The stresses of everyday life build up and can be detrimental to our well-being, however, tapping into leisure activities can be a powerful tool to manage everyday stress.
Now, the question is, what leisure activities are health-protective, and can there their effects be enhanced?
Stress, according to health experts, is endemic in our lives – and there’s a “good” and a “bad” variety. Our bodies can handle random stresses. But if we have it constantly, that’s when it can grow and become chronic.
So, our goal today, is to draw your attention to the preventive models that will help you optimise the good stressors and minimise the bad stress.
What Makes Leisure Therapeutic?
Evidence abounds, that people who are more distracted when they do their leisure choice, report sleeping better and have fewer depressive symptoms.
It also depends on the individual and their particular engagement with a leisure activity. Playing golf may put you in a better mood, whereas for another, the challenge is exhilarating, and for a third person playing golf just may be more of a social activity on a Saturday afternoon.
Most recreational activities are known to be very beneficial to your total well-being and most of them will help you relax and help you manage stress better. Some of the top examples of recreational activities that you can do include:
BACKPACKING
Backpacking refers to an outdoor recreational activity where equipment and supplies are packed and carried in a bag (backpack). Some of the common backpacking equipment or gear include shelter (tents, sleeping bags, etc.), cooking equipment (stove, pans, and pots, etc.). These items are packed carefully such that only the very important items are carried because of weight concerns and limited space.
Backpacking trips can last for only a few days to several months sometimes. Most backpacking trips involve traveling with public transportation or hiking for long distances mostly in the country and often unfamiliar terrain.
BOWLING
This is an indoor recreational game or activity where a player rolls or throws a bowling ball on a lane to hit target pins at the end of the lane. The game is normally played between two to eight players per lane. The lanes have wooden or synthetic surfaces which makes it easy for the ball to roll on it.
There are two types of bowling: pin bowling and lawn bowling. In pin bowling, players throw or roll the ball to knock off target pins and it is mostly played indoors whereas in lawn bowling players try to hit their target pins on the other end of the lawn.
CAMPING
Camping can be described as a recreational activity that entails spending time outdoors overnight in a temporary makeshift shelter. People who go camping usually tend to pick serene, undeveloped, and natural locations. The camp can be for one night or several nights depending on how long you want to spend time outdoors.
It is different from other similar outdoor activities like hiking because you sleep outdoors in a makeshift shelter overnight. Camping is very common nowadays and it can be done throughout the year. The availability of commercial campgrounds and recreational vehicles (RVs) has made camping a delightful experience for many people.
GOLFING
Golf is a game that is played with clubs (Golf Clubs) where players hit the ball and try to get the ball into several holes on the golf course (field or specially designed lawn for playing golf) with a few strokes as possible. The golf course has different terrains and players have to play the ball across the different landscapes to get to a hole.
Some parts of the golf course can be hilly with different elevations, some are just plain and there are often water bodies (like lakes and ponds) in the golf course. Golf is played as a recreational activity (game) and it is common to find golf courses in most cities and neighborhoods. Golf is often considered as an affluent sport for the wealthy, but it is also played as a professional competitive sport. Golfing equipment like clubs, gloves, shoes, golf bags, etc. can be pricey but you can always find affordable golf equipment too especially if you are just starting out.
ROWING
Rowing involves propelling a boat forward with the use of oars. It is different from canoeing or kayaking because it uses oars while canoeing and kayaking use paddles. Oars are different from paddles because they are fixed to the edge of the boat with the boat edge serving as a fulcrum.
The person rowing only needs to pull the oars backward to propel the boat forward. Rowing can be done with different types of boats from a boat that can take
only one person to a boat that has a capacity for up to 8 people (with all of them rowing) in addition to other rowing equipment.
You can find rowing clubs in most cities especially those close to the coast or cities with large water bodies like rivers or lakes. Most people do row for recreation but there are professional rowing teams as well and it is a professional sport in most international athletic meets.
SURFBOARDING
Surfing is a water surface sport where the surfer essentially rides on the forward side or face of a moving wave that propels the surfer forward towards the shore. Surfing is commonly done in large water bodies like the ocean where wave tides are strong. However, there are artificial wave pools nowadays where giant waves are created artificially for surfing.
There are different types and styles of surfing some of which include using your belly, knee, etc. for surfing. Surfing clubs are found in most coastal cities and areas, and it is now common to find surfing clubs even in cities that are not located on the coast because of the ability to create artificial surfing pools. You don’t need a lot of equipment to get started. All you need to start snowboarding is some training and snowboarding equipment like snowboards, bodysuits, eye goggles, etc.
Paddlesports do require a suitable kayak, canoe, or something that you paddle within or on top of to move around the water.
Swimming is a great example of something that you can begin today at most any gym with a pool or in your own backyard. Just grab your towel and your swimsuit and jump in.
Skydiving is an adventure sport to me. You’re actually allowing yourself to jump out of a perfectly good airplane into the unknown. But you are attached to something that has shown effectiveness over years of use and that’s the parachute.
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