5 Benefits of Swimming at Any Age

Swimming is a timeless sport that offers a ton of benefits for people of all ages from babies to seniors.

Have you seen the face of a baby light up when they’re gently moved through the water making their first splash? Or the relief of a grandparent seeking to ease their aching joints in a water aerobics class?

From the youngest swimmers to the most senior aquatic enthusiasts, the benefits of swimming are universal and long lasting.

The low-impact full body workout combines strength training with cardiovascular endurance and helps with everything from better sleep to weight loss to mental health improvement.

There are so many health benefits to swimming for all ages so read on for my top five!

In This Article

How Swimming Improves Mental Health

How Swimming Strengthens Your Body

How Swimming Helps Build Community

How Swimming is Safe During Vulnerability

How Swimming Burns Calories

The Bottom Line

Swimming Improves Your Mental Health

Swimming has been shown to boost mood in people as it increases the production of endorphins, which help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain. Serotonin and norepinephrine are other hormones produced during exercise which have been proven to relieve feelings of depression.

In one study, chronic sleep disturbance is reported by nearly 50% of the elderly population. Regular exercise has been shown to improve insomnia, regulate sleep cycle, and enhance the quality of sleep.

While more research needs to be done in the area of stress, research concludes that swimming and exercise in general is a powerful way to relieve stress quickly. It is mostly due to the production of endorphins which is a natural pain reliever.

But swimming is also an outlet when you feel overwhelmed by life and need to “get away.” A 30-minute swim workout can be extremely effective and vital for your mental health.

Swimming Strengthens Your Body

Swimming helps with asthma! The humid environment of an indoor pool is beneficial for people with breathing issues. It can help improve lung capacity and control breathing difficulties.

Swimming also helps with joint pain. The buoyancy of water makes swimming an excellent low-impact activity. It’s easy on the joints and a great option for people with arthritis or those recovering from injuries.

Swimming Helps Build Community

There is a strong connection between exercise and social health. This connection may come naturally and more easily during your school years or in the workforce. However, some groups of people have a more difficult time finding community. Perhaps young moms, the elderly, and the sick or physically compromised.

Swimming, especially in the form of group exercise, can be a great way to build those connections as well as a motivator to build exercise habits and get a better workout for improved overall health.

Joining a mommy-and-me swim class is both fun and has its health benefits for baby and parent. You can read more about getting started with baby swim here. Senior aerobics swim groups not only provide a full body workout but can lead to new friendships and activities beyond the pool such as lunch outings and coffee dates. And finally, water therapy is an excellent way to heal your body after injury or surgery and do so with other people.

Swimming is Safe During Vulnerability

Swimming is a safe exercise for pregnant women. It supports the body and can help maintain fitness during pregnancy. Feeling almost weightless in the water reduces extreme back pain and other types of pain while in a pool, especially if heated.

People with cardiovascular issues may especially benefit from swimming as it strengthens the heart muscle and is associated with an effective way to keep your heart and lungs healthy, potentially reducing mortality risk by half compared to inactive individuals.

For individuals in need of physical therapy, water is an excellent medium. The main reason is that your body weight goes down to zero when submerged and any kind of exercise is much easier and effective. Swimming engages almost every major muscle group, providing a full-body workout. It increases heart rate without stressing the body, tones muscles, builds strength and enhances endurance.

Swimming Burns Calories

When you swim, you use your entire body to move through the water. This full-body engagement requires energy, which is provided by burning calories. This is an effective 30-minute swim workout for both swimmers and non-swimmers.

Also, water is denser than air, so moving through it provides resistance. This resistance makes your muscles work harder, which increases the number of calories burned.

For reference, a 150-pound person swimming recreational backstroke burns about 350 calories per hour.

Bottom Line

Swimming is not just an enjoyable activity, it’s a powerful tool and a fantastic opportunity to maintain and improve physical and mental health for people of all ages.

A swim workout boosts your mood, improves sleep, maintains body strength, and most importantly helps build community. So dive in with me and let’s start swimming!