Getting back to nature can help reset your internal clock and encourage active living.
Camping can be a great way to get away from the duties of daily life and have an affordable vacation in the loving arms of nature. Apart from being fun and cheap, it can also be quite good for your health, research shows. How so? Aren’t all those marshmallows and that campfire smoke bad for you? Yes, but there are other factors that balance those out.
Here are five ways getting back to nature in a tent overnight with family and friends can actually be good for your health.
It makes you active
Let’s face it: it can be truly difficult to sit still when you’re camping. Unless you’re really roughing it out in the bush, basic activities such as going to the bathroom, fetching water, and having a shower often necessitate a walk down the trail or road to reach the park’s facilities. For many people, all of this movement can add up to a more active lifestyle. This can help you burn more daily calories, lower your stress levels, and improve your circulation. All of this adds up to a healthier you!
It can reduce your screen time
Many parks now have WiFi access and, it’s true, you can douse yourself in Netflix on your computer while camping, if you wish. Being out in nature is the perfect time to force yourself to take a break from screens, however, and truly tune out. Screen time isn’t all bad, of course, but most of us get too much, leading to a more sedentary lifestyle. Excessive screen time has been shown to increase stress in children, and even has a correlation with an increased risk of suicide in teens. Too much screen time can also be hard on your eyes, and disrupt your sleep. Time to tune out!
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It can help reset your circadian rhythms
Speaking of disrupting your sleep, there’s nothing like a good dose of modern life to do just that. Busy schedules and a lot of TV can lead to fewer hours of sleep per night than necessary. In fact, research shows almost one third of all Americans are getting less than six hours of sleep nightly. The good news is, camping can take you away from all the hubbub and help you reset your internal clock. Being exposed to the darkness and the rising sun can help you reset your circadian rhythms so you turn your body off at the right time and get up feeling refreshed.
It can improve happiness
As long as you like the people you’re with-and since it’s a vacation, we’ll assume you likely do-being alone with family and friends in nature can help you bond. This can improve your overall happiness. Who ever said they wished they’d worked longer days on their deathbed? Not many. There could be numerous people who wish for more time spent by the campfire with family and friends, however. Now’s the perfect time to get it.
It can clear your mind
Research shows being in nature can reduce your risk of developing a psychiatric disorder and increase your empathy as well as your levels of cooperation. Being around natural water sources like oceans, rivers, and lakes can do this, as can spending time in places like forests and fields. So, get out there with the chirping crickets and do yourself a favor by getting back to the root of what makes us human.
Camping can build character and it also comes with so many other benefits for mind, body, and soul. As they say, camping in the rain saves washing- and it could also save your mental, as well as your physical, health. It’s a great season to get outside!
photo credits: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock
