Benefits of Sea Swimming
If you live near the coast and have yet to try sea dipping, now is the time! There’s nothing better than cooling off after a long training session with a refreshing dip. You don’t need any fancy equipment or special clothing to experience the benefits that the sea offers and most beaches have local sea swimming clubs with an amazing sense of community.
Sea swimming is said to be great for the mind, body and spirit. Using seawater for medical purposes even has a name: thalassotherapy. As sea water is rich in magnesium, it helps to release stress and relax your muscles, which is ideal for athletes.
It also aids with deep sleep and is said to spiritually cleanse your aura. The weightlessness of water is often said to have a calming effect on the mind, even changing or slowing down brain waves. Due to the breathing patterns used during swimming, it’s believed to stimulate the parasympathetic system, which is responsible for rest and repair.
It can also trigger the release of dopamine and serotonin, which are known as the “happy hormones”. Cold-water swimming also activates temperature receptors under the skin that release hormones such as endorphins, adrenalin and cortisol.
If you’re inspired to take a mindful dip in the water, take time to acclimatise properly and make sure that you can enter and exit the water safely. If it’s cold out, wear a wetsuit, gloves and boots or a wooly hat to preserve your body heat.
The general rule is to only spend spend 1 minute per degree of water temperature in the water and avoid diving into cold water, as this can lead to ‘cold water shock’. Once out of the water, gradually warm up with warm clothes and a warm drink, rather than getting to a hot shower as this can be dangerous.
Happy dipping!
Sea swimming is said to be great for the mind, body and spirit. Using seawater for medical purposes even has a name: thalassotherapy. As sea water is rich in magnesium, it helps to release stress and relax your muscles, which is ideal for athletes.
It also aids with deep sleep and is said to spiritually cleanse your aura. The weightlessness of water is often said to have a calming effect on the mind, even changing or slowing down brain waves. Due to the breathing patterns used during swimming, it’s believed to stimulate the parasympathetic system, which is responsible for rest and repair.
It can also trigger the release of dopamine and serotonin, which are known as the “happy hormones”. Cold-water swimming also activates temperature receptors under the skin that release hormones such as endorphins, adrenalin and cortisol.
If you’re inspired to take a mindful dip in the water, take time to acclimatise properly and make sure that you can enter and exit the water safely. If it’s cold out, wear a wetsuit, gloves and boots or a wooly hat to preserve your body heat.
The general rule is to only spend spend 1 minute per degree of water temperature in the water and avoid diving into cold water, as this can lead to ‘cold water shock’. Once out of the water, gradually warm up with warm clothes and a warm drink, rather than getting to a hot shower as this can be dangerous.
Happy dipping!