Ditch the Pills and Opt for Vitamin ‘Sea’ With Ocean Swimming

Walking along the golden sand, sunbathing with ice cream on hand, and cooling dip into sea-water; nothing makes any other spot a perfect summer hideout than a beach. But, many of us perhaps never have realized that diving in the deep blue sea can come with fantastic health benefits too. While any form of swimming is beneficial for health by reducing risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, invigorating ocean water comes with additional properties like mood-lifting, immune-boosting, and even fat-burning.

Fat Burning

According to the medical director of Healthspan Dr. Sarah Brewer, swimming is undoubtedly one of the best all-round exercises working almost all body muscles. But the common cardiovascular benefit of swimming can be perked up with the calorie-burning property of chilly ocean water, as cold water immersion temporarily lowers our cholesterol, burns fat, and improves water retention. According to Dr. Brewer, during cold water swimming, the human body tries to maintain the core temperature of 980 F by increasing the metabolic rate by at least 80%. As a result, we burn more calories easily just to stay warm. Cold temperature also activates the brown fat by increasing the activity of brown adipose tissue in adults, which produces heat in the body helping in combating obesity.

Immunity-Boosting

The recent global pandemic situation caused by a single virus has made immunity of health a priority among all ages. Ocean swimming can help here too, as regular exposure to cold water helps build a strong immunity system from infections in a long run. According to Dr. Brewer, engaging in cold water immersion three times a week for only six weeks can significantly increase the numbers of immune cells and levels of powerful antioxidants, hence improving the adaptive tolerance system of the body against environmental stress.

Mood Lifting

Sea Swimming can also boost mental health and emotional wellbeing. Dr. Brewer suggests regular open water swimming as a form of meditation, as it helps refresh and calm the mind while focusing only on breathing. According to her, cold water immersion stimulates several brain chemicals, particularly endorphin release, thus improves mood and helps in combating anxiety, stress, and depression in long run.