6 Surprising Health Benefits of Surfing

Surfing has a multitude of health benefits—both physical and mental. Along with maintaining an excellent fitness level, surfing can help regulate your mood and develop a more positive attitude towards life. You also benefit from being outdoors, getting some sun, and socializing while surfing! This exciting and challenging sport can add immense value to your life.

Here are some health benefits of surfing:

Cardiovascular health

Paddling against the ocean’s waves is a difficult task, requiring a tremendous amount of effort and physical fitness. The consistent paddling motions make use of the muscles in your back, arms, and shoulders—pumping your entire cardiovascular muscle system. Training your body to the point of getting out of breath lowers your resting heart rate and blood pressure, decreasing risk of heart diseases!

Body toner

Regular surf training can tone up your body through the constant resistance training that the ocean waves provide. Paddling strength is difficult to recreate at home or at a gym. Swimming helps, as do exercises for lats, abs, back, and shoulders. If nothing else, curls and push-ups help you get in shape for handling your surfboard out there.

Salt water

Hanging out in the ocean’s salt water brings plenty of benefits to your body, mind, and soul.

The healing powers of the sea have been known since ancient Greece. They used sea water 2500 years ago to treat and heal arthritis, eczema, back pain, and asthma. It was Hippocrates who discovered that sea water helps heal wounds, eases pain, and prevents infections.

The sound and sight of the ocean lift our moods, and a seaside breeze leads to wonderful relaxation. This audio-visual stimulation activates our parasympathetic nervous system, leading us out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and digest.” Our breathing patterns change and heart rate slows. There is no stress or worries. Swimming in the sea, lulled by the sound of the crashing waves and pelicans chatting around you, makes for a delightfully spiritual experience.

Dose of Vitamin D

Surfing in the sun is great for getting a boost of vitamin D. This essential vitamin promotes strong bones by regulating the amounts of phosphorus and calcium in your blood. Vitamin D deficiencies can lead to low mood, low energy, and fatigue. Getting fresh air and natural sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm and releases multiple happy hormones that keep your mental health well-balanced.

Patience

If you want to improve your patience, surfing will teach you that. You have to wait for the right wave out there! Sometimes that’s like 20 minutes between wave sets, sometimes longer. But while you wait, you get to enjoy hanging out in the beautiful warm ocean, legs dangling over your surfboard in the water, and splash in the sunshine.

Self-gratification

Surfing is one of the more difficult sports out there, taking a considerable amount of commitment, time, and perseverance to progress. Committing to training and overcoming barriers allows you to reap significant rewards. Reaching your own milestones can raise your self-esteem. There is nothing like the feeling of succeeding where before you could not! Surfing definitely gives you that self-satisfaction.