Swimming for Mental Health: I Swam Every Day for 30 Days and This Is What Happened

For World Mental Health Day, I thought I would dedicate a blog post to one of the only physical activities I do that makes me feel good both mentally and physically.

Swimming!

Here’s everything you need to know about swimming for mental health and how it will benefit your overall well-being.

Swimming is my therapy

From as early as I can remember, I’ve always loved to swim.

There’s something about being in the water that makes me feel entirely at peace with myself.

Maybe it’s the fact that I spent many summers in Greece playing and having fun in the sea. Or maybe it’s because swimming is one of the few things that you can do entirely on your own terms.

You don’t need to rely on anyone else. It’s just you and the solitude of the water.

In short, swimming is my therapy.

It’s a place where I can go to clear my head and just be.

Whether I find myself in a swimming pool doing laps or in the crystal blue sea doing an adventurous swim, the sound my body makes as it glides through the water instantly calms me down whenever I’m feeling anxious, overwhelmed or restless.

I don’t always have access to a place where I can swim, but when I do, I take full advantage.

So when I found myself co-living in Crete throughout September, I jumped at the chance to dive in daily.

Yes, even on my period, thanks to Modibodi’s Period Swimwear Brief.

From sunset swims during the first half of my trip to early morning lengths for the second part of my trip, I swam every day for 30 days.

And it was a game-changer.

Not only did swimming help boost my productivity, but it also supported my mental health and well-being in ways I didn’t know were possible.

The benefits of swimming

Before I dive into the ways that swimming has supported my mental health, let’s first look at the benefits of swimming for physical wellness.

Swimming is one of the best exercises you can do for your overall health as it moves the whole body.

When you swim, all of your muscles are worked, including your arms, legs, back, and core, making it a great all-over body workout.

Swimming is also incredibly fun as you can switch up your stroke, and it’s refreshing as you get to spend your entire workout in the water.

But that’s not all.

There are also numerous other benefits that positively impact your physical health and wellness, including:

• Tones muscles and builds strength
• Builds endurance and cardiovascular fitness
• Gets your heart rate up and helps to improve your lung capacity
• Promotes weight-loss
• Improves coordination, balance and posture
• Low-impact form of exercise, meaning it’s gentle on your joints
• Boosts flexibility
• Helps you to maintain a healthy physical body

4 ways swimming supports and improves mental health

As you can see from the benefits above, swimming is a great workout for the body.

But swimming isn’t just a physical health exercise, it is also a mental health exercise.

And this is what I discovered on my most recent “digital nomad” trip to the island of Crete. I was there for 30 days, and I swam every day while I was there.

These are the 4 ways it positively impacted my mental health and well-being.

1 | Swimming prepares you for the day ahead

Swimming is one of the most relaxing and peaceful forms of exercise you can do

And unlike yoga (my second favourite workout), you can do it entirely on your own accord. No watching yoga videos on YouTube, listening to a teacher or getting distracted during class by how great others look whilst in various poses.

When you swim, it’s just you and the water.

And so I decided to ditch my sweaty yoga workout in favour of a refreshing morning swim.

There’s just something about diving into a pool of cool water first thing in the morning that instantly soothes and calms me.

Not to mention, it’s extremely energising and invigorating for your mind and body.

Getting your body moving first thing in the morning helps to boost your heart rate and increase blood flow and oxygen levels, which can help to wake you up and give you the energy you need to tackle the day ahead.

2 | Swimming relieves stress and anxious thoughts

I have a tendency to feel anxious and overwhelmed in the morning, especially if I scroll on Instagram as soon as I wake up.

So I’ve built myself a slow morning routine to help break bad habits and keep me occupied. I also don’t like to jump straight out of bed and into work as I need time for my mind to fully adjust. So I use this time in the morning to find clarity and ease myself into the day.

And as I described above, there is no better way to clear your head in the morning than by swimming.

Studies show that regular swimming, even if just for half an hour at a time, can be an effective way to reduce stress and depression, as well as promote healthy sleep.

Like with all exercise, swimming releases endorphins. Endorphins are those happy hormones that are released by the brain in response to stress or pain. They have mood-boosting effects and can help to improve your sense of happiness and well-being.

No wonder swimming is my therapy!

Spending 30 minutes in the water in the morning reduced my anxiety and made me feel less restless, while swimming in the early evening soothed my mind and cleared away the cobwebs from the day.

Not to mention, being outside in nature also connected me with my surroundings and helped me feel grounded.

“Swimming is simply moving meditation.”

Cesar Nikko Caharian

3 | Swimming promotes relaxation and calms the mind

I’m all about finding moments of calm in a busy world.

And I always feel at my calmest when I’m by the sea or in the water. But this isn’t just down to the soothing sound of the waves, but because the sea is blue.

I know it sounds “woo-woo”, but hear me out. The colour blue is associated with calmness and tranquillity. I mean, have you ever looked at the blue sky on a clear day and instantly felt more relaxed and happier than on a gloomy day?

Because blue is serene.

So yes, looking at the blue water of a pool or the ocean can help to calm the mind and promote relaxation.

4 | Swimming supports brain health

Swimming is not only great for your physical health, but it can also support brain health.

Research has shown that swimming can improve cognitive function, coordination and balance.

In all honesty, I found that I had more clarity on the days when I swam daily compared to on previous days when I didn’t swim.

Being in the water gave me space to think and mentally prepare for the day.

This ultimately boosted my productivity as I was able to focus more during the day, and I had better clarity when making decisions.

Maybe this is down to the fact that swimming forced me to focus on my breath and stay present in the moment. This focus and presence then carried over into my day-to-day life, allowing me to be more productive.

Knowing that I would be swimming at 6:30 pm every afternoon also gave me a shutdown time. As a business owner controlling my own schedule, it can be easy sometimes to work longer than necessary or late into the evening without a break.

But my “sunset swim” ritual gave me a deadline to work to, which meant minimum procrastination and maximum concentration.

And because I looked forward to swimming, I was able to stick to this daily habit.

Final thoughts

I hope this post on swimming for mental health has been helpful, and you’ve enjoyed reading about my own relationship with the water.

I’m not an expert on mental health, but I write this with my own experience in mind in the hope that it will inspire and help you in some way.

Whether that is to make you feel less alone, give you support or encourage you to make a change.

So I advocate for you to give swimming a go!

There are plenty of gym memberships that offer swimming as part of their package, or if you’re looking for a more affordable option, then try out a local swimming pool or leisure centre that offers a pay-as-you-go fee.

And if you’re feeling brave, why not give wild swimming a go?!

Please bear in mind that what works for me might not necessarily work for you.

It is ultimately up to you to figure out how swimming makes you feel and if you want to add it to your wellness routine.

You’ve got this.

Thalia xx