The Health Benefits Of Sailing

Picture this: the open waters, sunset on the horizon, the smell of seawater and the tingling in your nostrils from the salt, the feeling of freedom, the adrenaline in your body, and total calmness around you……

Most of the time we think of sailing as a hobby, or sport, as a way of spending our free time with family and friends, a way of socialising and relaxing. However what we do not realise, is that there is so much more to sailing than that. Yes, it is a lot of fun, however, manning a sailing boat requires a lot of hard work, strength and endurance. 

Sailing is most beneficial for both your body and soul!

Apart from toning up your body when sailing, you are exercising so much more than you might think. In our article, we are going to give you a list of the Health Benefits of Sailing, according to Samir Becic, who is 4 times Number 1 Fitness Trainer in the world and HFR’s 
 

  • Muscle strength and Endurance: The activities that sailing consists of are pulling and hosting of sails to manoeuvre a boat or a yacht – all of which adds to your muscle strength, shoulders and back.
  • Cardiovascular Fitness: Sports like running, swimming, basketball, and soccer, have been shown to reduce the risk of hypertension, obesity and other heart-related illness. Sailing, like these intense sports, can also improve your cardiovascular health. This is because of the large amounts of oxygen uptake that happens when you engage in strenuous physical activities.
  • Mental Wellness and Peace: Being out on the water puts you in a good mood, not just because of the calmness of the water, but because of the saltiness of the air. The varying moods of a person are largely affected by a body chemical called serotonin. The saltiness of the sea air is composed of charged ions that help in the body’s oxygen absorption which in turn results in more balanced levels of serotonin. The more balanced your body’s serotonin levels are, the happier you are going to be.
  • Relaxation: The motion and the sounds of the swooshing and splashing of water, the rhythmic movement of the yacht and the sound of the wind in the sails can all affect brainwave patterns. This in turn relaxes and soothes a busy and highly stressed out mind.
  • Agility: THe various tasks associated with sailing also helps improve your flexibility and agility. Activities, like pulling lines or hosting sails, can significantly improve your hand and eye coordination skills as well as your motor skills.
  • Concentration: Since many people, today are chronic multi-taskers, they need to develop a deep sense of concentration. With the ultimate goal of staying safe while on board, sailing enhances a person’s ability to focus, even with multiple tasks at hand.
  • Communication: To effectively control a boat, the captain and his crew must act as a unified unit. To do this, they need to learn how to communicate effectively, especially through non-verbal means. You also need a good sense of cooperation and teamwork when you go on a sailboat. Everyone on board has a crucial role to play in order to keep the ship afloat.

As we can see, sailing is definitely unique in its benefits as it is a stress reliever! Your health is the perfect excuse to take a break from your daily stressors, so whether you are already a sailing boat owner, currently thinking of acquiring one, or simply want to just take a break for a few hours and even days and charter one. Just take the leap!!!