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Stress and sleep: 8 everyday problems solved by swimming


Lack of sleep or too much stress, sometimes both combined, can quickly spoil your daily life. Stress is often referred to as the disease of the century, Stress because it affects more and more people, and the list of its consequences is long. Fortunately, there are solutions. Swimming is one of them, thanks to its many benefits for your psychological health. I have good reason to push you into the water, but it's for your own good. Concentrate on the problems that can be solved more quickly with a trip to the pool.

Tiredness in the morning.

Seven o'clock. The alarm goes off. As soon as you get up, you're (already) tired. It's going to be a very long day. It's obvious: you're not getting enough sleep. Less than 6 hours is clearly not enough. Maybe it's time to rethink your bedtime.

Good news: swimming can help, by getting you in the water and encouraging you to develop good habits. As you know, the secret to progress is regularity. The ideal is to do at least 3 sessions a week, Stress , as part of a training plan. This should be combined with the right diet and a good night's sleep.

It's a virtuous circle. Swimming helps you sleep better, and sleeping well helps you swim better. Achieving your goals more easily (and more quickly) should therefore motivate you to go to bed a little earlier.

No way to fall a sleep!

Three o'clock in the morning. You've been tossing and turning in bed for a good two hours. You've been counting and recounting sheep. Or rather the butterfly swimmers. But you can't seem to fall Stress . It's annoying, and you know it's going to be a difficult day.

My advice: take a few steps to solve your sleep problems. Because swimming (and sport in general) helps you fall asleep, contrary to popular belief. By burning calories (around 400 in an hour!) and expending energy, your swimming session speeds up the onset of (good) fatigue.

Obviously, it's best to avoid too intense a session less than three hours before bedtime. So reserve your triathlon training for another time of day. Simply because your body temperature needs time to drop before you go to sleep.

You've slept (badly).

You've done the math and the count's in: you've got your 8 hours of sleep. That's good. But you're still tired. You blink in the middle of the day. Your daily micro-nap is clearly having no effect. It's probably a question of quality. Quantity counts, but without quality, it's not enough.

Swimming also does wonders for your sleep quality. Firstly, because it regulates the circadian rhythm, i.e. the sleep/wake rhythm, through energy expenditure and hormone release.

Secondly, because the release of endorphins during your session helps you to relax and sleep better. There's no need to remind you of the direct link between sleep and stress. In short, the less stressed you are, the better your sleep.

You're physically tense.

One day, it's your back. The other, your lower limbs. Clearly, Stress , you're under stress and your muscles are aching a little. We know that chronic stress sometimes affects our bodies. Not necessarily in a good way. Massage is one solution (with a nod to your better half). So is a swimming session.

Sport helps to relax muscles. This is particularly true of swimming, thanks to its positive effects on the nervous system and muscles. Once in the water, the sensation of immersion and buoyancy relaxes all your muscles. It also influences your psychological well-being.

My advice: intense practice to release more endorphins and relieve tension. Energy laps are yours! And to find out more about the physical health benefits of swimming, take a look at the article below.

You can't manage your emotions.

One little thing annoys you. You're irritable and your colleagues don't dare approach you. The fault lies with your emotions, which are not always well channeled. It seems that tensions are not only physical. I'm repeating myself, but once again, it could be stress.

To get rid of it, and keep only the beneficial aspects (yes, there are some), swimming is widely recommended. Thanks to the effects already mentioned (and those I'm about to discuss), but also because it's an excellent context in which to learn to control and manage your emotions. This starts at an early age, when you need to overcome your fear of water. A session in the pool is also ideal for getting rid of the negative emotions accumulated during the day.

Your morale is at half-mast.

You're not in the mood. Stress is affecting your mood and making life a little difficult. A few laps a week could be just the thing to put a smile on your face. And your good mood. Let me tell you why.

I've already mentioned the benefits of endorphins. Well, once again, they're the ones working for your well-being, giving you pleasure and even a feeling of euphoria. That's because during a swimming session, your brain releases these molecules (endorphins!) whose action is similar to that of opium.

Swimming therefore has antidepressant effects. There are also similarities between swimming and meditation: deep breathing and repeated movements. And water has soothing, relaxing properties. Even its color is said to encourage meditation. Of course, if this condition persists, I recommend that you consult a doctor.

Your memory is failing you.

You regularly search for your keys, unable to remember where you put them. Worse, you sometimes skip events. You have memory lapses. I assure you, it happens to all of us. You're not losing your mind, Stress , you're just a little tense. Without going into scientific reasoning, here's a simple explanation: stress interferes with our ability to remember things. That's right!

Of course, it's not irreparable. Quite the contrary, in fact. Studies carried out by scientists (and published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, for the curious) have shown that sport boosts memory. Swimming is therefore a good solution for overcoming anxiety and improving memory.

Improved sleep quality, reduced stress and its consequences: swimming has nothing but advantages! The pleasure of swimming combined with the benefits to your psychological health should be enough to convince you to take the plunge on a regular basis. So get out your swimsuits!


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