With its heat advisories and droughts, summer can sometimes wear us down. Throw in economic issues, fuel prices and life’s troubles and people often become more irritable as the days grow hotter. But those rising temperatures have a positive side as well: lakes and pools become so warm that swimming is possible well into the fall season in many places. Swimming has the ability to refresh, exhilarate and improve one’s health, so what better time than the dog days of summer to reap its benefits?

If you don’t already have a workout routine, the regular practice of swimming is a great place to start. The holistic benefits will be immediate. If you already have a workout routine, you can exchange swimming for an aerobic activity or add it to your practice to cool off and invigorate. The key is to disregard swimsuit self-consciousness, find a place to swim, hop in the water and get moving.

Be creative and customize a routine just for you. Variety not only works different muscles for a more effective swim, but also guards against boredom. 

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Swim laps and change up your strokes.
2. Tread water with just your legs and not your arms, then change the direction of their rotation. 
3. Stop moving your legs completely and tread with your arms only. 
4. Switch between treading with legs only and arms only.
5. Walk back and forth across the shallow end of a pool as fast as you can. 
6. Purchase a kickboard and kick your way up and down the length of a pool or out to a point in the lake and back. 
7. Vary the kicks and how you hold the board.
8. Learn different water exercises, or make up your own. The water’s resistance makes the easiest of exercises more challenging.  

Whether you call it a sport, a discipline or just a fun thing to do, swimming positively affects each dimension of a person—the physical, the mental and the spiritual. As with any type of exercise, be wise with your health, communicate with your doctor and be mindful of your physical abilities. Then stick to your routine and you can swim yourself healthy, happy and holy by reaping the following benefits: 

Physically:

* Health advantages for all ages and proficiency levels including seniors, pregnant women, children, those who are overweight, arthritis sufferers, those with injuries and chronic pain sufferers

* Low risk of injury due to the buoyancy factor

* Whole body conditioning and toning

* Improves muscle strength, endurance, posture and flexibility

* Can help reduce and possibly prevent high blood pressure, which lowers risk for heart disease and stroke

* Slows down the aging process in terms of respiration, muscle mass, bone density, cardiovascular activity and neurological function

* Aids in weight reduction

* Increases physical energy

Mentally:

* Relieves stress

* Clears the mind

* Increases mental energy and alertness

* Relaxes through the focus on the activity and the regulation of breathing

* Heightens sense of well-being

* Fosters a positive mental attitude

* Helps fight depression

* Enriches self-esteem because of the physical benefits and commitment to a healthy discipline

* Great opportunity for family time and socializing with others

Spiritually:

Swimming in and of itself, of course, won’t make a person holy. But it can greatly enhance one’s spiritual and prayer life, thus contributing to one’s holiness. There’s solitude in swimming, whether you’re gliding through the mirror-like stillness of the lake at dawn or practicing aquatic exercises in a pool full of people. Either way, the buoyancy and coolness of the water provide a sense of calm and tranquility to the spirit. Early morning, evening or lake swims offer quiet times to think. Although it is an exercise, swimming can allow you to slow down and notice the sounds and smells of summer. Sunrises and sunsets are even more spectacular when taken in from the water’s edge. Peaceful swims provide time for meditation, contemplation and communication with God. Appreciation for life and expressions of gratitude to the Creator can erupt from the serenity of swimming. 

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With all the benefits that swimming has to offer and with all the heat that summer dishes out, what better time to jump in and go for it! Create a personal swim routine and you’ll soon discover the power of aquatic bliss. 

And maybe, just maybe, when the pools and lakes grow cool late in the fall, you’ll find yourself looking forward to next year’s dog days of summer.