The benefits of camping are a little different for everyone, however going camping has so many benefits that just about anyone can get something positive out of the experience. With that said, there are a couple of benefits that affect just about everyone.
So what is the main benefits of camping? The two main benefits that most people get from camping is the opportunity to get away from the electronic world, and its stresses. This has a positive effect on most people, reducing stress and anxiety. The other benefit is you will have the chance to get away from the polluted environment that most of us have become custom too. This creates a positive improvement in your health by allowing your body to get fresh air and detox from our everyday environments.
While those are the two main benefits of camping, when we surveyed over 300 campers, we found that there are 25 more that were listed by at least 150 of the people surveyed. We have listed all 27 benefits along with how they may benefit you, so be sure to read them all.
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Breathe Fresh Air
Most of us live in cities where there’s a lot of pollution from traffic and other contaminants. But going camping takes you far from the congested city centers and into the pristine outdoors where the air is much cleaner.
Being surrounded by trees also means more oxygen in the air, allowing you to breathe deeper and easier. Not only that, but there are other health benefits from having access to fresh air like improved digestion, blood pressure, and increased immunity.
Bond with Friends and Family
Camping is so much more fun when it’s done with the people you’re closest with. Not only do you get to spend time in each other’s company, but you grow your connection by sharing new experiences and relying upon one another.
Socializing and being around people is good for your mental health and is a surefire way to make you feel happier in no time. Without limited external distractions, you also get to know one another better and deepen your relationships, making you grow closer together.
Challenge Yourself
Camping trips require you to take on new challenges and do things that might be outside your comfort zone. Whether it’s the ability to cook a delicious meal over the campfire or pitch a tent within a few minutes, you’ll find a lot of opportunities to build your confidence and feel proud of yourself for taking on something new.
Trying new outdoor activities like hiking, boating, or fishing allows you to test your knowledge and limits. It’s not often that you get to do something out of the ordinary so camping can provide that and help keep you on your toes.
Unplug from Electronics
Although it might feel inconvenient not to have a cell phone signal at times, it can actually be hugely beneficial to reduce screen time. In addition to your phone, leave your laptop computer at home. If the campground has a TV, resist the urge to put on a movie.
You’ll benefit from time away from any electronics, have fewer distractions, and less eye strain from looking at the screen. Not to mention less stress because you won’t be able to read work emails or read about bad news.
Soak up the Sun
Spending time in the sun is an instant way to boost your mood. It’s hard to be sad or depressed when you’re outdoors, and the weather is beautiful.
Sunshine also makes your body produce Vitamin D and can help strengthen your immune system. Not only that, but you’ll start making more serotonin, a hormone that makes you feel happier.
Effortless Exercise
Spending the entire day outside provides ample opportunities to be active. Unpacking and setting up your campsite, gathering kindling for a fire, putting up a tent, and exploring are all ways to move without it feeling like exercise.
Even if you go on a longer or more strenuous hike, being surrounded by beauty will distract you from the fact that you’re working out. It’s also easy to walk for miles down a gorgeous trail and quickly accumulate thousands of steps.
If you do decide to engage in an actual exercise routine, it’ll be much more enjoyable than being in a stuffy gym. Lifting weights or doing push-ups seems so much easier when you’re out in the fresh air, sunshine, and surrounded by trees and flowers.
Feel Accomplished
Even if you’re not an expert camper, spending an entire day and night outdoors is sure to make you feel accomplished. Being self-sufficient and getting by without electricity and running water is sure to make you feel superhuman.
You’ll also get a sense of independence because you’ll only have yourself to rely upon and make all the decisions. Finishing a long hike is also quite an achievement and gives you a sense of satisfaction that few things can replicate.
Think Outside the Box
Camping requires you to get creative because you’re in a brand new place surrounded by things that aren’t familiar. You may have to solve new problems and think of creative ways to do familiar tasks.
Your brain will stay sharp coming up with ways to cook a meal, read a map, or navigate using a compass. You’ll feel more mentally stimulated and think of different approaches to accomplish your goals because the other methods might not be an option when camping.
