Fishing can be a job, a hobby, or simply a way to unwind – but did you know it can also be good for your health?
For starters, the very act of fishing means you’re out in nature. Studies show that spending a mere two hours a week in nature is great for your well-being. Fishing also places you next to the water, which produces mood-boosting negative ions.
And that’s only the setting! Here are four other benefits of fishing that you can’t afford to ignore.
Sun Exposure
Fishing is a great excuse for you to spend a lot of time in an open space. One big benefit of that is feeling the sun on your face. This gets your brain to release serotonin, a hormone that improves your mood and encourages happy thoughts.
Exposure to the sun also helps your body produce vitamin D, which bolsters your immune system. Vitamin D speeds up healing, helps you digest calcium, and plays a big role in bone formation. That said, you’ll want to make sure you don’t stay in the sun for too long.
Improved Concentration
Modern life is great for a lot of reasons, but it hasn’t done much to increase our attention span. Many of us are having a hard time sitting still for more than five minutes without checking our phones. One solution: unplug and go on a fishing trip.
Fishing isn’t a silent activity, but most sounds you’ll hear will be relaxing. Listening to the waves, birds, and frogs tends to have a mindful effect on our brains. Mindfulness will help your focus, improve your concentration, and keep your brain healthy.
Active Exercise
You may not think of fishing as an active hobby, but some types of fishing can help you lose weight. For example, fly fishing in a stream will cause you to burn over 200 calories per hour. For a real challenge, jump into a kayak for a full-body workout.
Keep in mind that some active fishing techniques will require you to invest in specialized equipment. If you’re looking for a good deal, you can find Shimano reels at great prices here.
Fresh Air
Air pollution can cause many adverse conditions, from breathing issues to heart disease. In the U.S. alone, it kills close to 100,000 people a year. Fishing can be a great way to combat these effects, as it allows you to spend the day breathing clean air.
When combined with exercise, fishing can leave your lungs feeling better than they have in ages. Keep in mind that this doesn’t only include active exercise. Walking up and down the shoreline can be enough to get your body feeling great.
Other Benefits of Fishing
As you can see, being a fan of fishing helps you be a healthier person. Keep in mind that there are plenty of reasons to fish we haven’t mentioned. These include spending time with your family, increasing your self-esteem, reducing blood pressure, and so on.
Want to learn more about the other various benefits of fishing? Trying to make sure that you’re ready for your next fishing trip? Check out more of our fishing-related content!
