Exploring the Cardiovascular Health Benefits of Swimming 

Many people equate cardio with running and high-intensity workouts. While those are popular, that’s not the only cardio you can do. An often overlooked cardio workout is swimming.

While you may not be as out of breath after a few laps as you would if you were running, swimming is still a full-body workout with many benefits. It keeps your heart pumping and works out muscles all over your body, including your arms, legs, and core. You will feel the burn all over after your swimming workout. 

Swimming can help improve cardiovascular health, and here are some of the top benefits. 

Top Swimming Heart Health Benefits 

Swimming can feel like a lower-impact workout, which is great for those who struggle with achy muscle and joint pain. It can also significantly impact your heart health. Here’s how. 

1. Increase Your Lung Capacity 

You don’t get out of breath as quickly when you’re in shape. You can complete more activities for longer and keep up with others. If you have ever taken up running, you may only be able to run a block before you get too winded and need to take a break. Over time, your endurance will improve with continued practice.

The same is true when it comes to swimming. Increased lung capacity can improve your endurance and lengthen your workout time. You’ll be pumping more oxygen to your brain and muscles and improving your blood’s oxygenation. Together, this can help improve muscle function and prevent strain and injury. 

2. Reduce Blood Pressure 

Those struggling with high blood pressure may also consider swimming an ideal workout. Swimming can help strengthen your heart muscles, allowing you to pump more blood with less effort. This lessens the stress on your blood vessels, lowering your blood pressure.

Additionally, swimming can help stimulate a physiological reaction known as the mammalian diving reflex that occurs when the body is submerged in cold water. The heart rate will slow down.  Blood flow can be restricted to nonessential muscles and redirected to vital organs. As a result, activating your mammalian diving reflex may even help reduce anxiety. 

The immediate effects are temporary, but continued practice can reduce blood pressure in the long term. 

3. Increase Good Cholesterol 

There are two types of cholesterol: good and bad. Bad cholesterol, or LDL, can build up in your arteries. It causes plaque, which makes it harder for blood to reach your heart. The more buildup you have, the more likely it is that you can develop heart disease. 

On the other hand, good cholesterol, or HDL, keeps the bad cholesterol moving. It helps guide it away from the heart to the liver, which can help it break down and process within your body. You want more good HDL than bad LDL. Swimming can increase HDL because it helps strengthen the heart. Your arteries become more flexible, allowing cholesterol to move without building up. 

4. Reduces Overall Risk of Heart Disease

All of these heart benefits culminate in a lower risk of heart disease. Your heart is pumping stronger and more efficiently. It doesn’t have to work as hard to perform its natural functions. You experience increased circulation, and your body is getting more nutrients faster. It’s a win-win for all your body functions.

How to Bring the Benefits of Swimming to Your Home

Swimming can be the best workout, providing many health benefits without causing as much stress on the body. Those who are serious about integrating swimming into their daily routine may want to consider building a pool at home.

A personal pool can help make swimming more convenient, and you can design a pool that meets your individual needs. For example, someone in Indiana may need more features to control the temperature, especially during the cooler months. Florida residents may have the opposite needs, especially as the temperatures remain warm all year.

The best way to understand what pool will work for your lifestyle and environmental needs is to consult a pool contractor. Go to Google and type “pool contractor near me” to start the process. It will populate with local contractors who understand what you’ll need based on where you live, including in Florida.  

Remember to explain that you want to use the pool to swim and exercise, in addition to any other requirements. This will significantly impact the designs your pool contractor will share. 

Wrapping Up 

If you want to improve your heart health with low-impact exercise, then you may want to consider swimming. You can reduce your risk of developing heart disease, improve your good cholesterol, reduce your blood pressure, and increase your lung capacity. 

Swimming is a full-body workout with many health benefits, including reducing joint pain, improving mental health, and contributing to weight loss. You will see many benefits if you integrate swimming into your daily routine, and a personal swimming pool can make it more convenient. 

Image by Tatiana S. from Pixabay