It is a well-known fact that scuba diving is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing sports out there – especially during the summer season! A lesser-known fact, though, is how rewarding this activity is for your body, mind, and soul. Whether you’re a novice diver interested in exploring the beauty of shallow waters or an experienced deep sea diver, scuba diving provides a lot of benefits.
Top 8 Health Benefits of Scuba Diving:
- Stress Release
Of all the health benefits, this one is the first the make itself felt. Similar to mindful breathing during meditation, scuba diving requires you to slow down your breathing. This, coupled with swimming underwater induces a calm, relaxed state of being.
While you’re underwater, the problems of your everyday life fade away and you experience a state of inner peace. This reduces the levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in your blood considerably.
2. Lowers Blood Pressure
Another immediate health benefit is related to blood pressure. Our human bodies evolved to respond to being underwater in such a way as to maximize energy consumption. This means that while submerged, our bodies slow down, both heart rate and blood pressure, in order to make up for the lack of oxygen.
The slower the heart rate and blood pressure, the less oxygen is used, thus allowing us to stay underwater for longer. Also, regular diving reduces the odds of strokes and heart attacks.
3. Fitness
It’s not an exaggeration to say that swimming works the entire body because it actually does. That’s why professional swimmers or people who swim regularly have such nice, lean bodies.
Swimming is a very effective aerobic and anaerobic activity. It provides excellent cardiovascular stimulation, as well as a muscular stimulation. The best thing about swimming? Unlike actual workouts, it’s very easy on the joints!
4. Improved Circulation
Scuba diving certainly works all your muscles, but the benefits don’t stop there! Since you’re submerged, all the water surrounding your body exerts pressure over your muscles. This forces blood vessels to open up in order to feed your muscles with oxygen so you can use them for swimming.
5. Mental Health
Nothing is linked to mental health more than our connection with other people. After all, we are social creatures. We thrive when we get along with others. Social connection is also one of the things that keep depression at bay.
That’s why scuba diving is so rewarding on so many levels. When you dive, you get to meet people with whom you share certain interests. This means you get to socialize with people and perhaps even make new friends!
6. Increased Mobility
Since diving and swimming are activities that work the entire body, it should come as no surprise that you will enjoy increased mobility and flexibility. Also, if you do this regularly, you’ll notice an increase in strength, too!
Water resistance and currents are great factors to work against as a swimmer or diver. Your thighs and shoulders will become much stronger and flexible.
7. Strong Bones
A considerable part of scuba diving is the time you spend on land, or out in the sun. Sunlight exposure is very important for our health. While using sunscreen is very important, so is staying in the sun. This helps your body produce vitamin D, which transports calcium to your bones, making them stronger.
8. Travel
Unless you live by the ocean, you’ll have to travel for scuba diving. Traveling to warm climates is always a fun thing to do. You get to visit new places, experience new people or different cultures and explore the world. This can work wonders on your mood!
Scuba Diving: A Sport For All
As you can tell by now, there are a lot of benefits to this sport, which is why it would be a shame for you to miss out! While swimming can come naturally to most people, scuba diving requires a little work beforehand.
No one is born knowing how to dive! Luckily, there are a lot of scuba diving centers out there that offer a full range of specialty classes and even programs for kids. A good example is this Ohio-based business called Underwater Connection. Their team has successfully trained and certified thousands of divers, as PADI 5 IDC, since 1988.
All things considered, scuba diving is a wonderful sport that has numerous benefits. From improving your strength and flexibility to reducing stress, there is no shortage of benefits when it comes to this sport.
Tips:
- The Official Put-in-Bay Visitors & Convention Bureau in Put-in-Bay, Ohio has tailored this website as a tourist information center to provide you with all of the necessary information for planning your trip to our little Ohio Island, from hotels & resorts and home rentals to reserving your golf cart before you arrive.
- Put In Bay Golf Carts offers the island largest and newest fleet of golf carts including EZ-GO, Yamaha & Club Car quality golf carts seating 2-4-6 & 8 passengers.