5 reasons why camping is
the best medicine for your body and mind

It has been more than proven that escaping the daily hustle and bustle and immersing yourself in nature has a restorative effect on your body and mind. Fresh air, the sounds of the forest, sunlight and the tranquility of the natural environment help you reduce stress, anxiety and depression, but how is this possible? Are there any facts that prove what goes through our heads when we spend a vacation in nature? There are many reasons to believe that yes, indeed, going camping is no longer just a vacation, but it is an investment for a healthy mind and body.

Here we reveal five reasons why you will never doubt going camping again.

  1. Total disconnection
    1. Thanks to recent studies such as “The Impacts of Nature Experiences on Human Cognitive Function and Mental Health” by Gregory N Bratman, an environmental psychologist, we have been able to verify that effectively spending time in nature, as well as a camping environment, reduces cortisol (stress hormone) and improves mood, self-esteem and cognitive function, with a considerable increase in natural vitamin D thanks to sunlight, essential for bone and mental health.
  1. Improved sleep
    1. Sleeping under the stars is no longer just a whim. The fact of sleeping away from light and noise pollution helps you enjoy a deeper and more restful sleep. In 2019, an article on sleep “The impact of camping on sleep quality” demonstrated the significant improvement in sleep quality (longer deep sleep time and fewer nocturnal awakenings) of people who had slept in a campground for a week.
  1. Immunity on the rise
    1. Exposure to beneficial microbes in nature strengthens your microbiota, making your immune system more resistant and protecting you from disease. The study “Exposure to Environmental Microbes and the Development of Allergic Disease” supports this theory. It provides scientific evidence on the relationship between exposure to microbes in nature and the strengthening of the immune system, while reducing the risk of allergic diseases in growing humans.
  1. Physical activity
    1. Doing outdoor activities like hiking, biking or swimming is great natural medicine. Many campsites have access to dozens of hiking trails that help you discover the magic of paradisiacal trails. In addition, studies like “The Physical Activity Levels of Children and Adolescents During Camping Trips” by Kaczynski show that children have a significant increase in physical activity and a decrease in sedentary time, which is closely linked to a digital detox.
  1. Expanding creativity
    1. After all, humans are animals. That’s why we know that the tranquility and beauty of the natural environment stimulate our sometimes dormant creativity and imagination, but what we didn’t know is that a camping trip can also improve attention, problem solving and social skills in children, as shown by Richard Louv in his very interesting book: “Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder“. In it, he talks about the growing gap between children and the real world and links it to the negative consequences for children, both physically and mentally.