You may have noticed that after a day of fishing, you feel happier and more relaxed. But did you know that there are scientific reasons why fishing is beneficial for your mental health?
Check out this guide on how your favorite hobby makes you happier.
Fishing Provides Stress Relief
Though fishing is a great hobby, it also requires a great deal of attention. When you’re fishing, you are intensely focusing on the tasks at hand. For instance, to master rigging techniques you should be attentive to subtle details. Through paying attention to these tasks, you get relief from your daily stressors. On top of that, it’s been scientifically shown that being in nature can decrease your stress levels and improve your cognitive abilities if you have depression.
Fishing Improves Concentration and Patience
Let’s face it: between social media and working a nine to five, it’s tough to focus on one thing at a time. Fishing is a great way to improve your ability to pay attention. One study demonstrated that fishing was useful for people with ADHD because it elevates concentration skills. Whether it’s tying a Cat’s Paw knot or learning how to rig a ballyhoo bait, fishing offers a myriad of situations where you have to slow down and focus on what’s at hand.
Fishing Builds Self-Esteem
As an experienced fisher, you know that it doesn’t come easy. It’s a skill you learn through hard work and determination. Even if you have been doing it for years, there are always opportunities to challenge yourself. Studies have shown that people who set and achieve goals have higher feelings of happiness and self-esteem. As you get better at fishing, you will gain a sense of accomplishment for overcoming what used to seem challenging.
Fishing Is A Great Bonding Activity
It’s hard to find the time to unwind and hang out with family and friends. Socializing is crucial for your health and so regardless of how busy life gets, it shouldn’t be ignored. Fishing is a social hobby that also requires a great degree of waiting and patience, allowing for plenty of opportunities for bonding with your peers. In addition to helping you break out of your shell, you can take on a mentorship role and teach someone with less experience. Through teaching, you may end up honing your own skills. This phenomenon is known as the protégé effect.
Fishing Lets You Unplug
We could all use a break from constantly being on our phone and computers. Fishing is an old fashioned hobby. Leave all that technology in a locker or backpack and just have fun in nature. Unplugging helps you be more mindful, decrease your stress, and improve your mental health.
Fishing is a great way to boost your mindfulness and happiness. It gives you a chance to unwind and spend some meaningful time outdoors with people you care about. If you aren’t feeling so great and need some help, consider looking into resources and services such as therapy and online psychiatry platforms.
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180706102842.htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3393816/
- https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/oct/14/the-lost-art-of-concentration-being-distracted-in-a-digital-world
- https://www.substance.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Fishing-for-Answers.-Substance-2012.pdf
- https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/
- https://time.com/5609508/social-support-health-benefits/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-be-brilliant/201206/the-prot-g-effect
- https://www.adventisthealth.org/blog/2019/march/the-benefits-of-unplugging-from-electronics/
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