Make Memories and Traditions
Many of us have fond memories of childhood camping trips that we cherish for a lifetime. You can pass this on to your own children and start traditions of your own. If you never got the chance to camp as a child, then it’s never too late.
Start a new custom with friends and create your own activities and memories. Choose a place and return there every year with each other. Take lots of pictures together to revisit all the wonderful times you’ve had.
Improve Your Relationship
Although it may not seem the most romantic, camping is a great activity for couples at every stage of their relationship. If you’re just dating, it’s a good way to get to know one another better and deepen the connection in a short amount of time.
Married couples who have been together for years may think they know everything about one another, but taking a camping trip is sure to show a different side of your spouse. Plus it gives you a chance to try new things together and lean on one another for support to make things easier.
Get Better Sleep
Because there isn’t a lot of artificial lighting, you’ll be going to bed much earlier than usual. This will help enforce better bedtime habits if you’ve been struggling to get into a routine or wake up early.
You’ll also be able to reset your biological clock because you’ll be going to sleep when it’s dark and waking up with the light. Chances are you’ll feel more rested too and have a good night’s sleep due to all the physical activity, fresh air, sunshine, and lack of alarm clocks.
Just make sure to pack a sleeping bag that’s appropriate for the temperature and a comfortable pad to put underneath. If you can, bring along a favorite pillow for additional familiarity and comfort.
Relax and Reduce Stress
Life moves at a slower pace when you’re camping and the day is wide open. There are no schedules to keep, deadlines to meet or demands on your time. Instead, you can choose to move at your own pace and do whatever you want.
That might mean a day of doing nothing and just relaxing in nature. You can be a free spirit and see where the day may take you without having a plan. Head out on a trail and see where you end up and what adventure finds you along the way.
Time for Meditation
Quiet time in nature is the perfect setting for introspection and meditation. Without any distractions, you can go deep within yourself and experience more mindfulness. Take advantage of the opportunity to journal and get to know yourself better.
You can also meditate to the soothing sounds of nature such as a stream flowing by or the birds chirping in the morning. The quiet and solitude will naturally encourage you to go within to find that elusive inner peace.
Camping Is An Inexpensive Vacation
Those who want to take a vacation or get away from home without breaking the budget will love camping. It’s an easy way to step outside the ordinary without spending a lot of money on plane tickets and a hotel.
Most campgrounds are really affordable, and you don’t need a lot of gear to make it comfortable and enjoyable. Get a group of friends together to make it even more fun and help split the costs.
Catch up on Reading
One of the best ways to pass the time while camping is by reading. Whether you’ve got a stack of magazines piling up at home or have been wanting to get lost in a novel, now is your chance.
Bring along a stack of books, climb into a hammock, and disappear into a world of fantasy and imagination. Reading is not only fun, but you can also learn new things and virtually travel to places you’ve never been to before.
Eat Healthier Foods
Camping foods usually tend to be much healthier than what you might eat on a daily basis or have access to back home. There’s no way to get fast food, frozen meals or other unhealthy things when you’re far from civilization.
Most people pack healthier snacks too like trail mix, fresh or dried fruits, granola bars, nuts, and seeds. If you’re cooking meals over a campfire, then it’s likely you’re making things from scratch which are usually much healthier and made from whole ingredients.
Broaden Your Horizons
Once you catch the camping bug, you’ll want to travel all over the country finding new places to set up your tent. Seeing new places is a good way to remind you of how big and exciting the world is, as well as your place in it.
Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in a routine, always frequenting familiar places. Camping gives you a chance to break free, try something new, and experience amazing new things you could never have imagined.
Appreciate the Simple Things
You probably never realized just how much you take for granted the simple comforts of your life until you have to do without them for a day. Camping with minimal things is an excellent way to make you appreciate all that you have.
Once your trip is over, you’ll see your home, no matter how modest, in a whole new light. Chances are you’ll feel so much richer knowing that you have so many amenities and benefits in your daily life. This will instill a sense of gratitude into things that once seemed ordinary or invisible.
