Go camping – it’s healthy!
Article from the archive. Dates and seasonal offers in the text refer to the time of publication. Check the current information on the linked page below the article.
Research confirms that spending time outdoors contributes to mental health. As all campers know well, after time outdoors we feel more relaxed, calmer and more content. Although this is perfectly clear to all lovers of outdoor activities, there is also concrete evidence for such claims – research that confirms it.
Article text
Globally, as many as one in seven people suffer from some kind of mental disorder. Stress, depression and anxiety are part of everyday life for many people, and being unable to cope with such problems creates a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. Yet it seems the solution is much simpler and more accessible than it appears – go outside!
A link has been proven between spending time outdoors and reduced anxiety, depression, insomnia, headaches and poor digestion. By monitoring muscle tension, blood pressure and brain activity, it has been observed that stress levels drop within the first few minutes of being in nature.
Hormones don’t lie – levels of endorphins and dopamine rise significantly in a natural environment, giving us a feeling of happiness and satisfaction. Time in nature also has a positive effect on attention and concentration, and ADHD symptoms decrease. Sleep problems stabilise after just two hours of walking in nature, and exposure to the natural alternation of day and night also helps improve sleep.
One interesting study also shows that regularly spending time in nature affects our ability to care for other people, so we become more caring and positive towards others.
All in all, even occasional time in nature, such as regular walks, fishing or other outdoor sports, will contribute a great deal to our mental health – and just imagine how much more we can do by spending several days surrounded by greenery and sleeping in a natural environment.
The conclusion is obvious – camping is an effective cure for mental disorders, as well as a way to prevent them.
So, if you want to be content, fulfilled and connected with nature and with each other – go camping!
Research:
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-13-407
https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/90720.html
https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/21/1/45/646436
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17055544
http://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2009_WeinsteinPrzybylskiRyan_Nature.pdf