What happens to your brain when you surf?
Your body is flooded with feel-good chemicals When we exercise or engage in thrilling activities like surfing, our bodies release neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals are responsible for regulating our mood, sleep, appetite and overall sense of wellbeing. Surfing is excellent exercise When we exercise, our body releases endorphins, a chemical that reduces the perception of pain and triggers a positive feeling in the body. At the same time, endorphins boost the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that has a positive correlation with mood.Plus, all that balancing, paddling, and popping up on the board is like a workout for your brain, helping it build new pathways that keep you sharp and focused. So whether you’re 18 or 65, learning to surf isn’t just a fun adventure, it’s a total brain upgrade.Yes, absolutely! Surfing at 35—or even 55 or 65—is entirely possible. Many people start surfing later in life and find it just as fulfilling, if not more, than if they had started younger. Surfing for older adults emphasises balance, core strength, and basic surfing techniques, which can be developed at any age.In fact, surfing has been scientifically proven to rewire our brains in ways that contribute to a better quality of life, with our own neuroplasticity being a key ingredient in this process.
What are the disadvantages of surfing?
Anyone who has surfed for more than a year has been injured. Fibreglass boards, sharp fins and other surfers present real danger. Reefs, rocks, sea urchins and coral are threats to the more intrepid surfers. Lacerations are common injuries and many surfers will receive stitches over the course of their surfing life. Drowning There is a very real risk of drowning while surfing. Hold-downs, getting trapped on the reef, being separated from your board and not being able to swim in, and unconsciousness through a collision are all possible causes of drowning while surfing .Laceration injuries to the head, face, neck or lower extremity is the most common acute injuries for surfers.Drowning is thought to be a leading cause of death in fatal surfing incidents [23–26] and while the increased risk of non-drowning injury has been extensively acknowledged (e.Truth of the matter is, surfing continues to draw interest around the world. Fifty million people, in fact, are expected to identify as casual, regular or diehard surfers by the end of 2020, according to National Geographic. That’s a massive population.There are approximately 25 Million surfers on our little planet. And of those 25 Million people, roughly 10 die per year from surfing. Put another way, the odds of dying in the surf are 1 in 2,500,000 or a probability of 0. In other words, very unlikely.
Why is surfing so healing?
For many surfers, it’s the meditative rhythm of the sea, the thrill of riding waves and the sense of belonging to the natural world. Sitting on your board “out-back” bobbing up and down, waiting for the next set of waves, leaves a sense of calm and time for inward thinking. It’s also a great way to reduce stress, which is why more and more people are surfing for wellbeing. The rhythmic motion of riding the waves allows surfers to immerse themselves in the present, fostering a deep sense of connection with nature.Bodyboarding has a much easier learning curve than surfing and is physically less demanding, partly because you’re prone instead of required to “pop up” into your surf stance and balance standing on a board on a moving wave.Riding waves engages nearly every muscle group in the body. So whether you’re paddling out or popping up on the board, surfing makes sure that your entire body is building strength, flexibility, and endurance.The Art of Presence: How Surfing Teaches Mindfulness and Spiritual Awareness. Surfing teaches mindfulness and spiritual awareness in several ways you may not even imagine. The ever-changing waves and ocean conditions force you to live in the moment and experience each wave differently.Even if they often lack eloquent words to express themselves, surfers write and draw their bodies on the face of the waves. Their devotion to the ocean is genuine and helps to soften their hearts. Generally speaking, you should consider yourself lucky to have a lover of waves and boards in your life.
What are the positive effects of surfing?
Surfing provides many health benefits including: cardiovascular fitness – from paddling. On average, a surfer starts his or her professional career between 14 and 18 years of age and hangs the leash around 35. Nevertheless, we’ve athletes reaching their peak of performance around 35 or 40.Surfing seems to be a young person’s game – statistics show it’s dominated by those between 6 and 34 years old. However, many professional surfers reach their peak performance in their mid-thirties or even forties, proving that age doesn’t have to be a barrier.Surfing is a full-body workout, engaging core, upper body, and leg muscles. This rigorous exercise increases blood flow, promoting oxygen and nutrient delivery to the skin, resulting in a healthy and youthful appearance. Moreover, consistent physical activity has been proven to slow down the aging process.And while being outdoors doesn’t directly impact longevity, the fact that nature decreases stress and anxiety and boosts your mood can contribute to a longer and healthier life. Surfing in particular is especially therapeutic as it combines a full body workout with nature immersion and great cardiovascular exercise.There’s no set “stop age” for surfing. Some surfers keep riding waves into their 70s and beyond, adapting to smaller waves and different beginner surfboards to suit their needs. Surfing for mental health and fitness keeps people of all ages in the water.
What is the biggest danger in surfing?
Sharks just have to come top of the list. Big teeth, attacks with no warning, all that screaming and bubbling red water. The danger that a shark poses is obvious, but there are other just as dangerous marine life to keep on the look out for. Most shark experts agree that the reason sharks attack humans (and specifically surfers) unprovoked is simply due to a case of mistaken identity, pointing out the similarity in shape between a surfboard and a seal.