By: Jennifer Dawson – April 21, 2019
Don’t Let Age Stop You from Scuba Diving
Don’t Let Age Stop You from Scuba Diving
Don’t Let Age Stop You from Scuba Diving
Don’t Let Age Stop You from Scuba Diving
Around 98% of people live their lives without fulfilling their dreams – according to the Wealth Research Group, fearful of failing and being judged by others, or focusing on past failures, instead of what they can learn from them. If you have always wanted to experience the beauty of underground sea life, then scuba diving may be one of those seemingly ‘elusive’ (yet actually easily achievable) goals on your list. Those aged over 50 who wonder they still have what it takes to learn a new skill that will open vast new underground worlds to them, should know that the answer is ‘yes’ – provided they take a couple of necessary steps.
What do the Scientists Say?
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that recreational divers who dive in their senior years should be able to enjoy their hobby without worrying about age. They noted that although there is a natural, gradual decline in pulmonary function as we age, this process is simply not substantial enough to keep divers out of the water. In their study, researchers simulated dives of 60 feet in hyperbaric chambers, to test the body’s ability to balance oxygen and CO2 levels under the water at normal dive pressure. The findings showed that healthy older people were able to enjoy a healthy balance at a rate that was statistically insignificant from younger divers. This was the largest study of its kind, and researchers noted that the results “should help older divers feel confident about diving.”
Learning to Dive
The above study was carried out on older divers who already had experience underwater, but provided you are physically fit and you have a healthy BMI, there is no reason why you cannot take up this and other new fitness activities. As noted in a recent study by the European Society of Cardiology, “It’s not commonly new divers who have health problems, because they have been recently screened.” To feel more confident about diving, have an annual medical checkup, and make physical activity a key part of your daily life. Staying fit when you are older is easy to achieve. Simply try to exercise moderately for half an hour a day, five days a week, and do strength exercises twice a week. You will need to have enough strength to pull yourself up out of the water etc., so muscular strength and flexibility are as important as cardiovascular fitness.
An Annual Medical Checkup is Key
Physical fitness is a key element of diving, so make sure to have an annual medical checkup and discuss any issues you might have had with your doctor. The key test when it comes to diving is a cardiac stress test. Your doctor will check for irregular beats or blood pressure issues. Make sure to let your doctor know you are thinking of starting scuba diving lessons, so you can ask any pertinent questions and receive valued advice.
If you are over 50 and you would like to take up scuba diving, don’t let age stop you. A medical examination and commonsense (knowing your fitness level and ability) are key, as is setting reasonable goals. While you are learning to dive with Aquarius Scuba Diving Centre, you can start experiencing the magic of the sea with a bit of snorkelling, knowing that one day you will be able to submerge yourself in greater depths, and experience an untold world of beauty, color, and life.