15 Health Benefits of Camping
Do you go camping often? Is it something you enjoy?
If your answer to both the questions is yes, you’re doing a great job in improving your health.
No, I’m not making it up just out of my deep-rooted love for camping.
In the past two decades, several scientific studies have found evidence for numerous health benefits one can get by camping.
So, presenting these 15 interesting health benefits you might wanna learn about before your next camp.
Stress Relief
Work notifications, pending bills, deadlines, getting stuck in traffic – these are just a few stressors we face every day. They can be physical or emotional.
Continual stress takes an immense toll on your body. Therefore, taking a break now and then is vital.
Camping brings out the child in you and makes you forget all tensions for a while. It’s like pressing the refresh buttons to your heart and mind.
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Reduced Inflammation
Inflammation is your immune system’s way of ensuring protection by producing more white blood cells. While this sounds beneficial, chronic inflammation as in the case of arthritis is harmful to your tissues.
Along with an anti-inflammatory diet, physicians recommend losing weight and managing stress to fight such problems.
When you’re camping, the relief from stress indirectly reduces inflammation in your body.
Vitamin D
The fact that Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones is well known. But there’s more.
When your body lacks this vitamin, you’re more likely to contract infections. Long term vitamin D deficiency can lead to complications in the immune and cardiovascular systems.
There’s no better source for vitamin D than sunlight. Since camping is an outdoor activity, your body gets to spend more time in the sun absorbing plenty of vitamin D.
Problem Solving Skills
Let’s face it. No matter how well you pack for a camping trip, you’ll still be far from all the technological comforts of the city.
If a dinner recipe gets ruined, there’s no way to order online.
If you forget to bring pillows, you can’t simply go to the other room and get one. Admit it, we all have used makeshift pillows on a camp at some point of time.
Right from pitching the best tent with AC port to prepping for the return journey, camping tests your problem-solving skills and makes you learn something new every time.
No Polluted Air
Extreme levels of pollution in the air can result in lung cancer, heart stroke, and COPD. Milder diseases include asthma and other breathing troubles.
According to a report by WHO, every year, air pollution causes around seven million premature deaths worldwide.
Most of the campgrounds are surrounded by greenery and your lungs will breathe ultra-pure air.
Are there any air purifiers better than trees?
Engaged Muscles
Even if you travel to the campsite in a vehicle, setting up your camp and trekking to the nearby locations (’cause why would anyone spend the whole day in their tent?) will engage your muscles and improve blood circulation.
Say goodbye to the stubborn fat in your legs and abdominal region.
It may not feel like a gym session, but it won’t let you be a couch potato.
Adequate Sleep
If you’re a college student or a working professional, you may not have slept well in days. The light from smartphones and laptops only makes it worse.
An unhealthy sleep cycle disturbs your body’s circadian rhythm and the results are not desirable.
In an experiment, when subjects spent time away from electric lights by camping, their melatonin levels rose earlier than usual. So, they fell asleep earlier and the effect continued for a few days after their return, suggesting we are just a camp away from resetting our circadian clock.
Improved Relationships
The world’s moving fast and to keep up with it, we’re always on the run too.
Camping with your friends or family gives you an excellent time to bond with each other and strengthen your relationships. Being on a group adventure means you’ll work together and master the art of socialization. There are no distractions between you and your loved ones.
In the end, when you look back at your life, you’ll have amazing memories to cherish.
Fresh Food
One of my favorite things about camping is outdoor cooking. It demands a different set of culinary skills from those in the traditional household kitchen.
From aromatic barbecues to one pot meals, each bite gives a comforting hug to your soul. And there’s nothing more rewarding than cooking your own deer meat that you snagged with your bow.
In some campsites, you may be lucky to have access to wild fruits and vegetables.
As fresh foods are high in water content, they’re better for your gut health.
Perfect For Meditation
If you’ve never meditated outdoors, you should give it a try this time. There’s a reason why some spiritual centers are located in the heart of the wilderness.
You’ll find it easier to concentrate in the open ground than in a room. You can try walking meditation if sitting still is not your thing. It’s all about developing mindfulness.
Meditating in natural surroundings activates your sense of well-being and promotes emotional health.
Self-confidence
Camping puts you in a temporary survival mode. You’ll be working on several DIY projects to put everything together. Later, you manage to make a warm dinner and set up a cozy bed for the night.
Such little accomplishments go a long way in making you self-confident. You’ll learn to trust your judgments and develop a positive outlook on everything.
When your thoughts are processed this way, nothing stops you from being an efficient leader.
Improved Memory
Serotonin is a compound in blood platelets and serum. It acts as a neurotransmitter and constricts the blood vessels.
It is one of the happy hormones responsible for stable mental health and improved cognitive abilities like memory and learning.
Chilling in the outdoors promotes happiness in your subconscious, signaling your body to generate more serotonin. Your attention and recall abilities will become better.
Energy Boost
Ideally, when camping, if your body drops you hints to sleep, you don’t force yourself to watch another episode of your favourite show. Choose a comfortable tent by following the best 4-person tent guide.
Similarly, you eat your meals in a calm environment without worrying about anything.
With positive thoughts flooding your mind, you’ll surely see a spike in your energy levels by the end of your camping trip.
Self-awareness
Camping on the weekends is one of the best methods to learn more about yourself. After a couple of adventures in the wilderness, you’ll discover your best interests, worst fears, and everything in between.
When you have a deep understanding of your feelings, positive attitudes like self-control and empathy are easy to develop.
As you get to know yourself better, you can define your strengths and weaknesses clearly. You’ll also learn to make wise life choices.
Quicker Healing
Nature is often considered the best therapist. Plus, it’s absolutely free.
For patients suffering from chronic ailments, doctors recommend spending more time outdoors. This lowers the patient’s anxiety and results in a quick recovery.
However, please check with your physician before you set out on a journey. Always stick to medical advice.
Conclusion
I’m sure you appreciate camping a little more after reading this post.
Share this with your friends and let me know in the comments why you love camping.
Author Bio:
Res Marty, the founder of his self-titled website (ResMarty.com), is a world traveler who bases his suggestions on his experience. He aims to simplify the world of hiking and camping for everyone. He currently lives in Switzerland. If he is not traveling, he likes to play tennis or soccer in his free time.