How Birding Benefits Your Health

This post will show you how birding benefits to you!

Spring is finally here, and birds are beginning their migrations! If you’re anything like the vast majority of winter dwellers, you have been hibernating safely inside all season. You’ve been waiting for a dose of warm sunlight to jolt you back to life. Is there anything better than watching winter’s ice melt while you plan for the warmer months ahead?

Soon our trees will bloom and once again be filled with thousands of newcomers or friends we haven’t seen in a while. That means it’s time to stretch our legs and sprout our bodies’ back to life with a healthy dose of birding!

Birding has very real benefits for both the body and mind. It’s no wonder that it has become a favorite hobby. With spring’s arrival, bird watchers can once again set their lives in motion with fun experiences that promote a healthy lifestyle.

Walking in Nature

Birding requires people to scout! Sometimes it can take several miles of walking in nature before you find the bird you’re looking for. Some species remain higher up or alongside mountaintops, making hiking an essential part of the game. This can directly affect your cardiovascular health in a positive way. All the while, you will be soaking up the sun’s vitamin D.

Breathing Fresh Air

While waiting to catch a glimpse of your favorite bird, you’re deep in nature and can bask in its benefits. Spending time breathing in fresh air can help prevent respiratory problems, according to new research published by the journal Environmental Pollution. Their research determined that 850 lives were saved due to the presence of trees. Because trees remove pollution from the air, getting out in nature will fill your lungs with a prescription of fresh oxygen.

Virginia State Parks, Flickr

Mental Alertness & Quick Reflexes

Bird watching requires a quick eye, followed by an even quicker arm reflex. Because our little friends move so quickly, the moments we can view them are often fleeting. Birding can help promote mental alertness in your brain while you proactively scan the trees with your binoculars. After periods of inactivity, you will need to train your eyes and body to react quickly in order to see the wonders around you.

Upper Body Strength

Bird watchers may also choose to use premium binoculars that let in more light. Larger bins are ideal for low-lit situations and are heavier, making your arms work more. Holding binoculars for a long period of time will help increase arm strength and set your future sessions up for success.

Bird Watching- Clive Richardson

Stress Reduction

Being able to regularly experience the magic of nature is crucial to a happy and healthy life. Birding gives watchers the opportunity to leave their everyday surroundings and spend time in a naturally appealing atmosphere. You may be in nature for several hours with a lot of down time, which calls for patience – a natural coping skill for stress. The aesthetics of birding can also help watchers reduce their stress and calm their minds. According to research featured in BioScience, a person’s experience of seeing a higher amount of birds outdoors can be linked to a decrease in their depression, stress and anxiety.

Community & Togetherness

Becoming an active birder can lead to meeting new people and immersing yourself into a totally new community. Hobbyists find pleasure in sharing birding trips and planning new adventures. A new interest like birding will help gain you more friendships and increase your social health.