By Miracle Nwankwo
Leisure for mothers is more than a necessity because they need more time and unique ways to unwind and relax while dealing with hectic work and family schedules. It is also important for mothers to go for pleasurable and fun-filled leisure or relaxation activities that will help relieve them of stress and depression as they stay refreshed. One of these activities is swimming.
Swimming is a great recreational activity for people of all age bracket. It is a low-impact aerobic activity that builds long, lean muscles and helps in maintaining a healthy weight. Most importantly it provides a calming sensation. According to MayoClinic.org, swimming may also help you cope with life’s stresses by increasing feelings of self-worth and accomplishment, taking your mind off worries and offering a means for more social interaction.
Africa is just beginning to embrace swimming as a leisure activity. Before now, people hardly build their homes with swimming pools or visit the hotels just to swim. However, today the story is different and on this note, we would love to share three insights on how women benefit from swimming.
Swimming helps to tone the woman’s body.
Swimming helps to tone the body because it engages most of the muscle parts of your body including the legs, arms, back, shoulders and abdominal muscles. As such, when it becomes a routine, women can successfully tone trouble areas such as the back of the arms and the belly.
When swimming, even the parts of your body that are not actively moving are supporting you against the resistance of the water. In the end, it increases your flexibility which helps prevent injury, build cardiovascular health and combat cardiovascular disease. Overall, it helps to maintain a healthy weight.
Swimming helps the woman to ward-off depression
According to MayoClinic.org, Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. However, webmd.com states that “When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain.” research has shown that swimming releases endorphins and neurotransmitters, which make you, feel good and help ward off depression. It is an appropriate exercise as it is easy to adapt it to your fitness level and preference.
Swimming relieves the woman of stress
The effect of water moving over the body creates a massaging sensation and promotes relaxation. Also, physical activity such as swimming stimulates the brain to release neurochemicals that make the body feel good and reduce stress. Swimming is an activity every woman should engage in because it can serve as a form of meditation, affording opportunities for contemplation that could leave the woman feeling more tranquil and at peace. According to the American Psychological Association, more women than men admit to rising levels of stress. Women also report more physical and emotional symptoms related to stress. Swimming is a good cure for stress and anxiety.
Finally, swimming is a way to exercise without the pain and strain of a regular gym workout. A regular swimming culture of at least 3 times a week can make a significant difference in a woman’s overall health and wellbeing. Like yoga and Tai chi, swimming provides many benefits, as it decreases muscular tension and helps promote relaxation, which can be particularly beneficial if the woman has trouble maintaining a regular sleep pattern due to stress.
For women who are unfamiliar with swimming or may have not been in a pool for a long time, they should be encouraged to beat the fear and take the bull by its horn, because the benefits are enormous. Remember! No matter the age, no woman is too old to swim.
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