Health / Adventure Sports: More benefits for your physical and emotional well-being after COVID-19

It is well known that exercise is good for health. Several studies confirm that physical exercise on a regular basis improves not only physical health but mental health as well.

With the COVID-19 crisis, many are beginning to lead healthier lives given the current restrictions. A brisk walk or run for half an hour a day was a way to reduce stress and anxiety, reduce negative emotions, and increase energy and stamina.

Today with the passing of Omicron, there are many who continue this rhythm and others who have become fond of it. But what about the out-of-the-ordinary and adventure sports? Do they offer the same benefits as traditional ones or do they go further? According to a study conducted by Yumping in collaboration with Totanera psychologist Aida Cano Esparza, due to the nature of this type of sport, its practice multiplies the benefits obtained through regular exercise and provides other specific physical and psychological benefits.

What specific benefits do adventure sports have?

Understanding why adventure sports have a series of distinct benefits in relation to the traditional ones comes from noting their main peculiarity, that they put the athlete in a precarious position. Basically, these sports are defined as a challenge to fear, and a test of emotional overpowerment for all who practice them. Accordingly, adventure sports offer six advantages:

Adrenaline rush (epinephrine).- The release of this hormone into the body occurs during times of stress, danger or excitement and activates our alarm system for survival. This hormone is responsible for the so-called “adrenaline rush” and causes feelings of euphoria and well-being.

releasing endorphins.- It occurs when we do any activity that stimulates the senses. When they are released, in addition to reducing pain and providing calm, they generate a feeling of happiness and well-being.

stress reliefOver the days, fears and stress accumulate, and practicing these sports is a way to get rid of the accumulated tension on an exponential level.

live the moment.- The nature of experiences requires 100% of our attention, so it is a way to “live the present” fully, without distractions.

Increase self esteem.- “The assessment we make of ourselves is influenced by our ability to set and overcome a challenge goal for ourselves. Practicing these sports increases the sense of self-efficacy by seeing how we have overcome the challenges we set for ourselves in the form of adventure sports.”

“As a result of these benefits, adventure sports are no longer contracted solely to enjoy new experiences, but have become a complementary means in Treating some diseasesYumping explains. “Practicing surfing or mountain climbing, among others, has on many occasions been helpful in treating diseases such as autism, depression or epilepsy. These experiences help to see the world from another perspective or connect to nature on another level, generating feelings of And new sensations reduce diseases or manifestations of certain diseases.

This compendium determines that adventure sports not only favor physical and psychological well-being as traditional sports, but also infer each individual in a more transcendent way. Therefore, they are positioned as an extraordinary source of self-recognition and overcoming, as well as assistance to a person on a psychological or emotional level by offering new feelings, powerful sensations and unforgettable experiences.