It is no surprise that spending time outside is proven to lower stress, anxiety, and depression. Spending time in nature has the ability to help improve your mood, creativity, and energy levels. Getting outside and going camping is a great way to strengthen your mental health!
1) Take a break from your screens
A digital detox is a great way to help you decompress and relax. In this digital age we are all living in, we spend so much of our time behind our phones and computers. When you go camping, leave your laptops at home and put your phones down or turn them off. Make sure to enjoy the beautiful landscapes around you and take time to spend quality moments with the people you’re with. Play card games, make a campfire, or cook a delicious meal together without the distraction of a buzzing phone. Having meaningful face to face conversations is a great way to boost your mental health. Disconnect from your screens to reconnect the world around you; your mental health will thank you!
2) Move your body
While you are spending time camping in nature, make sure to get moving. When you exercise in nature, your brain releases dopamine and endorphins which are the hormones that help boost your mood and make you feel great! Go for a morning walk around your campground, challenge yourself on a new hike, do some yoga, or dance to your favorite music. After you move your body outside, you will feel alive, refreshed, and happy.
3) Soak up the sun
There is no better place to enjoy the benefits of sunshine on mental health, than the sunshine state itself! Darkness and sunlight have effects on mental health because they release hormones into the brain. When you spend time in sunlight you feel happy, calm, and focused because the brain releases serotonin, a happy hormone. In darkness and at night we feel tired because our brain is releasing melatonin, the sleepy hormone. Make the most of your time camping by enjoying the Florida sunshine and getting all of the positive benefits from Vitamin D. Read a book outside, take a dip in one of the beautiful Florida springs, or relax at the beach (just don’t forget to use sunscreen).
4) Enjoy a slow morning
Getting enough sleep is important to your mental health, so let yourself sleep in and wake up naturally instead of to an alarm. During sleep, the body recovers and the brain regulates the chemicals that manage moods and emotions. If you don’t get enough sleep you can feel tired, anxious and depressed. Enjoy a relaxing morning at camp and reset your body’s natural clock. Make some coffee or tea and a delicious breakfast to help fuel you for a great day. Read a book, journal, lay in bed, or go on a walk. Enjoy the benefits from a long night’s sleep and a tranquil morning in nature.
