Earlier this month I met up with a dear childhood friend for a walk and catch-up and we both rediscovered the joy of swings. I always suggest a walk or hike or swim when meeting with friends and colleagues, and this time was no different except that I really wanted to go somewhere with a swing!
The reason that I wanted to find a swing set was because I had just read an article about swings and teen girls needing a better place to hang out. I love the outdoors and love to play, laugh and have fun, and I couldn’t resist it once I started looking at the research. I discovered all the wonderful benefits of improved mood, reduced anxiety and stress, improved cognition and memory, reduced PMS symptoms, improved social relationships and reduced pain.
These pictures are us swinging and catching up – we laughed and laughed and had such fun! It’s hard to believe we’ve been friends for close to 50 years and it always feels like we were never apart when we do get together.
Our swing experience made it extra special this time! You can see the pure joy on our faces!
Teen girls needing a better public space to hang out
The recent Bloomberg article I had read, Teen Girls Need Better Public Spaces to Hang Out shares this:
Making space for girls means rethinking which age groups need to swing and climb, how to encourage physical activity (and not just playing a sport), and how to make a safe, sheltered place for outdoor conversation.
And this about movement:
While lack of activity among teens is a major public health issue, many girls are looking for more creative, less competitive ways of moving their bodies.
It features really cool images of swings called “Swing Time.” They are designed by Höweler + Yoon Architecture and deliver “the kind of fun, physical outdoor experience with room for face-to-face conversation that many teen girls are looking for.”
As I mentioned above, I was immediately intrigued because I love the idea of outdoor play and social interaction in a safe place for young girls.
Beth Jones, a Mindset and Wellness Coach who works with teen girls and their moms incorporating movement, play and nutrition, posted the Bloomberg article on Facebook saying:
I love this idea so much. I used to love going to the playground in my teens to swing, hang out, just have a space for me. There’s a reason why my business logo has a girl on a swing. That swinging and twisting are also so great for the vestibular system and can help calm anxiety (the back and forth swinging). Maybe they should bring back some swings to middle and high schools.
I’m familiar with the use of swings in occupational therapy to address sensory processing disorders in children. But I was also very interested to know if there was any research on the health benefits of swings for teens and adults. I went searching and was very pleased with what I found, hence this blog post.
Before we get into the research I’d like to extend a big thanks to Beth Jones for the inspiration for all this! Now the research …..
PMS symptoms improved: mood, stress, anxiety, social relationships, pain and memory
This small study, Vestibular stimulation for management of premenstrual syndrome found the following benefits after 2 months of using the swing in females 18-30 years of age:
- Depression and stress scores decreased
- Anxiety scores decreased (although it was not statistically significant)
- Serum cortisol levels decreased.
- Social relationships improved
- Systolic blood pressure decreased (there was no change in diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate)
- Pain levels decreased
- Spatial and verbal memory improved
These are amazing benefits using something as simple as a swing. I feel we could safely extrapolate to younger teen girls and even women above 30 years of age too.
Swings for stress management in college students
Vestibular stimulation using swings is the specialty of Dr. Mukkadan, Founder and Research Director of Little Flower Medical Research Centre in India. Together with his team, he published the above PMS paper and this paper on Vestibular Stimulation for Stress Management in Students.
They recommend “placement of swings in college campuses … which may be a simple approach to alleviate stress among college students.”
This is such a simple and yet powerful (and also fun!) intervention especially given the huge rise in anxiety and mental health issues in students. It would be a perfect approach to use in conjunction with amino acid supplements and nutritional psychiatry for these students.
According to another study published by his team, college students will also see improved spatial and verbal memory.
What about swings for teen boys and all adults too?
Once I saw the images in the Bloomberg article, and after reading the research, and after playing on swings again after all these years, my thinking started expanding. I believe everyone could benefit from using a swing.
I certainly wanted to swing right away (hence the walk and swing meet up with my friend a few weeks ago) and now seek out swings when I go for walks. I would love to see an area set aside in parks for teen girls (and boys too) and as Beth says, in middle and high schools too. And how about a designated area in parks for adults who want to swing too?
There are now parks with Liberty swings for children and adults in wheelchairs. The vestibular benefits of rocking chairs are helping veterans dealing with substance abuse and mood issues. I also see an application for stress reduction in the workplace. The opportunities are endless.
Here are some of my recommendations:
- Seek out swings in parks. Give it a try to see how you feel and how much you enjoy it!
- Advocate for swings in your communities, middle schools, high schools, colleges and place of business.
- Get a rocking chair for yourself and/or older family members
- Get a swing for your backyard (suitable for teens and adults). I’m looking into options for my backyard and will share more once I find some suitable options.
When did you last go for a swing as an adult? How much fun was it!?
If it’s been some time, does this – my pictures and the research – inspire you to want to look for a swing and have a go again?
Does your teen or college student seek out outdoor play like swings and see benefits?
If you are an OT/occupational therapist or exercise physiologist or other health professional using vestibular therapy with swings please do share so we can all learn.
Feel free to post any questions here too.
I’ve been sleeping in a swinging bed for the past 4 years. I find it very soothing. It has stopped my restless leg syndrome and my anxiety at night.
