5 Reasons Why Fishing is Good for You
Fishing is a popular hobby. If you ask fishermen why they enjoy it, you’ll get a wide variety of different answers.
But, unlike some hobbies, fishing has some benefits. When you’re casting your line into the water, you’re reaping those benefits along with the enjoyment you get out of catching fish.
Here are 5 reasons why fishing is good for you and you should do it more often!
It Gets You Out in Nature
When you go fishing, you’re close to nature and this has many benefits. Not only will it help to improve your mood, but by getting some sunlight you’ll be increasing your vitamin D intake.
Research has also shown that spending time in nature can help reduce pain, speed up the recovery process, reduce blood pressure, lower your heart rate and reduce the production of cortisol (the stress hormone).
This helps to boost your energy levels as well as your immune system, leaving you healthier and happier for longer.
It’s Low Impact but Effective Exercise
Depending on the location that anglers choose, there can be a fair amount of walking that’s involved to get to the best fishing spot. This helps to get your heart and lungs working and increases cardiovascular health.
While fishing is relaxing, it requires a certain amount of strength! Whether you have a 10-pound fish or 30-pound fish on the line, it’s going to be a battle to reel it in. When you’re reeling the fish in, you’re engaging the muscles in the arms, shoulders, core, and back.
If you want a physical challenge, fishing from a kayak will be more intense. The angler will have to balance themselves using their core, steer with their legs and then haul the fish onto the kayak. Even casting your line can give you a muscular workout, as you have to do it repeatedly.
It Gets You Away from the Screens
Most of our working day is spent sitting behind a computer screen, and much of our relaxation is spent watching TV or checking social media on our mobile devices. But studies have shown that too much blue light from our screens can be detrimental to our health. It can lead to depression, irregular sleeping patterns, and obesity, to mention a few conditions.
When you go fishing, you’ll be taking a much-needed break from the digital world. Not only will you be away from blue light, but you won’t be frantically checking emails or social media every few minutes. This helps you to relax and take a step back from work and life, which reduces your cortisol levels, bringing your body into harmony again.
It Can Strengthen Friendships or Family Bonds
Fishing provides one of the best opportunities to spend some alone time with our family or friends. While you’re waiting for a fish to bite, you’ll either be sharing fishing stories, passing on fishing knowledge, or chatting about what’s happening in each other’s lives.
Being in the quiet of nature allows us to give the other person our undivided attention, as there’s no background noise or distractions. This helps to build stronger relationships with our family members and friends.
It Improves Your Concentration
There are too many distractions in our daily lives, and we’re often dividing our attention between tasks. When you’re fishing, you have to focus on the task at hand, which can have a meditative effect on the brain. You need to focus in on where the fish is and jig your line to get the fish to bite.
This teaches our brain to focus on one thing, increasing our mindfulness. Mindfulness helps to improve concentration, and even a short fishing trip can help to improve one’s short-term memory. This will help us to do better at work, in school, and in our daily lives.
Conclusion
Next time you need an excuse to go fishing, remember that it’s really good for your health! If you want to reap these benefits properly, take regular fishing trips and revel in the beauty and serenity of nature surrounding you.
