6 Ways Swimming can Reduce Stress for Children

Stress Free Swimming

Children can often be under a lot of stress as they navigate daily life. Learning to balance schoolwork and maintain their safety, all while dealing with other stresses of every-day life can be difficult for some children to manage.  It is important that children have an avenue to relieve their stress in order to help them regulate their mood, perform well in school, and improve their overall health. Swimming can provide a great outlet for stress relief in children. Read on to learn about 6 ways that swimming can reduce children’s stress and help them be happy and healthy! 

1. Promotes Happiness

Our body reacts to stress by releasing a hormone called cortisol, which impacts a child’s attitude. Physical activity, however, releases endorphins (known as the “feel-good” hormone) into the brain, which reduces cortisol levels. Swimming is a great way for children to get physical activity in a fun, social way, releasing endorphins and improving their mood.  

2. Provide a Safe Place to Release Aggression

Children can use a swimming pool as a safe environment where they can let out their anger using their body movements. Motions that can be aggressive such as kicking their legs and moving their arms are encouraged while swimming, and can help burn off energy, frustration, and aggression in a constructive way.

 3. Acts as an Escape from Stress

While a child is swimming, their body is working hard to simultaneously kick their legs, move their arms and breathe in one motion; this can redirect the focus of the brain onto their bodies, rather than the causes of stress in their life. Improving a child’s awareness of their body can also help reduce stress in the long-run, as learning to regulate bodily functions such as breathing can prove a valuable tool for coping with stressors and managing emotions.

4. Encourages Sleep

Swimming lessons take a lot of energy! Due to the full-body workout that swimming requires, children will expend excess energy allowing them to have an easier time falling asleep at night. Not only will they fall asleep easier, but also sleep will likely be deeper due to the body’s need to rest and recover from physical activity.

5. Promotes Breathing 

If a child is dealing with either anxiety or depression, their breathing patterns tend to become irregular, causing a strain on the body. While a child is swimming, they must focus on their breathing, learning to time breaths and using specific breathing patterns. This can help to calm their mind both inside the pool and outside in their every-day lives.

6. Aids in Relaxation

When a child is swimming, they are focused on breathing, floating, and moving across the water. Simple actions in the water like floating require focus, and allow children to relax and calm their mind. The tasks of concentration and focus required by swimming can help to release any negative feelings and reduce their stress.

Swimming lessons are a great way for children to relieve stress, and can help them build skills that will help them throughout their life. The instructors at B & C Aquatics teach with enthusiasm, positive attitudes, and reinforce positive behaviours for children to emulate. Our instructors celebrate and encourage each student, allowing them to learn at their own pace. We know that swimming can be hard to learn, but with dedication can be mastered, and our specialized teaching methods allow each student to thrive.

Call us at 905-420-4141 or email us at registration@bandcaquatics.com to learn more about our swimming programs and why they are the right choice for you and your child.