The Benefits of the Ocean

With International Stress Awareness week happening earlier this month, there’s no better time to promote the benefits of being around and in the ocean!

Cold Water Swimming

All over the world, and especially in Scotland, cold water swimming is continuously rising in popularity. There are numerous benefits to submerging yourself in the cold temperatures of the water, so why not take the plunge? According to Aspire.org, cold water swimming triggers a stress response in the body which will recede with time spent in, and so pushing yourself to stay in the water for longer will help the body manage stress better, perfect for coming into exam season! It can also boost your immune system. In an article published by Free Radical Biology and Medicine, cold water swimming was found to produce an antioxidant that can reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

If you think you’d like to get into cold water swimming - check out the Wild Swimming Scotland Facebook page!

Moving Water Benefits

Even if you don’t feel like entering the cold water, even just being around the sea regularly can give you tangible benefits. Going into the winter months, one study found that being around negative ions, which are produced by moving water, can help alleviate some symptoms of depression or seasonal affective disorder. There has also been some evidence that these negative ions can boost your immune system.

Lots of us feel a lot calmer around the sea, using ocean sounds to help meditate or fall asleep, the calming properties we find from just associations with the ocean mean that no doubt you’d find these benefits even more when you’re on the beach or in the loch!

Here’s why some of the committee love being near the ocean!

“Because the ocean is something that feels (and is!) so much bigger than me, just being near it really helps me to put things into perspective and to stress less about the minor stresses in my life that usually cause me the most angst” - Hannah

“I live near the coast at home as well as in Edinburgh and going down to a beach and being around and in the sea has helped my mental health so much, I feel like I forget about everything else when i’m in the water and it just gives me a time to switch off” - Sophie

“Ever since I was young I've always loved the ocean and I don’t think I'm ever calmer or happier than in the sea. If I'm ever having a bad day I take myself to the beach just for a walk or to read a book and I come out of it so much happier - I'm yet to see how cold water swimming goes!” - Lara