Improving Your Family Health Through Adventure Holidays
An adventure holiday is a great way not just to entertain a family for a week, but to introduce them to new experiences which might shape their lives in the future. A lifelong habit of walking every morning might be inspired by a single hike through the woods. A love of sailing might be kindled by a boating trip. The more different kinds of adventure you go on, the more likely your kids are to develop a love of the pastime in question. But exactly why might this be a good thing? Let’s take a look at some of the key health benefits of family adventure holidays – and why they might be so worthwhile.
Physical Health Benefits
Many kinds of adventure holidays are associated with a particular form of exercise. Go on a family ski holiday, and you’ll spend a lot of time skiing. The same goes for cycling, water sports, and other activities that not only build up your strength and endurance but also help you to avoid longer term injuries and weaknesses by stressing the body from a different direction than you are used to.
Importantly, the best form of exercise is one we enjoy as we are far more likely to regularly undertake the activity. Adventure holidays open our eyes to physical activies we may never have considered before.
Mental Well-being Enhancement
Human beings have adapted to seek out novelty and to spend time in nature. Specifically, our brains tend to release feel-good hormones whenever we’re close to signs of natural abundance, like rivers, seas, forests and grasslands. Take a stroll through these places, and you’ll get the endorphin rush that comes with exercise – but on top of that, you’ll also get the rush that comes with being in nature.
It’s also worth considering a third mental health benefit – the sense of accomplishment you’ll get having conquered a particular challenge. Whether it’s a twenty-mile hike or a tricky section of black ski run, you’ll come away feeling like you can achieve your goals if you only push yourself.
Exposure to New Environments
As we’ve mentioned, an adventure holiday might allow you to explore many different kinds of landscapes. But it might also expose you to unfamiliar cultures, and gain a different perspective on the challenges of life. This might allow you to look at the problems you face at home, or at work, in a different way.
Family adventure holidays also offer up the chance to learn new skills together, something you may normally struggle to find time for in day to day life. A trip such as a family ski holiday, for example, allows you to expose yourself to new learning and growth experiences, as you learn a new sport together. Who knows, it might even lead to regular family trips to your local ski centre!
Strengthening Family Bonds
When you’re working with a group to conquer a given challenge, you’ll naturally feel a sense of camaraderie with those close to you. This benefit is particularly worthwhile when it comes to families.
Day-to-day life might not provide you with many chances to spend time in one another’s company, so an adventure trip is a golden opportunity to forge lasting bonds. Get it right, and you’ll be able to work together, resist adversity, and communicate with one another as a group.
Enjoying the health benefits of family adventure holidays certainly comes in many guises!