Since we're on the subject of swimming. Have any of you considered the sport of free diving? Free diving take swimming to the next level, and is the perfect sport for anyone, who is dealing with sensory processing disorders. here are some of the benefits:
You learn to relax:
One of the things about water is, is that the more you fight it, the more it fight's back. That's why you learn to work with the water, and soon you will be able to swim more gracefully then a ballet dancer. You'll be able to move faster and maneuver more quickly, while exerting as little muscle energy as possible. Plus, the feeling of the water turbulence on your skin is really relaxing.
It shuts parts of your brain down:
As you get better at holding your breath, your body gets used to lower oxygen levels(your blood/oxygen level drops). As a result of this, you body start to prioritize where the oxygen goes, and since your brain uses the most, parts of your brain will start to shut-down or go into a low-power state. This, in return, helps you relax more and helps put to sleep, the things in your head that are driving you crazy.
It's like a glorified weighted blanket:
Do you use a weighted blanket, or just like to pile the layers on? As you are aware, the deeper you dive, the greater the pressure is, and therefor the greater the hugging sensation is. Unlike a weighted blanket, which can have uneven pressure points. The pressure that you feel at depth, is evenly distributed. Plus, you have no restriction of body movement, like you would, while under a weighted blanket.