Wanna go for a swim? A growing body of research suggests that swimming might provide a unique boost to brain health. Regular swimming improves memory, cognitive function, immune response, and mood. Swimming may also help repair damage from stress and create new neural connections in the brain. If more adults recognized the cognitive and mental health benefits of swimming, they would jump in the pool alongside their kids. But what is so special about swimming?

Because swimming involves all the major muscle groups, the heart must work hard, which increases blood flow throughout the body. This leads to the creation of new blood vessels, a process called angiogenesis. The greater blood flow can also lead to a large release of endorphins — hormones that function as a natural pain reducer throughout the body.

In one study looking at the impact of swimming on mental acuity in the elderly, researchers concluded that the swimmers had improved mental speed and attention compared with non-swimmers. One of the more enticing questions is how swimming enhances short- and long-term memory. Neuroscientists are getting much closer to putting all the clues together on the time or laps required and style of swimming to see positive changes.

For centuries, people have been in search of a fountain of youth. Swimming just might be the closest we can get. If you are a practiced swimmer or someone new to the sport, Paradise Valley Estates has a full-length heated lap pool to make daily exercise easy.

To find out more about Paradise Valley Estates and the many ways a Life Plan Community will support or help you create a healthy lifestyle, call Steve Wright, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, today at (866) 835-3952.