9 Amazing And Surprising Benefits Of Overlanding
It may be nothing but a frivolous recreation for an outsider, but overlanding is beneficial and more than what meets the eye.
There are many benefits of traveling over land for days and chasing offbeat tracks that may surprise you.
1. You'll Get Your Much-Needed Break.
People travel to hard-to-reach routes, climb the mountains and be in nature to escape the noise and stress of the city.
Nature encourages you to slow down. You're not trapped and dictated by hectic schedules, and you don't rush to avoid traffic.
2. You Get A Good Dose Of Sunshine.
You get ample vitamin D synthesized by the sun outdoors. Sunlight on its own has many benefits to offer.
Sunshine helps regulate your circadian rhythm or natural cycle, so your body knows when to produce melatonin, a hormone that initiates and maintains sleep.
Remember to apply sunblock as too much sun can harm your skin.
3. Amazing Mental Health Benefits.
Immersing yourself in nature is exposing yourself to negative ions, which are abundant in the forests, beaches, and waterfalls.
These ions improve your mood and well-being, regulate your hormones, reduce anxiety and stress levels, and give you the feeling of gratification.
Nature in itself is visually splendid and awe-inspiring. You don't need science to explain the benefits of watching the sunset or the cascading waters.
4. Physical Health Benefits.
Like any physical activity, overlanding can be beneficial for your body.
Breathing fresh air increases the level of oxygen in your blood. A healthy supply of oxygen means healthier organs, an active brain, improved lung function, and regulated hormones.
Driving through rough roads keeps you alert and active. In addition, your cognitive skills improve by taking on mentally challenging and unfamiliar activities such as going on unknown and unconventional trails.
Your muscles develop and heart rate increases due to excitement and the uneven path when driving off-road.
It helps you focus on the present, improving your concentration.
5. You Can Travel Without Overspending.
A practical benefit of overlanding is that it offers a budget-friendly way to travel.
You avoid paying for expensive hotels. Instead, you'll bring and cook your own food, so you don't have to buy it at restaurants.
You only bring your essential overlanding kits and gears, and mount them on your roof rack.
The chances of finding shopping stores are minimum, so you don't need to shop for unnecessary items along the way.
6. It's Liberating.
You become self-reliant, self-sufficient, and confident when you step out of your comfort zone. It gives you that sense of freedom you won't get from sitting at your desk forty hours a week.
If you're lucky, you'll be woken up by the sweet songs of the birds or the relaxing sound of the stream nearby, not by your annoying alarm clock.
7. You Become More Mindful Of Your Surroundings.
Having nature as your home and shelter for days makes you more aware and concerned about it.
You become more responsible for your actions. You'll realize nature can be an excellent friend, providing everything you need, or an awful foe when you abuse it.
8. You Develop Your Character.
No matter how much you plan, some things can go awry. However, dealing with unforeseen circumstances can make you patient and resilient.
Being away from the little luxurious you enjoy, you become more grounded.
You learn to be flexible as you adjust to all weather and conditions and drive slow or fast when needed.
You learn to go back to the basics and appreciate what you have.
9. You Get Better At Driving.
To begin with, you have to be a good driver when going off-roading and overlanding because you will not be driving on smooth, even roads 98% of the time. But overlanding will develop your driving skills even more.
Final Words
Anyone can enjoy the incredible benefits of overlanding. As cliché as it may sound, you'll see life and the world differently after overlanding. You'll have an open mind and perspective. You'll realize how vast the universe is and how significant your impact could be, regardless of how irrelevant you think your actions are. You'll have more grit, improved physical strength, and better mental health. Once you go overlanding, you'll never be the same again.
