Surfing reduces reduce stress and anxiety to improve mental health

Surfing also helps revitalise the body and improve balance and motor coordination. Find out how...

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9 August 2023, 12:00

Summer is on the crest of the wave. And surfing in Portugal has attracted more and more surfers from all over the world, not least because it is much more than a sport. Surfing has multiple mental health benefits and reduces stress and anxiety.

Check the five health benefits of surfing.

In an increasingly fast-paced world that jeopardises our mental health, surfing is a sweet escape. Listening to the sea, feeling the sand and the cool sea water helps us to relax and take our minds off our everyday problems and worries.

It was precisely with the mental health benefits of surfing in mind that "Surf is Therapy" project was born 10 years ago, which has helped more than 2,000 people to get rid of anxiety by getting on a surfboard. "We can't surf if we're thinking about the 400 emails we have to send, the various day-to-day concerns. At the same time it forces us to face some fears," João Kopke, a professional surfer, told SIC Notícias.

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5 health benefits of surfing

Surfing can help improve mental health and can even be a complement to conventional therapies in a clinical setting. But it has even more benefits for our health. Find out what they are according to PRIO Softboard Heroes, quoted by Lux Woman:

Combats stress and anxiety: when we surf, we concentrate 100% on the activity, the sea, the movements, the balance. This is where all the stress of everyday life is left behind, as well as the less positive energies and thoughts. At the end of the day, surfing helps to "clear your head";
Your body is revitalised: surfing is good for your whole body, as contact with cold water reactivates your circulatory system, boosts your defences and improves your immune system, as well as strengthening your bones;
Physical endurance increases: surfing strains almost every muscle, bone and tendon, improving your appearance and your physical stamina;
Helps improve balance and coordination: one of the great challenges of surfing is balancing on the board. And this requires not only balance, but also excellent motor skills;
Improves the respiratory system: surfing also requires breathing training, so we can hold our breath. Seawater also helps to unclog the respiratory passages.