Being in and around the sea has many documented health benefits. Salt water has natural healing properties, and even just listening to the waves lapping the shore has been know to calm frayed nerves. Given all we know about humankind’s connection to the sea, it’s no wonder that scuba diving and stress relief go hand in hand. Here are a few tips to help you maximize the relaxation benefits that come with scuba diving.
Yoga Classes
Yoga involves many deep and controlled breathing techniques that are transferable to scuba diving. Being able to control your breathing can help extend your air supply, as well as aid in keeping you focused if dealing with a challenging situation during your dive. Yoga also helps to strengthen your muscles and enhance your flexibility, both of which can assist you when dealing with cumbersome gear.
Study Meditation
Meditation can be another tool in your quest to combine scuba diving and stress relief. This practice teaches you to focus your mind and relax your body. Meditation doesn’t just mean being calm or falling asleep. It allows you to be in complete connection with the moment you are experiencing, and what better way to improve your dive than by being fully alert and aware of every detail around you?
Exercise and Diet
While scuba diving is open to almost anyone regardless of fitness level, being in reasonably good health can increase your enjoyment of this sport. You don’t have to be a superstar athlete, but a little toning up can help you handle your gear better and improve your stamina. While scuba diving is a relatively low-impact sport, once you’re in the water, it can still take a physical toll.
Likewise, eat the right kinds of foods before you hit the water. Stay well-hydrated with non-acidic fluids like water or tea. Have a light snack or meal before heading out. Fresh fruit and whole grains like toast or a bagel can give you the energy you need to make it through your dive without upsetting your stomach.
Perhaps the simplest way to make scuba diving and stress relief synonymous is to just get in the water more often. Leave your worries on the shore and relax with nothing more than the sound of your own bubbles and the beauty of the underwater world, and see for yourself how scuba diving and stress relief are one and the same!
