Ep 177: Revitalize Your Mind: Discovering the Mental Health Benefits of Hunting & Fishing

"There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television, and the chance to find a pasque-flower is a right as inalienable as free speech" - Aldo Leopold

Spending time in nature offers more than aesthetic pleasure. Activities like walks in the woods, fishing, or hunting, shift our focus from directed, effortful attention to an involuntary, effortless form. They also allow our minds, which evolved in natural setting over the course of millions of years, to be in the places they are meant to exist in, which is generally not the 4 walls of our home or office. This shift, is crucial in alleviating cognitive overload in our information-saturated environments. Fishing, for instance, is not only undertaken in often tranquil spaces, but offers us time for self reflection and teaches resilience.

Cognitive and Psychological Benefits

Nature-based activities significantly improve cognitive functions, especially those related to attention and focus. Engaging in activities like hunting and fishing helps combat mental fatigue common in modern life. Hunting involves physical movement pre-planning and preparedness, as well as mental fortitude,  all of which contribute to mental health benefits such as acting as a natural antidepressant, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, reducing stress, and increasing vitamin D intake through time spent in the sun​​. It also allows your brain to focus on the things it was evolved to focus on like, noticing prey and listening for potentially threatening sounds in your surrounding landscape. 

Empirical Evidence 

Simply spending time in natural environments and engaging in consumptive outdoor activities leads to improved performance in tasks requiring directed attention when you return home. For example, in some studies individuals vacationing in wilderness areas showed enhanced task performance post-vacation compared to those in urban settings. Furthermore, nature's impact on cognitive functioning extends to various populations and settings. Another study revealed that having green spaces near one's home can buffer against cognitive stress impacts, emphasizing the importance of urban greenery.

Boosting Work Productivity and Satisfaction

The influence of nature in the workplace is significant. Similarly, engaging in outdoor activities like fishing and hunting can translate to increased productivity and satisfaction in work and personal life. Employees with access to natural views or plant life often report fewer physical ailments, greater job satisfaction, and higher overall life satisfaction. This link between nature and work satisfaction suggests potential benefits in reduced absenteeism and increased productivity. Incorporating natural elements into workplace design enhances aesthetic appeal and contributes to a healthier work environment.

Conclusion

Incorporating nature into our lives, whether through direct exposure to natural environments or activities like hunting and fishing, has clear positive impacts on mental health and cognitive functioning. These activities offer unique, effortless forms of attention that serve as a necessary counterbalance to the demands of modern life, enhancing mental restoration, reducing stress, and ultimately leading to greater productivity and satisfaction. This understanding underscores the importance of preserving and integrating natural spaces and activities within our urban fabric, emphasizing our connection with nature as a key strategy for sustaining mental well-being and enhancing our overall quality of life.