If you’re in your golden years, you might look for new ways to stay active. Swimming is one of the best options, and it’s easy to maintain an active lifestyle when you can swim indoors, especially during the cold months. A heated swimming pool may seem like a luxury that only rich people can afford, but there are many retirement communities that provide this amenity. Here are some of those benefits:
Lowers Blood Pressure
There’s a reason why swimming is often suggested as a type of exercise for people with high blood pressure. It can help lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that swimming has been proven to reduce stress, improve blood circulation and strengthen muscles—all of which help lower blood pressure.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Swimming is a great way to improve or maintain cardiovascular health. Your heart and lungs are challenged during swimming, increasing your ability to function effectively. Swimming also helps prevent obesity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
It has been shown that swimming for just 30 minutes three times per week can increase metabolic rate by 15 percent for up to 24 hours post-workout! That’s incredible!
Improves Blood Circulation
Swimming in a heated pool is also beneficial for blood circulation. The heat from the water increases blood flow, which helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. It can even reduce cancer risks by accelerating the death of cancer cells through hyperthermia (heat radiation).
Reduces Inflammation
Swimming is a great way to reduce inflammation in the joints, muscles and tendons. When you age, your body naturally produces less synovial fluid that helps keep the joints lubricated. This can lead to painful joint stiffness and pain when walking. Swimming exercises the joints regularly, improving mobility and flexibility. You can maintain a healthy synovium and reduce inflammation.
Swimming also provides an excellent workout for your heart and lungs as it works for major muscle groups like arms and legs with minimal stress on bones or joints. Thus, any pain experienced from osteoarthritis or arthritis-related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis as well as other forms of inflammatory diseases/conditions like lupus erythematosus (SLE), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is reduced.
Increases Mobility and Flexibility
Swimming is a full-body workout that improves the range of motion in your upper and lower body. Your joints and muscles will be invigorated through swimming, which can help prevent injury or disease by keeping the muscles around your joints strong.
In addition to improving muscle tone, swimming has been shown to improve bone density due to the weightlessness experienced while moving through water (unlike running on land). Since bone loss is one of the most common health problems among aging adults, swimming in a heated pool helps deter this by strengthening bones and providing cardiovascular benefits.
Relaxes the Mind and Body
Swimming is low-impact; it won’t put any strain on your joints. This makes swimming a great option for people who have mobility issues or chronic health conditions that make other forms of exercise difficult. It is also ideal for relieving stress and tension in your body and mind. You can swim alone without finding a partner for exercise or get together with friends at the local pool anytime you like!
Conclusion
People swim for different reasons; we hope this article has given insight into some benefits of swimming in a heated pool. Whether you want to stay active in your golden years or just relax with a hobby, swimming is an excellent way to do it.
