood pressure. Furthermore, swimming raises good HDL cholesterol levels. The higher your HDL cholesterol levels and the lower your LDL cholesterol levels, the lower your risk of heart disease. Improved heart health is unquestionably one of the most important benefits of swimming.

3. Lower risk of diabetes

The more obese you are, the higher your risk of diabetes. Swimming is one of the best ways to control weight (or lose weight). Even losing a few pounds can significantly lower your risk of diabetes and improve your insulin sensitivity.

4. Relieve stress

Endorphins are chemicals released by the brain after exercise (such as swimming). Endorphins relieve pain, stress and make you feel happier. Furthermore, swimming reduce symptoms of chronic diseases such as depression, fibromyalgia or arthritis. If you want to feel happier in general, start swimming on a regular basis!

5. Improve your life satisfaction

People who swim often (or do any other aerobic exercise on a regular basis) have lower risk of diseases and live longer. The fitter you are, the healthier, happier and better looking you are! Last but not least, swimming decreases disabilities and helps you maintain good health even in old age. It’s definitely one of the best activities for people of all ages.

As you can see, swimming provides incredible health benefits. Can you afford not to become a more active person? If you want to feel happier, healthier and more satisfied with your life, start swimming on a regular basis!

Swimming is one of the best ways to burn fat. Our site answers the question “How many calories does swimming burn”?.