Learn New Skills
Just getting through the day while camping requires a lot of knowledge and lets you learn in a hands-on way. Knowing how to put up a tent and start a fire are also essential survival skills that are good for everyone to know.
Although you hope you’d never have to use them in an emergency, getting outside and practicing them every one in a while will help keep them fresh in your mind. Plus you won’t feel as vulnerable because you’ll know that you could survive if you had to.
Create Habits for a Healthy Life
If you’ve got kids, it’s a good idea to take them camping while they’re still young. You can instill in them the importance of spending time in nature and make camping a fun experience instead of an intimidating challenge.
As they grow up, leading an active lifestyle in the outdoors will be second nature to them. This will have health benefits later on and can reduce the amount of time they are sedentary which may contribute toward obesity.
Connect with Nature
Camping is an intimate experience because it lets you get up close and personal with nature, something that is vitally important in this day and age where most of our time is spent indoors. You’ll be able to see wildlife in its natural habitat and observe the rhythm of nature for yourself.
Getting out of the city also allows you to see the night sky and observe the stars in a way that isn’t always possible. Humans are naturally drawn to green spaces and nature, so camping allows you to live there for as long as your trip lasts.
Less Anxiety and Depression
Being in nature while camping is a natural antidepressant. There’s something about being outdoors that results in better mental health. Studies have even found that having access to green spaces results in less depression, anxiety, and stress.
Even if you don’t suffer from anxiety or depression, you’ve probably noticed that you naturally feel much calmer when you’re outside. A camping trip will help you ease your mind, feel less anger, worry, and other negative emotions.
Feel a Sense of Wonder and Amazement
It’s easy to become jaded or feel overwhelmed by all the negative things in the world. Going camping inspires the wonder you had as a child when you explored in the park and engaged your imagination.
Seeing beautiful landscapes, awe-inspiring mountains, and crystal clear lakes are sure to evoke powerful emotions. You’ll be reminded of how beautiful the world is as you witness the magic of nature and feel all your cares slipping away.
Make Learning Fun
Reading about plants and animals in a book is one thing, but seeing them for yourself makes the information come to life. Children and adults alike will enjoy learning about the natural world firsthand by exploring during a camping trip.
Learn to identify trees and flowers, observe insects and animals, and do your own science experiments. Kids won’t even realize they’re learning because they’ll be having so much fun exploring and seeing new things.
Practice a Hobby or Skill
A weekend away camping is a huge chunk of uninterrupted time to dedicate to your favorite hobby or activity. Bring a camera along and perfect your photography skills. Or if you love climbing, camp close to a place where you can spend the day on the rocks honing your abilities.
Almost any hobby can be brought outside and will be enhanced by doing it out in nature. You’ll also get to indulge in multiple hours of your favorite thing without having to worry about the day being unproductive because you won’t have any other responsibilities.
Get Creative to Pass the Time
Some people hesitate to go camping because they think it’ll be boring. But you can change your perspective by looking at that as a challenge to see how many fun things there are to do instead.
Get friends together and see who can come up with the craziest idea. Try out different things and have fun seeing what is most enjoyable. Or bring along games and activities you’ve never done before or had always wanted to do but never had the time.
Get Re-energized
Once your camping trip is over, you’ll return home rejuvenated and full of energy. Even if you just had a few days away, it will be more than enough to renew you to face whatever responsibilities await back home or at work.
Spending time relaxing in nature has a way of recharging your batteries, refreshing your mind and body, and giving you the vigor to take on new tasks. You’ll be more productive, think more creatively, and have a calmness about you that will make everything that much easier.
There you have it, the top 27 benefits of camping. You are sure to experience a lot of them if not all, so get out to nature and reap the rewards.
We want to hear from you.
We would love to hear from you. If you have been camping before, let us know how many of these benefits you have experienced and any benefits that you experienced that we do not have listed.
If you haven’t been camping before, let us know what you would like to get out of a camping experience.
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What can you cook on a campfire?
