29 Aug Just Keep Swimming! Health Benefits of Swimming For Seniors
Have you been looking for a fun way to cool off, get in better shape, and improve your mood? If that’s the case, come take a dip in the pool as there are so many health benefits of swimming for seniors.
From basic swimming to water aerobics and even sports like water volleyball, aquatic exercise is an ideal way for you to get a great workout without putting added stress or strain on your body.
Here are just a few of the great benefits you can look forward to:
1. Better heart health
Swimming has been proven to make your heart stronger and larger, and to improve your cardiovascular health and endurance. It can also lower your blood pressure, improve your circulation, and help reduce the risk of heart and lung disease.
2. Turning back the clock
Some studies have shown that people who swim at least an hour a day for five days a week can have a biological age that is about 20 years less than their chronological age. When combined with a well-balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet, swimming can help stave off the worst effects of age-related diseases.
3. Feeling calmer
Have you ever felt a sense of calm wash over you when you enter the pool? That’s your mammalian diving reflex kicking in. As part of a complex series of physiological responses to submersion in water cooler than your body temperature, your blood pressure automatically and near-instantly drops as a result of this reflex. So just a quick dip in the pool can sooth your worries and anxiety.
4. More flexibility
Research shows that swimming can also help increase flexibility in your hips, legs, arms, and neck. So, if you’ve been looking for ways to feel less stiff, swimming and other aquatic exercises like water aerobics or water yoga can really help loosen you up. They can also improve your posture, alleviate back pain, and ease joint pain.
5. Making new friends!
Aquatic sports like water volleyball are a fun way to make new friends and try something new. When heading to the pool becomes social activity, you can avoid the feelings of social isolation and loneliness that often lead to depression.
Swimming and all types of aquatic exercise are healthy activities that you can continue for a lifetime. There are many great benefits to getting in the pool so don your suit, grab a friend, sign up for an aquatic class or group, and dive in today!