Staying well in the water

I have known for a long time that swimming is good for me, but it was not until recently that I began to think about how, exactly, it helps.

Swimming is undoubtedly a great form of exercise with benefits for the cardio vascular system, respiratory system and and the nervous system. The way in which swimming works is partly connected to the fact that, whilst in water, we can move every part of our body. The nervous system calms down in a way it is unlikely to do much when not immersed as our sense organs and nervous system begin to operate in a more integrated way. We literally bring our internals into 'sync' and are thus better able to 'flow'.

People often talk about feeling a “calming down” in the shower, or after a swim - this is due to our nervous system resting, and getting some much needed time out. There are several states that have been observed in regular swimmers, thought to be pursuant to the “calming down” feeling after the swimming including increased self-confidence, a lessening of fears or anxiety and enhanced ability to focus on tasks. Perhaps more of us should be swimming during our lunchbreaks?

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