When deciding on whether or not learning to surf is worth your time, we think you should consider these 6 surprising health benefits that learning to surf has. They might just help you make up your mind!

Surfing has long been a mode of travel, enjoyment and a hobby for those who have liked spending time in the ocean. In its most abbreviated form, surfing can be traced back to ancient Polynesia of around 400 A.D., where it was part of Hawaiian culture and a sport exclusively reserved for kings. Only in the last century or so, since the late 50s and the emergence of first Hollywood movies and later actual surf movies, has surfing grown in popularity and become part of today’s popular culture. ? Read more about the history of surfing here.

If you have ever considered starting out as a surfer and learning to surf is on your bucket list, you are in luck. Even if it might take a while to master the art of surfing, you get much more out of it than simply another hobby: There are many physical, mental and emotional benefits to this ancient Polynesian activity, all of which contribute to your mental wellbeing and a healthier lifestyle.

As with anything, the health benefits associated with surfing will be the best when applied in moderation. With a sport that can be as physically challenging as surfing, always listen to your body and mind as you continue to learn to surf, so that you will maximise the health benefits you can reap from the sport.

Surfing can significantly increase your muscle tone over most of your body. The sport requires you to be in almost constant motion, whether paddling through the waves or using your core and legs to stay balanced on the surfboard. It turns out that surfing creates an excellent opportunity to work out your chest, shoulders and back muscles. 

You might not think that balancing requires too much effort. However, when the ground isn’t steady, you will need a lot of core strength. Start doing more core and back workouts outside of surf lessons to find faster success as a beginner surfer. If you want to encourage the all-around tone that professional surfers develop, mix surfing with workouts such as Crossfit. In our surf camps, we use balance boards, so surf camp guests can work on their core strength when on surfing holidays with us.

Interested in surf fitness?  ?  We have put together a fitness guide for surf beginners you might want to check out at a later date!

Surfing tends to have great benefits for the quality of sleep you will experience. The reasons for this are plentiful.

First, simply doing more exercise can help to improve sleep quality, especially doing something as potentially strenuous as surfing. Studies have shown that increasing your amount of aerobic exercise will allow you to get more of your much needed REM sleep. During this period of deep sleep, your body and mind will have the chance to rejuvenate, helping you feel more relaxed and refreshed the following day – which in terms means you can do more surfing! That’s what you call a virtuous circle.

A second factor that could improve your sleep patterns is spending time outdoors. It helps reset your body’s inner clock, allowing it to be more prepared to fall asleep at a decent time instead of allowing daily artificial lighting to influence unhealthy sleeping patterns.

People that suffer from anxiety and depression have increased substantially as life gets faster and arguably more challenging. In 2013, more than 8 million adults in the UK suffered from anxiety and numbers are on the rise. However, there are plenty of ways you can start to treat the symptoms of anxiety and depression before using medicinal treatments.

One of the ways you can treat the symptoms of both anxiety and depression is by exercising. Even though it is associated with maintaining physical strength, exercise is essential for maintaining your mental and emotional fitness too. Exercise is often prescribed as an early treatment since it is an effective stress reliever. It helps to boost your mood by releasing hormones like dopamine during and after the exercise. Getting on your surfboard means exercise from just about moment one, helping you fight off depression and anxiety.

The combination of physical demands and therapeutic effects of being surrounded by the ocean has made surfing a recognized remedial treatment. In 2010, the NHS funded a pilot scheme which examined the health benefits of surfing on young people to help them reduce anxiety and improve their emotional wellbeing. 12 years on and our friends from The Wave Project have not only helped many young people reduce anxiety and improve confidence, but also helped in raising awareness and making surf therapy a growing global movement.

Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide? It takes more than 17.9 million lives around the world each year. Yet, we often take our hearts and other organs for granted until it is too late, relying on them for life until we realize we have wreaked some significant damage. 

Some types of heart disease are genetic or essentially unavoidable. However, there are many issues, such as hypertension, high cholesterol and even strokes that are by and large preventable. 

One of the best ways to reduce your chance of getting heart disease is to exercise. Exercising strengthens your heart, allowing it to do more with each beat. This decreases the strain on your heart, your blood vessels and helps you maintain a healthy weight.

Even if you don’t exhibit symptoms of anxiety or depression, your mental health will benefit from spending time outdoors. There are many studies out there that demonstrate that sea air is good for you. Charged with negative ions, sea air helps you absorb more oxygen to increase your levels of serotonin, your body’s natural stabilizer for positivity and happiness.

The contact with the sun’s rays also boosts your body’s vitamin D levels, which play a significant role in boosting your mood. Being a regular surfer and getting a consistent amount of exposure to the sun will help your body generate plenty of vitamin D. The minimum amount of time you should spend in the sunlight is 10 to 30 minutes each day if you are out in strong sunshine at least three times each week. If that’s not enough reason for a sunny surf holiday by the sea then nothing is. 

Find out more about the health benefits of a surfing holiday.

It turns out there is a Vitamin Sea after all! Seawater is an excellent medicine for people that have a weak immune system. Studies have shown that after spending time in the sea for a swim or a surf, your red blood cells increase anywhere from 5 to 20%. The hike in your white blood cells is even higher. Apparently this is due to seawater being rich in magnesium which works towards releasing stress, relaxing your muscles and improving your deep sleep. A triple whammy!

Surfing in cooler water temperatures (or just without a wetsuit) also activates temperature receptors under your skin which release hormones, such as adrenaline and endorphins. According to Science Focus, repeated cold water exposure is also known to enhance the natural function of your nervous system which, in turn, releases dopamine and serotonin, your natural happiness hormones.

Getting Up on your Surfboard

Watching a pro surfer get barreled, you may end up thinking that surfing is much easier than it actually is. But don’t worry. Most of the benefits listed above you will start to reap even while learning how to surf, not only once you have mastered the sport. It is all part of the process.

Before you get started on the surfboard, you need to be a strong swimmer. You will be interacting with the ocean in some relatively deep areas and some potentially dangerous waves. Spend plenty of time learning how to read the ocean and surf with a mentor before venturing out too far. 

Before you know it, you will be ready to hit the waves, feeling at one with both the ocean and your surfboard, and as a big bonus increasing your physical and mental health with every moment that you’re surfing. So, should you learn to surf? It’s a BIG, FAT YES from us here at Star Surf Camps.

We’ve got lots of beginner surfer-friendly surf holiday destinations, so make sure to check them out!

Take care & stay healthy, everyone!

Your Star Surf Camps Team