Benefits and positive contributions of surfing in the psychological field.

A few weeks ago we gave you an article about the importance of surfing as a stress reliever and its health benefits.

Note on the importance of surfing for physical health: https://surfingrepublica.com/blogs/news/surfing-republica-la-importancia-de-la-practica-del-surfing-como-liberador-de-estres-y-sus-beneficios-en-la-salud

However, sports practice, in this case surfing, is a very effective complementary aid for the prevention and treatment of psychological imbalances in our body; for this reason, we will focus this article on the help that surfing provides to the psychological field.

Our mental health cannot be seen with the naked eye, nor can it be touched, but what is certain and scientifically proven is that if we maintain a regular and controlled surfing practice, it will provide us with a correct mental balance that will consequently cause a general perception of well-being.

Sports practice helps to balance substances in our brain that, due to illness or daily disorders such as stress, anxiety, and others, affect us.

The benefits of surfing as a treatment for our mental health are numerous, therefore we decided to contact sports psychologist Laura Moreira, who has worked with national surfing teams and also has an extensive resume with different top national athletes, so that she could elaborate on this important topic.

What is meant by mental health?

Sometimes people think that mental health is simply the absence of illness or psychological disorder, but that's not the case. Mental health is about feeling integrated, having balance in our lives, experiencing moments of happiness, facing daily challenges like those found in surfing, and staying active. So, mental health doesn't mean never getting angry or never experiencing problems. It's about understanding how a person can cope with challenges through processes like resilience and adaptation, always supported by friends and family.

What are the benefits of surfing for an individual's mental health?

The benefits are numerous, but starting with the fact that surfing, whether for a beginner or an experienced surfer, is a sport practiced in the sea and involves a multitude of environmental elements such as wind, weather, tides, wave type, currents, among many others, which present a challenge. Human beings need challenges and learning experiences because they generate fun and movement, preventing us from always staying in the same routine. Therefore, challenges take us out of our comfort zone, help us learn, and that's why they are important for mental health.

What could you explain by the term "healthy mind, healthy body"?

This phrase comes from a Roman poet named Decimus Junius Juvenal, who, in his work "Satires," evokes the search for balance between the spirit, which we could translate as the psychological, personal aspect, and the body. So, that's what he seeks. Not necessarily, as we said before, mental health is the absence of illness, but rather a balance on a mental, spiritual, and physical level. In 1911, the historian and educator Pierre de Coubertin modified it slightly for the revival of the Olympic Games in the modern era. The French baron was inspired by this phrase from Juvenal, making some modifications to finally leave it as "Mens Fervida in Corpore Lacertoso," which is applied a little better since many times to work in the sport in this case surfing, it is better to have a restless mind to learn, to always seek the challenge, to want to be better and seek excellence in a trained body that is generated by the practice of surfing in a constant, not isolated, but rather taking it as a lifestyle that strengthens us both physically and mentally.




What changes occur in the brain when we practice a sport (surfing in our case)?

The changes that occur in the brain also have a corresponding influence at the organic level, since we are an integrated organism. Therefore, when the brain secretes certain substances, they will impact the entire organism in a complex way. In the case of surfing, a substance called serotonin, associated with happiness, is released in the brain. Other substances, such as adrenaline, which keeps us alert, are also released. The combination of all these substances means that, chemically, surfing releases substances that make us feel better. In a reading I did a few days ago on the theory of happy surfing, Dr. Pierce J. Howard tells us that when a wave breaks, the movement causes the water atoms to ionize, making them electrically charged. When the surfer breathes these ions, the body uses them like vitamins. In addition, surfing generates vitamins because it is practiced outdoors in the presence of sunlight.



What effect does sport have on the mental health of people with high levels of stress, anxiety, and other similar conditions?

Surfing is recommended for people who suffer from anxiety, stress, or certain psychological conditions that lead to discomfort or unpleasant emotions. This is because it's an outdoor sport, exposed to the sun, challenging, and offers opportunities to learn new things. Another important factor is the element of water; moving across it generates pleasant and fun physical sensations that make us laugh, all of which contribute to alleviating these issues. However, it's also important to consider that the person must be comfortable in the water, possessing swimming skills, surfing experience, or at least some kind of instruction. Otherwise, entering the sea to de-stress could lead to negative experiences or water accidents that cause even more stress or anxiety.

Do you have any advice for people, from your perspective, to encourage them to take up surfing?

A good piece of advice involves embracing a challenge, whether it's traveling to different beaches or exploring different areas within the same beach, being outdoors, experiencing the element of water, the ions present in the water, and the production of brain chemicals. Combining all these elements can be an ally in these times of change brought on by the pandemic. Learning a new sport helps us meet different kinds of people, enter new environments, face more personal challenges, and focus on something specific, like learning, allowing us to escape the daily grind that can often be overwhelming. Therefore, surfing as a tool is undoubtedly very useful.

How might national surfers who consider surfing a lifestyle or a job cope with these pandemic times?

It's also important to understand that beyond national championships, sponsorships, and so on, surfing nourishes an inner part of us, which is very important to remember because many times people focus on elements that influence competitions and connect with the essence of being able to enter the sea and move on the waves. So, as a recommendation for these times of change in the schedules in which one can surf, it's important to train but see surfing as a tool for our lives.

The sports psychology specialist also points out that surfing should be seen as more than just a physical activity to get some exercise or to have a nice body, since surfing is much more than that because it incorporates a large number of ecological, nutritional, physical, and technical elements that together enrich us into a more complete organism, and all of this makes us really focus on the present moment and enjoy being there.

For further inquiries or information on any specific topic in sports psychology, we invite you to contact PsicoDeporte Integral on their Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/PsicoDeporteIntegral/?referrer=whatsapp&_rdr

Written by: Enrique Hernández

General Management: Marco Montero