THE BARE NECESSITIES: WHY EVERYONE SHOULD TRY SKINNY DIPPING AT LEAST ONCE
Swimming is a blissful recreational activity recommended for people of all ages, especially due to its mental and physical benefits. Most people are accustomed to swimming; however, they have a vague idea of what skinny dipping entails. Herein, we talk about skinny dipping and how you can benefit from this type of activity.
Skinny dipping is no different from swimming. The only difference is that skinny dipping entails a nude body in water while swimming entails swimming with a costume on. According to Hoffman (2015), nudist activities are considered risqué. This also applies to skinny dipping and that only rogue people can partake in. However, recent research studies show that skinny dipping is one of the most soulful activities you should include on your bucket list.
Benefits of Skinny Dipping
It Boosts Body Positivity
Martínez-González et al. (2021) stated that most women have gone through a body-shaming experience at one point in their lives, and most of the time, this experience leaves a dent in their self-esteem level. In recent years, social media and blogs have been exciting certain body shapes with the excuse that they are ideal, especially for women. A phenomenon that has led to many women hating their bodies. However, women can now feel safe in their bodies regardless of their sizes with skinny dipping. Skinny dipping is one of the few activities that boost body positivity in all genders. Additionally, being in an environment where people embrace their bodies without a care in the world can boost your esteem levels while also helping you appreciate the beauty of the people around you.
It Boosts Self-Vulnerability
Vulnerability is the act of exposing yourself emotionally. In lay-mans language, it also means predisposing yourself to emotional or physical harm. Vulnerability sounds harsh, but the truth is, it is the perfect way to embrace your authentic self, a thrill that is certainly worth it in the end. Skinny dipping is not an act that most people would partake in; therefore, if you feel the urge to go nude in the pool, it shows that you are braced for the judgmental stares that may come your way. Also, through vulnerability, you will be able to breed intimate and meaningful relationships that could last a lifetime.
It Is a Great State To Have Sex
Most people prefer engaging in sex with the lights off, probably due to body image struggles or maybe because sex in broad daylight is a big nay. Issues to do with body image are rampant across all genders, which is why skinny dipping should be a practice that people strive to partake in to help with this. Sex or romance in broad daylight is blissful; you and your partner get to see each other in all your glory. Also, there is so much chemistry between partners when they engage in sex in broad daylight.
It Burns Fat
According to Mishra & VN Mishra (2011), swimming is one of the low-impact activities that help burn fat. This is because the body moves in the opposite direction from the water. In essence, swimming strains your muscle tissue as you struggle to move through the water. The muscle strain causes the body to cut off the supply of the white adipose tissue, which is harmful to the body. In addition to burning excess fat in the body, skinny dipping also makes you fit and healthier. It being a type of exercise is no surprise because you are struggling against water pressure. Note that every move you make while inside the water is an entire workout session that will help you to burn some calories in your system.
It Is a Good Source of Vitamin D
The sun is the most recommended source of vitamin D because it is natural and in abundance compared to other sources of Vitamin D like supplements. Vitamin D has many benefits to the body, from boosting the immune system to regulating the amount of phosphate and calcium in the body. Calcium is important in bone and teeth formation, while phosphorus oversees how carbs and fats are absorbed and used in the body. When you go skinny dipping, your body will absorb the right amount of vitamin D useful in the body.
It Is Healthy For the Skin
Skinny dipping is an activity that thrives in nudity. Therefore, choosing to forfeit clothing for an hour or two is the perfect way to rid your body of toxins. Nudity allows your body to breathe, thus boosting blood circulation. Skinny dipping is also beneficial for people who have issues with acne. Most pools are treated with chlorine, which helps kill bacteria on the skin's surface. Also, skinny dipping in saline water like the ocean and saline pools can speed up the healing of damaged tissue on the skin surface. The saline water seeps into the skin, thus boosting its ability to retain moisture for that glowing effect.
It Is a Good Way To Bring Out Your Naughty Side
Societal norms read that the body is a temple, and just like any worshiping tower, it needs to be protected from foul eyes and desires. However, these rules are long gone because most people are now moving towards activities like skinny dipping that require no clothes. The thrill comes with breaking societal norms, and that is the adrenaline rush that most folks are after. The thought of engaging in a taboo practice coupled with the thought of someone seeing your naked body adds to the thrill.
It Makes Swimming Easy
Swimming with clothes on is next to impossible. According to Mollendorf et al. (2004), a swimming costume is meant to streamline the water currents, thus making the whole experience easy. With skinny dipping, you do not have any clothes that hinder your movement in the water, meaning you will swim with ease because you do not feel like you are being dragged backward.
The Bottom Line
Skinny dipping, also known as nude swimming, is a low-impact activity with many health benefits. However, society has met this type of leisure activity with unwelcomed eyes because nudity is a topic most people would rather not talk about. Regardless of this, people across all genders embrace skinny sipping because it is a fun activity that requires no shame and no guilt. As highlighted in the article above, the merits of skin dipping outweigh the demerits, a cue that you should try this coveted method of swimming.
References
Hoffman, B. (2015). Naked: a cultural history of American Nudism. NYU Press.
Martínez-González, M. B., Pérez-Pedraza, D. C., Alfaro-Álvarez, J., Reyes-Cervantes, C., González-Malabet, M., & Clemente-Suárez, V. J. (2021). Women facing psychological abuse: how do they respond to maternal identity humiliation and body shaming?. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(12), 6627.
Mishra, N., & VN Mishra, D. (2011). Exercise beyond menopause: Dos and Don’ts. Journal of mid-life health, 2(2), 51.Mollendorf, J. C., Termin, A. C., Oppenheim, E. R. I. C., & Pendergast, D. R. (2004). Effect of swim suit design on passive drag. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 36(6), 1029-1035.