Mental Health Benefits and How to Try It
If you find the sea as peaceful as it is exciting, you might not be too surprised to learn that sea sports like surfing have long been described as therapeutic. It’s only in the last few years that experts have started exploring the mental health benefits of surf therapy.
In short, surf therapy is about using the principles of surfing for the benefit of mental health.
During a surf therapy session, you’ll learn to ride waves with a surfboard, which can feel exciting and fun. But this therapeutic exercise can also help you build confidence, relax, and move your body.
If you haven’t spent much time by the sea, surf therapy can offer the added benefit of a completely different therapy environment.
Most therapists are unlikely to recommend surf therapy as a first-line treatment for mental illness. Still, this unique approach could prove helpful when used with other treatments such as psychotherapy.
Read on to dive into the potential benefits of surf therapy, how it works, and how you can try it.
Surf therapy can provide a calming, sensory experience that can help relieve emotional stress and alleviate a range of mental or physical symptoms.
For example, many surf therapy programs offer sessions for people with:
But surf therapy isn’t just for people with diagnosed medical conditions. Anyone can benefit from this approach, points out Roxy Davis, a qualified surf coach and registered psychological counselor who is currently pursuing a PhD in surf therapy.
Surf therapy can provide the following specific benefits:
It can help treat mental symptoms
Surf therapy can help improve symptoms of:
A 2019 study examined the effects of a 6-week surf therapy program on US military personnel. Researchers found that surf therapy appeared to reduce depression and anxiety in participants and promoted a more positive mood overall.
Surf Therapy may also have benefits if you’re living with PTSD: It can help boost your brain’s ability to suppress an overactive fight-or-flight response, while also helping to improve your mood and emotional attitude to enhance.
According to a 2020 study, surf therapy helped reduce symptoms of PTSD and major depression in active military personnel. Participants living with both PTSD and major depression seemed to benefit the most. Surf therapy not only appeared to reduce her depression and anxiety, but also helped improve her overall mood.
It can provide a sensory experience for autistic people
Autism is a developmental disorder that can affect communication, behavior, and sensory information processing.
Many experts and autistic people consider autism to be part of their identity and not a condition requiring treatment.
Surf therapy doesn’t “treat” autism — but the sound of the ocean, the repetition of the waves, and the distance from potentially overwhelming sounds can provide a sensory experience that many autistic people find calming and soothing.
According to a 2018 study, many parents of autistic children say surf therapy reduces anxiety and promotes better sleep for their children. Others find that the tightness of the wetsuit puts pressure on it, which also helps some children feel calmer and more relaxed.
Surf therapy can also help autistic children:
- Learn and practice independence and basic life skills
- deal with sensory stimuli
- Practice speaking and non-speaking communication skills
- gain trust
While research on surf therapy with autistic adult participants remains limited, these benefits can extend to people of all ages.
It’s a form of exercise
There is growing evidence that regular physical activity can go a long way in relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety.
In addition, exercise can help reduce the likelihood of depression.
It offers the opportunity to part with electronics
Surfing requires you to tune into your body and pay close attention to the movement of the waves.
This act of engaging in the present moment and focusing on what’s happening around you can promote mindfulness, which can help relieve feelings of tension and stress and promote a sense of calm.
It promotes environmental awareness
Spending time in natural environments like the ocean not only promotes mental health and general well-being.
It can also lead to a deeper appreciation for the ocean, including its creatures and ecosystems.
It can boost self-esteem and resilience
Never thought you could stand on a surfboard and ride a wave? Trying activities you previously thought were “impossible” can help you:
Davis says she’s noticed over the past 2 decades that learning to surf seems to boost self-esteem in her participants.
“Let’s say you’re a kid coming from a school where you might not be the best in either science or sports, and your coach tells you that your goal is to get up. When you get up and ride the wave, you’re like, ‘Wow, if I can do this, I can do anything,'” she says.
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It offers the opportunity to network with others
According to Davis, surf therapy can have a ripple effect that goes beyond the person in the water. Surfing not only offers space to meet new people and practice social skills, but also offers opportunities to socialize.
Like other types of therapy or wellness activities that take place in a group, surf therapy can help you meet new people, socialize, and even connect with other family members who are trying it out.
The 2017 research examined the benefits of surf therapy for 48 children and adolescents in foster care. According to the results, surf therapy appeared to help improve social skills, interpersonal relationships and emotional regulation, as well as time management and problem-solving skills.
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Surf therapy programs differ from organization to organization. Some groups offer one-off sessions, while others create programs where participants come back weekly, every 2 weeks, or once a month.
In general, however, your session will most likely include:
- a warm-up or icebreaker on the beach
- a safety talk
- a demonstration of how to surf while staying on the beach
- go into the water with the instructor
- learn to surf the ocean at your own pace
However, the structure and pace of your session will depend largely on your own needs and comfort level. If you are hesitant to get in the water or afraid of the waves, your instructor may spend time with you on the beach or in the water to discuss the process.
Davis explains that participants should lead the way. Your teacher shouldn’t push you to try surfing before you feel ready.
When you control the session, Davis says you become part of the decision-making process. In short, you contribute to your own course.
FYI
You don’t need to have any prior surfing experience to benefit from surf therapy. It’s totally fine if you’ve never surfed before or spent a lot of time in the water at all.
However, if you are not a confident swimmer, your coordinator or surf therapy coach may offer additional support, e.g. B. Provision of an additional teacher.
Surf therapy remains a relatively new approach, but a number of organizations around the world have started offering surf therapy sessions to make them more accessible and inclusive.
While it may go without saying, you must live near a beach or have the ability to travel to a beach to try surf therapy.
If surf therapy is an option in your area, you can start by searching the internet for surf therapy programs in your area.
Davis also suggests exploring programs associated with the International Surf Therapy Organization. This organization is currently conducting research into surf therapy and working to develop industry standards for practice.
“It’s very important to choose an organization that sees safety as a major responsibility,” says Davis.
If you have a physical disability of any kind, you might also want to try an organization with trained adaptive surf instructors.
According to Davis, surf therapy can be safe and fun for people with a range of physical, developmental, or mental health conditions. Adaptive surf therapy allows you to try surf therapy even if you have trouble standing on a surfboard.
Most existing surf therapy research focuses on children, but adults can benefit as well.
“We’ve followed surfers from 18 months to 85 years old,” says Davis.
Just be aware that some organizations place restrictions on their programs. For example, some programs only offer surf therapy to people in certain age categories, while other programs focus on people living with certain medical conditions or disabilities.
It’s always a good idea to contact an organization directly to see if their program might work for you or your child.
Surfing can offer a way to exercise and relax in a natural environment, and new evidence suggests it could be good for your mental health.
The increasing popularity of surf therapy may lead to more support for its potential benefits and more widespread ways for everyone to ride the waves.
Sian Ferguson is a freelance health and cannabis writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. She is passionate about empowering readers to take care of their mental and physical health through science-based, empathetic information.