Let them go surfing!
July 10, 2023
Thank you for joining the Better Together Newsletter! This bi-weekly newsletter is dedicated to sharing insights into applied sport psychology and science-based tools that can aid us as sport psychology professionals in helping athletes, teams, and coaches enhance their performance and well-being. The goal is to deliver actionable insights in a concise and engaging format, making it easy for you to apply them in your work in sports.
Summer is there – well, at least in Europe…
Classes at university are coming to an end this week and after a few more days of working with athletes at international competitions in Italy I’ll have a few days off. Together with my kids I’ll traveling to the Atlantic Ocean in France to do something that I really enjoy: spending time with my kids at, in and on the ocean.
Some year ago I learnt how to surf and although I am really not good at it I tremendously enjoy being on the water. Being at the ocean is something that seems to lead to some intense relaxation inside us humans. …and being on the water, feeling the waves rolling underneath you, paddling for a wave, maybe catching it and riding it all the way to the beach is something truly calming – at least for me. Luckily, even my kids love it and I am really looking forward to showing them again at least a tiny little bit of how to surf and the joy one can feel when being on the water. 🌊
One idea I had some months ago was that surfing could also be a wonderful tool of helping athletes and coaches understand what being truly in the here and now means. If you are paddling out in the water and you do not focus on the next set, the ocean will show you to better be focused! In addition, because surfing has such relaxing effects on so many people, I thought about the prevention effect surfing might have for psychological health – no matter if it’s athletes, coaches or anyone else.
I started to look for research in the area of surfing and I found few studies. But they are really promising, especially when it comes to the treatment of impaired mental health – and I am sure it can also be helpful for preventing burnout etc.
So, let’s see, how we can all get better together – through surfing…
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
RESEARCH OF THE WEEK
Only earlier this year, a research group around Kristen Walter from the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego/USA published a study they did together with U.S. active duty members who suffer from major depression.
In this study, 96 members of the U.S. military who suffered from major depression were included in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive equal amounts of surfing or walking therapy. The interventions were conducted over six weeks and each involved one session of 4-6 hours per week. Participants were assessed pre and post intervention, plus a follow up after three months.
The study showed that both surfing and hiking therapy had a significant positive effect on the participants’ depressive symptoms. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of improvement in depressive symptoms. However, three months after the end of therapy, more participants in the surf therapy group were completely symptom-free than in the walking therapy group.
Another exciting finding was that 25 participants in the surf therapy group and only three participants in the walking therapy group participated in a voluntary second round of therapy after three months. Eight walkers even switched to the surf therapy group for the second round! Surfing is fun, I guess… 🏄🏽♀️
To date, there are only few studies that deal with the effects of surfing or being exposed to the ocean on psychological health. Although the current state of science is not yet sufficient to be able to say with certainty that surfing generally helps against depression, there is at least some evidence in the scientific literature that surfing can improve depressive symptoms – and that is a great start.
If you want to learn more about what effects surfing can have on our mental health you can find some information at the International Surf Therapy Organization. Unfortunately, their website is down for a day or two at the moment, so you might want to check the website later.
Now, based on the current research I am not only looking forward to my summer vacation by the sea with my kids, but also to the different projects we are developing at the moment to help more people benefit from surfing and being at the ocean – no matter if it’s athletes, teams, coaches or people who are not part of the sport system.
What do you think? How could surfing or learning to surf help athletes and coaches you are working with?
CHUCK NORRIS JOKE OF THE WEEK
Chuck Norris can surf the internet, literally.
