5 Reasons to Let Scuba Diving Improve Your Health and Wellness in 2023
WSS Instructor Feb 28, 2023
We here at West Shore Scuba love scuba diving and all the great places we have been to enjoy it. But did you know, there are a lot of good reasons that learning to scuba dive in 2023 can improve your health and overall well-being!
1. Better Cardiovascular Fitness
Everyone knows that maintaining your cardiovascular fitness is important to leading a long and healthy life. Because scuba diving involves swimming and swimming is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise, it means you are getting a great cardio workout every time you go diving! Just like other forms of exercise, if you are diving regularly it can provide cardiovascular benefits such as improved blood circulation, lower blood pressure, and improved sleep quality!
2. Better Flexibility and Core Strength
Just like other forms of exercise, diving helps improve your flexibility and posture. The motion your legs go through while using your fins to push you through the water build muscles and engage your core. That in turn improves lower body flexibility and increases your torso strength. A strong core helps your posture!
3. Increased muscle strength and endurance
Just like swimming in a pool, scuba diving helps build muscle strength and endurance. However, swimming in open water, sometimes against a current, really works the body’s legs and core. Diving regularly can increase your lean muscle mass and muscular endurance. At the same time, your body gets the benefit or a low-stress, low-impact cardio activity that doesn’t stress your joints! Outside the water, carrying your scuba gear and tanks will work your upper body strength. It is truly a full body workout! Just remember to lift those heavy tanks the right way and bend at your knees so you don’t injure your back!
4. A Great Stress Reliever
As we learn to dive, we know that proper breathing techniques are important. Throughout a dive, it is important to breath slowly and deeply. This is similar to meditation techniques. This helps introduce calm and relaxation that allows a diver to enjoy the underwater environment around them. One of the best things that happens when you dive is that your everyday worries such as work, family, and money issues all get left at the surface. All problems can be forgotten and your body gets a mental time out during the dive, allowing your nervous system to get in a more natural balance. Not to mention, there have been numerous studies that have shown being close to the ocean has a positive impact on mental health! We can’t disagree there!!
6. Improved Social Life
Every diver will tell you that scuba diving is a social event. First rule of diving is to always dive with a buddy so naturally when you dive you are going to be around others who share a similar passion with you! Whether you are diving in your favorite local dive spot or traveling to exotic dive destinations around the globe, you will have the opportunity to meet new and like-minded people who are passionate about sharing underwater experiences. Studies have shown that a healthy social life has positive impacts on your mental and physical health. Join one of our great upcoming trips that will allow you to meet other divers and let us show you what we are talking about!
