Probably most of you know how a stressful situation looks or feels like: your heart starts pounding fast, you start sweating, and some people can’t even talk because they’re losing their voice. Others have their blood pressure skyrocketing in those moments, which consequently leads to other harmful effects. As such, by far stress is probably among the highest ranked factors for overall poor health.
Stress has always been the type of issue that troubles everyone, and mainly because of that, the scientists of today are trying to figure out where it comes from, how it affects our body and mind and how to effectively cope with it. Luckily, thanks to the fast development in technology, scientists are starting to get the grasp of it.
Nevertheless, as much as it is a bad one, it is also a condition that can be controlled and therefore, the harmful effects of it can be prevented. Stress is inevitable because after all we do live in a very dynamic era, but knowing it is controllable is a reason enough to find a way to release it from your system.
Hobbies are one way that is scientifically proven to help people cope with stress and the negativity that comes with it. These are the activities we like doing and perfecting because we love everything about them in essence and because the mere activity makes us feel good. Or to translate it in a rather scientific way: because when we do them, our brain produces oxytocin that gives us that good feeling of happiness and satisfaction.
Sport is one way to practice stress release, and in Australia, the number one recreational sport is fishing. Fishing is a the type of activity that can be practised as both – a sport and a hobby. All you need is a desire for it, a fishing rod with some good fishing reels and other accompanying equipment to start. If you’re planning to pursue it professionally and compete in it, you’d probably need more professional equipment, such as special type of fishing reels (or maybe some that offer more sophisticated features) and definitely a higher level of quality.
So how can fishing help you de-stress your mind and body?
The Golden Silence
No other sport (or hobby activity that can grow into a professional sport occupation) offers that level of silence while doing it. It’s just you, your rod and the calm water. You’d eventually hear the very silent splash of the tiny waves of a calm water surface that touch the shoreline and that’s all. People who go fishing to relax and fuel-up don’t go in a remote place to talk with other fisherman; this is exactly why they go fishing in the first place: do be quiet and reflect on their thoughts. Possibly, find a peace of mind, as much as that’s possible in the era of fast and dynamic lifestyles.
A Good Cure for PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a complex situation, that just like stress in general, has raised a lot of questions regarding the right terminology, the definition and consequently, how to be treated. It’s a condition when people who lived through a major stress in their life, re-experience the event and the feeling it caused them long after the initial trauma is gone. It’s a horrible condition and can trap a human in his troubled mind forever, if nothing is done about it. A study conducted in 2009 showed that fishing can lower the effect of PTSD and improve the mood of these people. Apparently, just after 3 days of fishing, the improvement in people with PTSD was staggering:
- there was 32% reduction in guilt;
- 43% decrease in feelings of hostility;
- 30% reduction in feeling of fear;
- 36% drop in the feeling of sadness.
Fish Is Good for Your Overall Health
Besides the calming ambiance and you being able to actually hear your own thoughts, the fish you will eventually catch is a commonly known source of goodness in the form of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals and precious soils. So, besides protecting your mind from stress, you will also provide other benefits to your overall health. Plus, it’s tasty and an especially good food choice to have with a glass of wine. Cheers!
Source: shimanofish.com.au
