For decades, kayaking has connected people of all ages, from all walks of life. It provides low-impact, enjoyable exercise that reunites people with the great outdoors, even if you’re paddling just a few miles from home! Not only does kayaking promise a jam-packed day of family, friends, and fun, but it’s also a terrific asset to your physical and mental wellbeing! Here are three awesome health benefits of kayaking!
Enhances Your Physical Endurance
Kayaking is a calorie incinerator! It’s a fantastic upper body workout, as paddling engages your arm, chest, and back muscles‒some of which are typically underused in our daily lives. Our ab and lower back muscles contract with every stroke, which builds our muscle tone and significantly improves our stamina! It strengthens and tones your arms, legs, stomach, and glutes, without the pressure of forcing yourself into the gym. Kayaking is an excellent form of cardio, and it promotes heart health by improving blood circulation and invigorating cardiac muscle. Kayaking can also alleviate back pain, as paddling strengthens the muscles surrounding your spine, and improves stability.
Improves Your Mental Health
While you kayak, your brain produces the chemicals norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin, which are responsible for improving your attention span, sharpening your focus, balancing your mood, and alleviating stress. Kayaking also enhances your memory, because your hippocampus, which is responsible for processing your memories, is exercised while you paddle too! Kayaking improves your sleep quality as well, for heavy and consistent exercise during the day naturally promotes deeper sleep at night. Spending time outside in the sunshine allows your body to absorb vitamin D, which boosts both your immune system and your mood! Kayaking is its own unique form of meditation. It unites your mind and body to simply focus on the task at hand.
Promotes Your Emotional Well being
Kayaking offers universally craved and needed space for family and friend time. Many people experience a sense of community on the water. It allows you to meet new people and make new memories in a sunny, beautiful, and peaceful outdoor environment. It provides time away from stressors like work, school, and other activities that eat up the majority of our time. Kayaking also supplies an opportunity to “unplug” from distractions like cell phones, computers, and tablets. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t snap some gorgeous pictures while you’re out on the water! Also, if you prefer to kayak alone, doing so allows space for reflection, meditation, and self-improvement. It centers and rejuvenates you, as the water, sunshine, and fresh air dull the sharpness of life’s problems. Spending time outdoors is proven to increase your happiness, your confidence, and your overall outlook on the world around you.
Kayaking is a fantastic way to reconnect with nature and harmonize your mind and body. It makes for a hassle-free, cardio-packed workout, and allows us to both build new and strengthen existing relationships. In a world of seemingly infinite stressors and distractions, kayaking is an excellent outlet for escapism and camaraderie.