Swimming and Sleep

Swimming and Sleep

100 years ago, most humans followed the natural rhythm of working at sunrise and resting at sunset. After hundreds of millions of years of evolution, humans have become a highly complex and sophisticated life system with multiple feedback mechanisms, alarm mechanisms and self-repair mechanisms. Working during the day consumes a lot of physical energy, and through high-quality sleep at night, the body can complete the recovery and reconstruction of the day.

The modern symptom of "insomnia" is more common in contemporary society as the division of labor becomes increasingly refined and the pace of life continues to accelerate. More and more people are engaged in mental work and spend the whole day thinking at their desks. Although they are mentally exhausted, their bodies may not be truly tired, making it difficult to arouse natural sleepiness. Moreover, the complex emotional stress and information overload in modern life have further interfered with the original sleep rhythm of humans.

To understand this phenomenon, we must realize that pure mental work is only an extremely short stage in human history. In the longer evolutionary process, the human body has become accustomed to a certain degree of physical activity during the day as a prerequisite for falling asleep smoothly at night. This natural rhythm is deeply embedded in the physiological mechanism of the human body and is difficult to change in the short term.

Therefore, for modern people who are engaged in a lot of mental work today, moderate physical activity can not only regulate the body and mind, but also is an important key to awakening the original work and rest mechanism in the body. Swimming, as a gentle and comprehensive aerobic exercise, is an excellent way to awaken the sleep instinct. Swimming moderately every day not only helps the natural accumulation of physical fatigue, but also regulates the central nervous system, making it easier for people to fall asleep at night, sleep more deeply, and sleep more steadily.

High-quality sleep is a natural refueling station for the immune system. If you exercise moderately during the day, you will have a good sleep, strong immune function, and enhanced body recovery ability. You will be full of vigor and vitality, and your eyes will be bright and energetic. This cycle of "physical exhaustion during the day - deep repair at night" brought by swimming is a healthy way to return to nature and follow the rhythm of life.

Peter Lee  in Toronto