Below are four great health benefits that camping provides taken from an article published on shape.com It highlights some of the immense positive affects that the whole camping experience brings. So, as well as having a terrific fun time, you will also be getting the many health benefits of camping in the great outdoors that provides a real boost for mind, body and soul. At the foot of this article except, we have linked off to the original article to allow you read it in it’s entirity if you so wish! Anyway, let’s take a look at the four benefits below that really struck a chord with us that we have we plucked from that said article;
1. You’ve Never Felt So Chill
If you’re hoping for a mental detox, mission accomplished. According to a new study from Chiba University in Japan, walking around a forested area can decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol, slow pulse rate, and reduce blood pressure. That’s after just 15 minutes, so imagine what 36 or more hours could do. “Camping is like a mental massage,” says Oldham. “Even on the trips where everything goes wrong, you come home feeling refreshed and reinvigorated.”
2. You’ll Sleep Like a Baby
A single weekend sleeping outdoors can reset your body clock, letting you drift off earlier and wake up less groggy, according to research in the journal Current Biology. It all comes down to light exposure, says study author Kenneth P. Wright Jr., Ph.D. “The brain’s master clock uses light to determine the time of day,” he explains. When you’re indoors most of the time, you’re exposed to very little natural sunlight during the day and lots of artificial light at night—a combo that can confuse your body clock and delay the flipping of your inner bedtime switch by an hour or more. During a camping trip, you’re exposed to 13 times brighter daytime light and much less light at night, and your sleep reaps the rewards, says Wright.
3. It Bolsters Your Immunity
The Zen you get from being around nature gives your body a chance to build up your immune system, found scientists at the University of Illinois, who reviewed existing research on the health effects of nature. When you’re relaxed, your body is able to put energy toward the systems that offer long-term health benefits, like immunity. Plus, says study author Ming Kuo, Ph.D., being outdoors exposes you to healthy bacteria in the soil, antimicrobial compounds released by plants (called phytoncides), and vitamin D–productive sunlight, all of which improve health. (BTW, eating carbs may also help boost your immune system.)
4. A Walk In the Woods Feels Like Less Work
If you plan to go on a day hike or a trail run while camping, you can expect a more enjoyable and effective workout. Compared with hitting the gym, exercising outside makes people even more energized and happier, Environmental Science and Technology reports. Other research from the University of Innsbruck in Austria found that while you may push yourself harder during outdoor activities, you actually feel as if you’re putting in less effort, possibly because you’re having a better time.