We all understand that being outside, breathing fresh air, exercising, and getting away from our daily responsibilities is good for our health. But there are other health benefits we get from camping that we may not be able to quite put our finger on.
Sleep. Life is busy. Our schedules are busy. Kids have practice, we have meetings, the house has to be cleaned, bills have to be paid, cars need to be maintained. All these thoughts circle our brain as we try to drift off to sleep at home and we frequently end up sleeping fitfully rather than fully. After a couple of nights in the campground you may find that you have slept; really slept, and it feels good.
Laughing. There is a reason they say that laughter is the best medicine. MayoClinic.org states that laughter can soothe tension, improve our immune system, relieve pain, increase personal satisfaction, and increase endorphins. You’ll find yourself laughing more often and more easily while you are camping. It just seems to happen naturally.
Slow Mornings. We just rarely seem to hear alarm clocks in the campground. You are able to wake up when you are done sleeping. You can enjoy a cup or two or three of coffee before you decide what you want to do for the day. No need to rush unless you want to. There is health benefits in that. Easy mornings set the stage for easy days and easy weekends.
Quiet Reflection. Camping provides low stimulation from the outside world. You will miss much of the daily news. You may fall behind on social media. You might not stay up on your favorite television shows. You will catch more quiet time. More moments of complete silence or maybe some simple conversations with someone you care about. You can give your brain a reprieve for a bit and that is a health benefit as well.
You will go home well exercised, sure, but you will also go home well settled which may be every bit as important.
