Benefits of camping that count

We go camping due to different reasons. Some want to explore new places, leave the work and obligations behind and enjoy the peace that only nature can provide.

You have solo campers and those that take their families on an exciting family vacation in the great outdoors. However, each of them has their reasons for choosing camping as their favorite outdoor activity.

In this article, you will find out which are the most obvious reasons and benefits of going camping and also those reasons that are not so obvious at first hand.

What do you get when camping?

There are several benefits that you can get by heading to nature and camp. I will explain groups of benefits that you can get with the activity no matter if you are staying in the forest, a campsite or any place else.

Health benefits

What comes to your mind when you think of the health benefits of camping? Here are the advantages that will positively influence your general health.

Forget the stress

Many campers from all over the world choose camping as an effective stress relief technique from their demanding jobs. You don’t need to go far to shift your thinking and leaving obligations behind. It is proven that being in nature relaxes.

Sometimes changing the environment helps a lot and camping is the right way to do it. When you will start to enjoy your camping trip by seeing new interesting places, animals at work, and listen to birds singing your thinking will shift and your cortisol will decrease.

Activities as physical exercise

If you have troubles with motivation in the gym or at your home (home workout) then it is time that you invite camping in your life. There are many camping activities that will speed up blood circulation and stretch those sleepy muscles.

Make your camping stay active and involve swimming, hiking, fishing, kayaking, boat riding, climbing, and other activities that will remind you that simple things are the best.

Perfect environment for yoga lovers

If you do yoga then there isn’t a better place to do it as all you will need is your yoga pad. A pad won’t take much of your space and you will be able to enjoy your favorite activity. It is best that yoga is performed in peace and what environment is better for it as the peaceful outdoors.

Getting vitamin D

What is the best way to get the D vitamin that your body needs to stay healthy? The answer is being outside with the skin being exposed to the sun. The vitamin helps the body to use calcium and phosphorus that are responsible for having strong teeth and bones.  

Other benefits of the vitamin are reduction of inflammation, glucose metabolism, and helping the immune system to work properly.

Having osteoporosis?

If you have osteoporosis then take my advice and be active in the sun. However, avoid hiking when the sun is too hot (in the afternoon) because you can get sunburned and have other negative consequences.

Improving thinking and logic

Camping in the wild forces a human to compromise and find fast solutions. When you will be out there you won’t have cooking pans, different kinds of knives, and accessories to prepare your meal.

Maybe you brought matches to set up a campfire but they accidentally fall in the river. In all these cases you will have to improvise and use your brain to find an appropriate solution. These actions will make your brain active which is a good way to onset Alzheimer’s dementia for a few years when you get older. 

Better mood, sleep, memory and appetite

When being surrounded by threes and having fresh air your body will relax and produce serotonin that is a hormone of happiness. It is responsible for nerve cells and the brain to work normally.

It regulates mood, sleep, and appetite. If you will make tent camping a habit you will also improve cognitive functions like learning and memory.

Give your eyes a break

We live in a time of technology and electronic devices. If you have a job that involves computers or other electronic devices that radiate blue light you need to give your eyes a break.

The blue light is connected with eyestrain, blurry vision, molecular degradation, dry eye, and cataracts. Sleeping issues are not a solitary case either. So, plan your adventure and head in nature where the greenery will help your eyes to relax.

Are you addicted to technology devices?

I see many people addicted to social media, news, and other “fun” that can be found on the internet. The problem with some of these sites is that they provide content that isn’t too beneficial to your well-being.

Addiction can happen fast and you won’t even notice that you became obsessed. So, if you want to break the pattern and start living go in nature and spend a few days there without any gadgets of course. You can do it!

When you decide in your head that you don’t need the internet or games that you played due to boredom you will see that it wasn’t so hard to change your life for the better without unnecessary ballast.

Social benefits

These are a few of the social benefits that you can have when camping.

Bonding with your kids

Do you live with your kids but still don’t know how are they doing? Is there something that’s bothering them or can’t solve on their own? Take them camping and you will have a great opportunity to bond.

Meeting new people

There is a high possibility that you will meet new campers in the camp and start a conversation with them. This is a great thing as you can get new friends that will make a trip even more exciting. If you will have some problems at the campsite fellow campers can help you out and vice versa.

If you tore a tent accidentally and you don’t have duct tape with you then you can ask campers for it and I am sure you will find a solution and secure the tent.

Kids will have company to play with

If you decide to camp in a campsite then kids can hang out with other children and socialize. Socialization has an important role in their life since they will get skills for solving issues, setting boundaries, and learn to have empathy for others. So, let your kids play with others, you both will be happy.

Learning survival skills

This is one of my favorite benefits as they stick for life. When you are outdoors you will need to set up a campfire, tie ropes, pitch your tent, and in the worst-case fish or hunt to survive. And what is a better learning place than nature?

Kids today lack these skills so if you will be camping with them take them fishing or set up a campfire together. They will learn something new and useful and stay occupied.

These skills can’t be learned from the book but come in handy in some cases, especially if a disaster happens.

Recognizing plants and animals

Most camping trips happen in the woods which are a living space of wild animals like raccoons, birds, deer, foxes, and others. It is also a space for different plant species.

I think that every person should know the basics about animals and plants. If you travel without much food supplies then it is important to learn which tree leaves or needles are okay to cook for a cup of tea and which animals are better left alone as they might be dangerous.

Take dog camping

If you have an adult dog that doesn’t have any major health issues you can take him on a camping trip. Why leaving him at home if you can have a great time together. I am sure you don’t want to see his sad eyes when you leave home. I am sure you two will enjoy each other’s company and laugh.

Today, dog camping tents are selling so your pet can have his own place where he can spend the night or relax after a long hike.

Camping as the most natural activity with lots of benefits

There are many other benefits of camping and each camper can add a few of his own. Camping is an activity that affects several aspects of our life. It will make you forget the obligations from home, avoid stressful situations, and relax a bit.

Health benefits are the most obvious of camping. However, you can also improve your social and survival skills which will help you to live better.

If I can, I decide to go camping due to too many obligations and when I need a break, when I am organizing a family reunion, and when I just want to be alone and bond with nature. There are scientific proofs of such benefits which I am sure you will experience as well.

Just make sure you prepare all necessities and plan ahead. I wish you a pleasant outdoor journey. If you want to tell us your advantages of camping feel free to leave a comment, we will be happy to discuss them.

Tadej Kožar

About the author

I am the founder of Camping Valley. The site is an extension of my lifestyle and passion for the outdoors. Everything that I learn, experience and find valuable is on the site for you. We live in a technological era but nature is reminding us more and more that we should go to the places where our heart and soul feel like home.