Did you know that cruising around the water on your pontoon boat isn’t only fun, it’s also a great way to promote a healthy lifestyle? That’s because boating is a great way to get exercise, boost your mental health, and increase your overall satisfaction in life. Here are some healthy reasons why you should get off your couch this weekend and take your pontoon out for a spin:
1. Boating is a great way to boost your Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that’s believed to help prevent osteoporosis, combat depression, and reduce the likelihood of developing various types of cancer. Just a couple of hours outdoors soaking up sunshine will boost your Vitamin D intake and increase your overall health. Just make sure to protect your skin by putting on sunscreen!
2. The time you spend on the water becomes your outlet
Approximately 70% of adults in the United States experience stress and anxiety in their day-to-day lives. If you’re one of the 70%, you probably know how important it is to have a hobby that lets you overcome these stressors. Boating is one of the best ways to decompress and remove the stress you’ve experienced throughout the week. Whether you take your pontoon out for some alone time or hit the waters with your family, pontooning is great for blowing off excess steam and promoting better mental health.
3. You strengthen your relationships
Many people become a social butterfly after they get their first pontoon. You have the opportunity to host floating parties and want to share the experience with your friends and family. Before you know it, you’ll be having barbecues and fishing trips every weekend during spring and summer. For this reason, pontooning is a great way to bond with those closest to you, as well as build trust and create feelings of comradery.
4. Your activity levels increase
Maintaining a physically active lifestyle is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. Rather than spend your weekends watching TV, you can take your pontoon boat out on the water and swim, ride on a towable tube, and water ski. All of these physical activities are enough to help you feel happier, healthier, and more energized throughout the week.
5. Sometimes you just need to get away from civilization
If you live in the city or in the suburbs, you probably know that spending time in nature can feel refreshing. There’s actually a reason for this: humans crave nature. Studies show that being around nature doesn’t only impact your mood, it influences your mental health. Spending 90 minutes in nature is linked to lower rates of depression, anxiety, and mental illnesses. The times when you feel listless and stressed the most are the critical times when you need to take your boat and visit the countryside.
6. Boating gives you something to look forward to
There’s no denying that owning a pontoon boat comes with responsibility. You’ll be expected to spend a considerable amount of time maintaining it and protecting it from the elements. However, to most people, this feels less like work and more like a hobby.
If you’re interested in buying your first pontoon boat, don’t be surprised if you start to feel passionately about boating. You’ll probably look forward to coming home after a day at work and cleaning your deck, polishing the pontoons, or giving it a protective layer of paint.
7. Being out on the water can feel soothing
Have you ever wondered why the beach is one of the most popular destinations for people looking to get away from stress? It’s no coincidence that the sounds of waves breaking or running streams feature frequently in guided meditation activities. It’s because water has a calming effect on us, which is precisely why it features as the peaceful option to many alarm clocks.
Scientists are still researching exactly why water makes people feel calm, but there’s a clear link between water and feeling peaceful. So much so that many therapists have had relative success using activities like kayaking and surfing to help patients overcome PTSD.
The calming qualities that come with being around water are part of why you feel happy and relaxed after spending a day on the water. So whenever you feel anxious or overburdened, plan a trip to the lake or bay. Just an hour or two of relaxing on the water is enough to feel rejuvenated and ready for any curveballs life throws at you.
8. Sometimes you just want to explore
It’s only natural to become bored with your nine-to-five routine. If you do the same actions every day, you’re bound to become frustrated and unenthusiastic about your life. This can force you to get caught up in a cycle of negativity and make you have an unhappy outlook on life.
Fortunately, adding a little spice in your life is as easy as breaking your routine from time-to-time. When your life starts to feel dull and mundane, it’s time to uncover your pontoon and take it for a spin. When you plan pontooning trips in advance, it gives you something to look forward to at the end of the week. Also, make sure to research and try new bodies of water from time to time. You have a boat, so use it to explore and seek out secret fishing spots!
Having a pontoon boat opens a number of doors that aren’t available to the average person. You get to explore coves and inlets that are inaccessible by foot or car. It also enables you to see various landscapes from a different perspective, in addition to providing great opportunities for observing wildlife. All of which are great for creating a positive outlook and promoting better happiness and wellbeing in your life.
Pontooning: It’s Not Just a Hobby
As you can see, having a pontoon boat is an excellent way to boost your health, strengthen relationships, and maintain a positive outlook on life. Like most other hobbies that require physical activity and being outdoors, boating is a great way to get rid of stress and create a healthy lifestyle.
