How Camping Can Improve Your Mental Health
How Camping Can Improve Your Mental Health
Financial concerns, relationship issues, problems at work – there are a whole host of reasons life can drag you down. Not to mention the doom and gloom of social, economic, and environmental issues that the news is constantly pushing in our faces.
Little wonder stress is on the rise.
Thankfully, there are ways to escape the grind, leave your stress behind, and fully recharge your emotional batteries. In the following blog, we’ll explore how camping can improve your mental health. Plus, we’ll give you top tips on how to prepare for a stress free camping trip...
Reduces Stress & Anxiety
By encouraging you to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature, camping can significantly improve your mental health. Indeed, a study published by Frontiers in Psychology found that surrounding yourself with nature lowers cortisol levels in the body – a hormone directly associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.
Boosts Your Self Esteem
Camping requires you to face fresh challenges and tackle tasks you normally wouldn’t do. Whether it’s pitching a tent, lighting a campfire, or cooking a meal on a portable stove, learning new skills helps to give you a sense of accomplishment and self-sufficiency. As a result, it can work wonders for your confidence and self-esteem.
Exposes You to Sunlight
Camping encourages you to spend time outside in the sunshine which helps your body produce more Vitamin D. Because low levels of Vitamin D are linked to anxiety, depression, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), soaking up the sunshine when you’re camping is an excellent way to improve your happiness and mental wellbeing.
Promotes Physical Activity
Relaxing it may be, but camping also requires a lot of physical work, such as collecting logs and fetching water. Also, people tend to feel more adventurous when they’re camping and more prepared to take on physical challenges, such as hiking and climbing. Because exercise releases happiness hormones, it’s great for your mental health.
Improves Your Sleep Quality
If you’re looking to reset your body clock and enjoy a better sleep, get camping. Because caping gives you a welcome break from electronic devices, it helps to regulate your circadian rhythm and promote a more restful sleep. Furthermore, the physical tasks you’ll face when camping will tire you out quicker, making it easier to fall asleep.
Preparing for a Stress Free Trip
Fail to prepare for a camping trip and it can send your stress levels soaring. But fear not. By following our advice, you’ll ensure your camping trip goes without a hitch.
- Few things are worse than driving across the country, only to find a campsite has no spaces left to pitch. So do the right thing and book your campsite in advance.
- Always write a camping checklist. The last thing you want is to pull up at a campsite, unpack all your equipment, and then realise you’ve forgotten your tent pegs.
- Check the forecast before you go, so you know to pack suitable clothing. If it’s freezing cold and all you have are shorts, you’re on a one-way ticket to stress central.
- Likewise, you should always pack a sleeping bag that’s suitable for the time of year you’re camping. For further information, check out our sleeping bag guide.
