A New Year has just begun and with it, many people have made New Year’s resolutions. According to USAGov (the Official Guide to U.S. Government Information and Services), three of thirteen popular resolutions are: lose weight, get fit, and manage stress. Swimming is good for your health and can help you with these resolutions in addition to so much more.
Swimming is good for your health.
Did you know?
- Swimming is the fourth most popular sports activity in the United States.
- Just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity, such as swimming, bicycling, or running can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses.
- Swimmers have about half the risk of death compared with inactive people.
- People report enjoying water-based exercise more than exercising on land.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Lose Weight, Get Fit, Feel Better
You just resolved to stay healthy in the new year and two ways you plan on doing that are by losing weight and getting fit. Some people find running or walking bothersome, as pressure is put on their knees and ankles. Swimming is easy on the body. It’s a whole body exercise that is low impact, which is especially valuable for the elderly and people who have disabilities.
Water-based exercise can help people with chronic illness. Arthritis sufferers find that by swimming, they use their affected joints without worsening their symptoms. People who have rheumatoid arthritis have more health improvements after participating in hydrotherapy (the use of water for pain relief and treatment) than with other activities. For Seniors, water-based exercise decreases disability and helps maintain bone health – they get a full workout that’s easy on their joints.
6 Reasons Why Swimming is Great Exercise for Seniors
Mental Health and Managing Stress
Swimming can be very relaxing, especially when done in your own personal paradise that has a retractable pool enclosure. When swimming, you’re focusing on your body instead of the stress in your life, which helps your mind and body relax and distress. By giving yourself a break from stress, you should be able to manage it better.
CDC confirmed: swimming can improve mood in men and women. People who have fibromyalgia in particular can improve their mental health with swimming. This form of exercise decreases anxiety and even depression. Learn more.
Personal Testimonials – How Swimming Helped Others
One of our customers has health problems and an enclosure allows her to swim all year long, thus improving her symptoms. On her blog she wrote:
“Over the past year and a half, I was barely able to swim due to a variety of mishaps and weather misfortunes. What little time I spent in the pool was engaged in the losing battle of attempting to clean it out and get the water adjusted.”
“My symptoms worsened. I got very depressed. … We decided to invest in the retractable enclosure [Laguna High Retractable Enclosure] because swimming … is the ONLY exercise I am able to consistently do.”
Read more >>
Stay in shape and train year-round with the help of a retractable pool enclosure.
Marathon swimmer Chloë McCardel was able to stay in shape and train year-round with the help of a retractable pool enclosure. She credits her enclosure for helping her win a marathon:
Marathon swimmer Chloë McCardel train with the help of a pool enclosure.
To learn more about pool enclosures, browse our pool enclosure galleries. And, on behalf of the entire team at Pool & Spa Enclosures, have a happy and healthy 2014!
