Fishing is an activity that many people often overlook. Most of them tend to ignore it because it seems to have no benefits at all. However, there is that meets the eye in fishing than just the equipment or sitting in a boat waiting for bait to attract the biggest fish. It comes with a long string of benefits both physically and mentally. If you’ve never taken the time to try out this outdoor activity, then you probably don’t know the health benefits. That is why we seek to make you aware by highlighting the different health advantages which people who fish often get in comparison to those who do not.
Physical Benefits
As mentioned at the beginning, fishing boasts both physical and mental health benefits. Thanks to that, we have divided these into two categories so you can easily understand each one of them. So take a look at the physical benefits below
A good way to keep fit
Fishing isn’t just about sitting in the boat and then coming back home with a load of them. From the time you leave your home to go to your favorite fishing spot to the moment you come back, you are working out. Reason being, most of these places require you to bike, trek or hike before you can reach them.
Even if your spot is near your home, it is not always by the shore which means you also have to paddle to get there. All these activities help your muscles work out without you noticing.
Once you reach your spot, you usually don’t just sit. Instead, you have to cast your rod or net and then after a while wind it back. Again, you will have to do that repeatedly for a better catch. Every time you do that, you are using most of your muscles and also strength hence burning calories in the process.
Thus it offers a fun way to keep fit, and the good thing about it is you will barely notice you are getting tired because you are having fun in the process. It is especially an excellent work out for the upper body and arms for those struggling to lose the arm fat.
Helps you get vitamin D
Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient for our bodies, and its primary source is the sun. Unfortunately, not many people get the time to go sunbathing because we are always tied up behind our office desks. Fortunately, you don’t have to skip work just to get that essential vitamin as you can use your free weekends to enjoy the outdoor environment while fishing and get the vitamin at the same time.
You need not spend your entire day there since within an hour or two your body will have absorbed enough of the crucial vitamin D. So make changes to your weekend schedule and dedicate at least two or three hours to interact with Mother Nature, enjoy the sunshine and take home with you a good healthy fish meal.
Healthier you through healthy eating
Everything from the fishing activity only makes you better. Not only does it help you work out and get essential vitamins, but you also get vital nutrients which lead to a healthier you. That’s because fish is one of the most renowned sources of Omega 3 fatty acids 
which bring you a long list of health benefits. For instance, they help lower the risk of cardiovascular conditions such as Stroke, they improve the functioning of the brain, reduce the risk of blood pressure, asthma and even arthritis. No wonder most people from the fishermen communities are healthy. So next time you go fishing ensure you take your catch with you because now you know better.
Mental and Emotional BenefitsÂ
Offers relief from stress
Studies show that interaction with nature is the best way to ease the pressure. This is because most of the fishing spots are tucked away in beautiful, breathtaking spots surrounded by a green, serene environment.
Simply being in a place where the only thing you hear is sounds of nature such as birds chirping, the sound of the wind on water and the bubbling of water every time your bait catches a fish is enough to offer relief from anything that you are going through.
Furthermore, recent studies show that it’s a natural form of therapy for people with PSTD so why not try it out if you are feeling stressed and enjoy the tranquility that it brings for assurance.
Improves your focus and patience
Fishing is not like any other physical activity. It is one which requires your concentration and patients. It is easy to get distracted while running or biking as the environment around you is not as serene as the one around the lake.
However, while fishing there is nothing to distract you thus it improves your concentration. Also, it develops your patience because you don’t just cast your bait and it instantly captures fish. Instead, you may even wait for hours before getting one. Therefore fishing is good for the mental health because it equips
you with a higher concentration level and also patience which are essential virtues in your daily life. With so many things not going right in your life, it is easy for your self-esteem to plunge to zero. In such situations fishing is the best form of therapy. Reason being, a day of fishing, might come with a good catch which will help create a feeling of achievement. That will help improve your self-esteem and also develop a sense of fulfillment which will enable you to tackle all the challenges in your life with a positive mentality that you can do it.
Conclusion
If you want to lead a healthy yet reserved lifestyle, fishing is the way to go. Reason being it helps you interact with nature which is good for your mental health because it relieves stress and also helps fine tune your focus. We could go on and on regarding the health benefits of fishing as there are myriads of them but for now, ensure that you make it one of your outdoor physical activities for a better you.