Judy
This is wonderful to hear! Please do share more – what made you decide to do this and which company makes it?
What about for dementia?
Peg
Yes this is another great application for using swings. In this study, A glider swing intervention for people with dementia, “the glider intervention significantly improved emotions and relaxation. The most noted changes were found after 10 minutes of swinging. However, no differences were found in aggressive behaviors.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11326215/
I’d recommend assessing for low serotonin and considering a trial of tryptophan or 5-HTP for aggressive behaviors in those with dementia. A full spectrum light can also be used to support low serotonin. And ideally diet changes too.
Wonderful idea, and so simple. There are many charities, and philanthropists who like to get behind things that have tangible results so hopefully someone will see your article, and make it their mission!
Pamela
Glad you enjoyed this! And yes, so simple!
Good point! I do plan to reach out to some of the groups mentioned in the Bloomberg article. None of these positive benefits were mentioned in the article so I’ll share this blog with them too.
What brand of swings you would recommend?
My daughter is 9 years old, but I’m 49 and we are looking for the swing set in our back yard.
Thank you,
Vilija
Vilija
I haven’t identified brands that cater for adults yet but I’d look for something sturdy that has at least 2 swings and can take a heavier load i.e. adult weight. If the height of the swings can be adjusted that would be ideal too. That way you could swing and so can your daughter’s friends, and she can continue to adjust the height and use it as she grows up.
When I remember swinging as a child and teen I have wonderful memories of cold afternoons and evenings spent swinging wildly with friends- Of crazy ideas , much laughter and a huge release of stress from the “buttoned up”day that was comimg to a close!
Linda
What lovely memories you have! Hopefully these memories and this blog will inspire you to seek out swings again now
Do you think it will be helpful for my daughter who has Alice in Wonderland Syndrome? I am worried that it may make her feel worse.
Serene
Which Alice in Wonderland Syndrome symptoms does she experience and does she also experience some of the symptoms that improved in the PMS study: depression, stressed, anxious, social anxiety, PMS, pain, memory issues (and high cortisol/high blood pressure)? This may help you decide but the best way to know is to have her try.
According to this article, “Visual perception is also developed as children swing and learn to interpret what they see while moving” https://www.pgpedia.com/s/swinging. I’d suggest working with an OT to learn more about this.
May I ask her age, how long she has been experiencing this and what you have identified as a possible root cause? I was very surprised to learn around 30% of adolescents report Alice in Wonderland Syndrome symptoms at some stage.
In our culture decades ago there were two ways to calm down the babies and put them to sleep. Both were based on swinging : Cradle. The cradle used to be made with woods and when baby was placed in that the mother moved the cradle left and right which made baby to get relaxed and sleep.( minor swing)
Another one was to connect two long cotton made rope to four columns somewhere in the house 3 feet apart. In the middle of the ropes fold some thick clothes that secure the baby. Then mom moved the ropes once or twice and let go, it swung many times when it slowed down then the mother would repeat it until baby slept. The name in old farsi language called gahvareh.
So the calming effect of swinging goes back centuries or even thousands years ago
Mohamad
Thanks for sharing – I love hearing about traditional approaches like this. A recent study from India discusses the benefits of an infant hammock that swings – for calming effects and helping with colic https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33319018/ It sounds similar to the gahvareh.
Is the cradle and gahvareh still used in your culture? And do children play on swings?
I used to love swinging, but now it makes me feel motion sickness. Do I just need to do it more often? I had an episode with vertigo in 2013 and ever since have had issues on and off with vertigo, but not several days like that one. I just seem more sensitive to certain motions and will sometimes have random spinning sensations.
Ashleigh
I don’t have an answer but this article suggests this may improve with time for some people https://www.knkx.org/post/why-does-playground-activity-all-kids-love-make-so-many-adults-sick
Are you also motion sick in cars and boats? I tend to be but am fine on the swing. A pressure point wrist-band helps with car/boat motion sickness and I wonder if it would help folks who get motion sickness on a swing?
I mentioned Gahvareh which is the minor way of swing but also in the middle of gahvareh was a clay pot that the babies delicate in it.. I have not seen gahvareh in my native country lately but second way of swinging that I mentioned before is still common called halaneh. They also use it for colic or any other baby.s discomfort frequently. Swinging has been common there. people use very thick silk rope with semi circle strong metal connected to the top of very strong rope and swing at least 20-30 meter or more wide range from one end to other. I myself have done it very often for pleasure.
Also in a polished parallel wood that people sit on the top and swing around the wood 60 degree many times and I was able to do it 60 times and at the end people get so dizzy that cannot function for 10 minutes. That is some kind of sport that not every one was able to perform it.
One of my favorite memories from childhood is swinging and reciting Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem, The Swing. It always made me happy. Thanks for writing about this. I shall be visitng parks more often…..
Doreen
Lovely! Thanks for sharing!
Sharing here for others to enjoy too
The Swing
By Robert Louis Stevenson
How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!
Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside—
Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown—
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43166/the-swing-56d221dc6ffc4
Swingset mall has options for adults. I haven’t purchased from them yet though so no review.
J
Thanks! please share when you do and have fun!