Swimming is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that strengthens your heart and circulatory system. But it also really benefits your brain and mental health. It encourages the brain to release brain chemicals that elevate your mood and repairs damage to brain cells and grows new ones to improve your memory. Cold water swimming triggers the release of a ‘cold-shock’ protein that slows down the onset of dementia. So swimming in water builds and repairs your brain while your worries drift away.