11 Apr The Many Benefits of Camping
Camping is a great way to get outdoors and experience the beauties of nature while spending quality time with family and friends. Not only that, but camping comes with some great health benefits as well. Camping helps you reduce stress, improve physical fitness, strengthen relationships, and develop new skills – especially when you’re camping in Lake George, New York!
It also helps you unplug from the hustle and bustle of daily life and the stressors that go along with it. By the end of this post, you will be ready to grab your family, pack up your car, and escape to the woods for some rest and relaxation.
1. Camping reduces stress.
When you are out in nature there is no schedule. You don’t have to be at a certain place at a certain time and there is nothing to interrupt you. You are free from common stress triggers like work pressure and commuting/traffic and instead spend your time listening to the wind blow, the leaves rustle, and the birds chirp.
2. Camping helps improve physical fitness.
Camping requires more physical activity than you may realize. Setting up and taking down a tent, gathering firewood, hiking, biking, tossing a frisbee, fishing, and tending to a campfire are all quite physical. It varies from person to person, but hikers can burn anywhere from 120-300 calories per hour and fly fishing can burn up to 200 calories per hour.
A study published in the Journal of Psychological Science showed that when people walked in nature, they experienced improved focus. Additionally, when you are walking uphill, you are burning more calories than walking on flat surfaces and improving your metabolism.
The best part is it doesn’t even feel like exercise!
3. Camping helps strengthen relationships.
Camping out in nature is a great way to connect with your partner, friends, and/or children. Being in such close proximity without the distractions of cell phones, tablets, and television will force you to communicate more directly.
You will all need to work together to set up/take down your campsite, build a campfire, cook meals, etc., and depend on each other for survival. That dependence and trust will build a sense of community and shared purpose that will bring the group closer together.
And hopefully, the group will have some great stories to tell, re-tell, and reminisce about for years to come!
4. Camping helps you unplug.
Camping is a great way to truly unplug. Leave your computers and televisions at home – there is so much to do in the great outdoors that doesn’t require electronics.
5. Camping helps you develop new skills.
You will naturally develop new skills while camping. All campers will need to contribute and it’s a great chance to learn new things. You can learn how to set up a tent, start a fire, cook a meal over an open flame, or tie a fancy knot.
Camping will help improve your planning skills over time. The first time you camp you will likely wish you had brought something you left at home AND wish you had left something at home that you don’t end up using. Over time you will master what you need to pack and plan ahead for and these skills will roll over into other aspects of your life. If you’ve never made a packing list before, you certainly will once you start going on camping trips.
Camping also encourages problem-solving. You will likely run into situations where you need to come up with a plan on your own to fix the issue at hand. Whether it’s fixing a hole in your tent with whatever you have on hand or getting creative with what’s available at the camp store after your food spoils in the sun, camping will help you develop a “solution not problem” mindset.
6. The sunlight exposure will give you a vitamin D boost!
Being outdoors while camping will expose you to more sunlight than normal. Not to get too scientific, but sunlight exposure provides your body with a vitamin D boost which can help your body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, critical in building bone. Studies have also shown that vitamin D can reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections and reduce inflammation.
Additionally, when you spend time outdoors near trees you take in more oxygen. Fresh air helps to cleanse your lungs, allowing you to take deeper breaths. Research shows that time outdoors can improve your blood pressure, improve digestion and give your immune system an extra boost.
Book Your Camping Adventure
Ready to experience all the great health benefits of camping? Lake George Campsites is a great place to stay. We’ve got 250 camping & RV sites, located within walking distance from many popular Lake George attractions.
Tent out under the stars, reserve a full hookup RV site or enjoy the amenities of one of our cozy cottages. We’ve got accommodations for every type of camper!