Camping is healthy and makes you happy

8 August, 2017

Do you feel especially good after a camping holiday? That’s no coincidence. Several studies have shown that camping gives your health a hearty boost. Even if you spend just a weekend on a campsite, you will return home sprightly and rejuvenated. Read on to discover how come!

Everyone feels better after a camping holiday. You will notice that camping improves your quality of sleep, your mood and your stress level. Just the right ingredients for a happy life. So don’t delay your next camping trip!

Inspirational new surroundings

The healthful properties of camping start with the change of scenery. Leaving your comfortable and familiar space will make you more awake, alert and curious. Those in the know also say that you will forget your worries more easily when you focus on things that are not the matters of daily life. So don’t miss that beautiful mountain or rough coast, as those are things you don’t see at home.

More active than at home

The act of camping is a much more physical one than you might think. Walking to the toilet facilities, playing a game of badminton, taking a dip in the lake, cycling to the coast. And where at home you would slouch on the sofa after dinner, at the campsite you might take a walk to that nice little cafe in the village. Moving a lot isn’t only good for your body and your fitness level, it also produces dopamine, known as the ‘happy hormone’. Adding to this, your body produces endorphins, which reduce pain and put you in a more positive mood.

A chat with your neighbour

Camping is a social activity. You will meet kindred spirits at the campsite who are all enjoying a relaxing holiday, just like you. A chat about the surroundings or the weather is easily initiated while doing the washing up. Several studies show that social activities contribute to a person’s overall well-being. Of course, it is an illusion that every fellow camper you meet will be a wonderful conversationalist, but the relaxed atmosphere on a campsite is certainly a reason many people choose to go camping.

A better mood

The green countryside will make your bad mood disappear in just a few minutes. Especially if you live in a city or town with very little greenery, a change to natural surroundings is even more striking, as shown by Michigan University research among campers. Because if you are outside a lot during the day, your body produces more vitamin D, and the large amounts of oxygen you breath are a boost to the immune system, which contributes to a good night’s sleep.

Better sleep

The fact that camping is good for quality of sleep is also something that was looked at by researchers from the University of Colorado. They have shown that you wake up much more refreshed after a few days at the campsite. Because you are outside a lot and don’t make much use of artificial lighting, your biological clock is reset. While you are camping there is much less distraction from television and computers. The light from these devices prevents your body from producing enough melatonin (sleep hormone) and getting tired. So not having this light around you will put you in a deep sleep more quickly. Adding to this, most campsites are truly dark at night, without any light pollution. Your body is much more aware of when it is time to hit the sleeping bag. And it also helps, of course, that you are woken up in the morning by the twittering birds rather than a blaring alarm clock.

Time for each other

As you spend more time with family and friends, you become more content with your life. The campsite is one of those places where you can take all the time you need for being together. Cooking outside together, sitting by your tent with the book that you have been meaning to read all year, or simply a good conversation while enjoying a beautiful sunset. These kinds of moments give you lots of positive energy, which leads to more happiness. But unfortunately these are all matters that get snowed under in daily life, even though we wished that wasn’t the case.

People can’t reach you = less stress

What better time to be offline than at the campsite? Take a step back from the stressed feeling that social media tends to cause. It’s your holiday and you can do whatever you like. Really go back to basics and leave your phone at home (or, okay, leave it in your caravan or tent, that’s already a step in the right direction). That way you will be less stimulated which means you will be less stressed. Moreover, you will have tons of time left which will make the holiday seem to last longer.

That’s where the term ‘happy camper’ comes from

That camping makes a person happy has been confirmed by our Facebook followers. A little while ago, we asked them why a (camping) trip makes them so happy. This is a selection of the responses:

• Els: Nice weather and no stress.
• Willemien: Camping: there’s nothing more slow or mindful!
• Willy: Following the good weather. Discovering everything about the place you end up, beautiful cycling and walking tours and just enjoying our holiday!
• Henriëtte: Mostly the break form obligations is like therapy to me. The journey is the goal and I love being surprised by everything I encounter.
• Wilma: Being away from it all, the everyday stuff, always works at the campsite, bare feet in the grass, sitting under the tent’s awning, finding peace and quiet and recharging for life after the holiday. Love it!
• Isabelle: The freedom and peace that you have when you are camping. You meet new people and cultures and anything goes.
• Sonja: Just enjoying the free life at the campsite, meeting nice people and getting new ideas!

Why do you think camping is healthy?

Of course we would love to hear why camping makes you so happy! Or is there a certain campsite where you felt very happy? Share your secret here…

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