It's not a secret that swimming is one of the most fun and active ways to stay in shape. Not only does it give your body a great workout, but it also gives you a chance to let off steam. The best part is that it can be done by almost anyone, regardless of age. So if you're looking for an easy way to get into shape, you can't go wrong with a nice swim. There are many benefits of swimming. Here are 10 things that happen to your body when you swim every day.
1. Your Body Burns Calories while Swimming
Swimming is such a good workout because the entire body is moving while swimming; you burn way more calories than if you were to take a jog, ride a bike, or run. The most impressive fact is how quickly this happens since the number of calories burned during a 2-hour footrace is almost negligible compared to the number of calories burned during a 2-hour swimming race.
2. Build Muscle
One of the reasons swimming is so great for your body is that it gives you a chance to build muscle. While swimming provides strength in all body parts, the upper body benefits most. There are several reasons for this, but one of the main ones is how our bodies are built. To stay afloat and be able to swim, our arms and legs are used in a very unique way that simply cannot be replicated while cycling or running on land. And since the upper body is being used like a weight lifter, this translates into bigger biceps and triceps. And since most of these muscle groups are smaller, they develop quicker and easier.
3. Increase Endurance
Swimming is not only great for building muscle but also for increasing your endurance. If you're looking to be able to jog or run longer distances, swimming is a good form of cross-training. It will help build muscle in your legs, allowing you to run longer without getting tired. The reason is that the stronger your strengths are, the more fat you burn, which means more oxygen can be delivered to your muscles and, thus, more endurance.
4. Improve Flexibility
By swimming every day, you're naturally improving your flexibility. While this is not the main benefit of swimming, it is still a nice side effect. After all, who doesn't want to be able to touch their toes or simply twist their body around easily? But there is a grave reason why swimming helps improve flexibility. The fact that swimming requires you to constantly change your arm and leg positions means you're also getting into different body positions, which improves the overall range of motion in your joints.
5. Decrease stress levels
When you begin swimming, you're bound to feel stressed out. With this comes a great deal of anxiety about whether you will be able to swim that day. But all this stress is erased by simply doing it daily. In a study conducted, the author found that in participants who engaged in regular physical activity and swimming, stress reduction was significantly higher than the average population.
6. Lower blood pressure
The endorphins released while swimming can have a significant impact on lowering your blood pressure. Unsurprisingly, you're relaxing more and getting into a better headspace while swimming. But this effect is also attributed to the fact that it's a great workout, which helps increase the amount of oxygen your body can absorb.
7. Improve heart health
Swimming can benefit your heart, but one of the most significant improvements in blood pressure. In numerous studies, it's been found that regular swimming can lower your blood pressure while also increasing your heart rate. One of the reasons for this is that swimming requires you to move around and get more oxygen into your body, which works well for people with high blood pressure.
8. Better sleep quality
Although you might not realize it, an essential benefit of swimming is that it helps improve your sleep quality. In another study, participants who participated in exercise and swimming were found to have better sleep quality than those who only did one. In this study, those who swam before bed reported getting more restful REM sleep, which was reduced for those who did not swim.
9. Increase lung capacity
When first starting out with swimming, one of the biggest challenges is taking a breath. But as you swim more and get used to being in the water, your lungs begin to adjust to the change. While this doesn't necessarily mean that your lungs will be able to store more air, it does mean that you will be able to take longer breaths more efficiently and, therefore, hold your breath for more extended periods.
10. Remove toxins from the body
Swimming is excellent for your health, but that's not the only benefit. The great thing about swimming is that it helps remove many waste products and toxins from your body. This is because when you're swimming in a pool and get the water into your mouth, it has a chance to help wash everything away. The bonus is that it can also do this for other body parts, like your eyes!
These are just 10 ways swimming every day can help improve your health. The best part is that you can do it whenever you want with no commitment. So, if you're going to get healthier, try swimming every day and see the difference it makes!
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