Stress in our lives may originate from multiple sources such as work pressure, personal and family problems, health issues, as well as various other external factors. While experiencing at least some stress on a daily basis is natural and mostly unavoidable, the effects of accumulated stress can be quite devastating if left unaddressed. It can have an extremely damaging impact on one’s psychological and physical well-being, which makes incorporating regular stress-busting activities an essential part of our busy lives. There are a number of ways to bust stress, even at home, but there comes a time when meditating in your bedroom or listening to music after a busy day just isn’t enough anymore.

If you are at such a point in your life, then it’s time to start with at least some of the following five stress-busting outdoor activities, so that you may refresh your body and mind before returning to the hassles of daily life again.

Walking

It may sound basic, but studies have shown that walking is a remarkably effective method for reducing stress. Just the simple act of taking 15 – 30 minutes out every day can be therapeutic for those that deal with constant stress on a daily basis. In order to make your walks more powerful as tools for busting stress, take them through a peaceful place like a nearby park or even just a less crowded street. As it’s not about getting from point A to point B, but all about relaxing the tension in your body and mind, taking your time, walking at your own pace, and try to concentrate on something that usually helps you to relax.

Hiking

Hiking is what happens when you take walking to the next level by actually going out for real adventures outdoors. It is suggested that you go on at least one hike every month, and preferably twice if you can manage that. There are, however, a few points to keep in mind if it’s going to be your first hike. While there is no shortage of magnificent hiking trails in places such as the Grand Canyon, the Glacier National park, and Banff to name just a few, most of the forested areas in North America are rife with wildlife, and some of these creatures are potential threats to human life.

Invest in a pair of high-quality snake proof boots because snakebites during hikes are very common in America, due to the hefty population of various rattlesnake subspecies that are spread all over the North American continent. There are also bears and cougars to be aware of, but unless you are a veteran hiker, you should not be going into the areas where they roam about in the first place. If it’s your first time, go with a group, acquaint yourself well with the location, practice caution and always listen to what the group leader says. You should have a terrific experience that will make your stress and worries disappear like they were never even there.

Camping

Some may argue that camping is not actually that different to hiking, but that’s not entirely true. It’s one thing to hike through a trail during the day and rest at a hotel or get back to your place by the end of it and a completely different experience to set up camp in the middle of nature and spend multiple nights there. While a lot of sources on the web may tell you that you should camp far away from civilization to experience everything that nature has to offer to campers, we would advise that you reserve the middle-of-nowhere camping for the later stages if you are just getting started. Find a less formidable camping site that isn’t that far away from civilization but is still far and quiet enough to relieve stress from your body and mind as you gather around the campfire for a few stories or fall asleep to the sounds of nature.

A Drive through the Countryside

Long drives are, by their very nature, relaxing activities for both passengers and the driver, but when you take that drive through some beautiful country roads along Alabama or Arizona, or whatever road you find to be the most convenient for you, the scenery will eventually put your mind and body at rest. Just make sure that you have a route planned out and your gas tank filled before heading out. Also, try to head out as early in the morning as possible because driving through the lonely country roads after the sun goes down may neither be safe nor very relaxing!

Boating

In case you already have a boat, then you don’t need to be told how relaxing it is to go on a boating trip, but even if you don’t, it is suggested that you rent one and try out the experience. Most human beings find large waterbodies to be relaxing, and when you are floating around in a boat, the experience is amazing. For people who don’t know anything about boating, it’s best to take someone with you who does or hire a guide.

Swimming

It is probably going to be a part of your camping trip in the summer, but if you have a public-access lake nearby, then taking a dip in it over the weekends can help to reduce stress greatly because of two reasons. Firstly, swimming is by itself a very relaxing activity and secondly, swimming around in a natural lake is a completely new experience to anything that you can have in a pool. A combination of swimming and your surrounding natural environment will put even the most troubled of minds to rest.

We left mountaineering and any other form of extreme sports out of this list because the primary focus here is relaxation. While mountaineering can lead to amazing adventures of a lifetime, it isn’t exactly something that most people can start doing right off the bat, as it does require building a degree of physical fortitude first. The activities on this list, however, are all perfectly doable without too much conditioning or long-term preparation in most cases. Also, they are almost guaranteed to relieve stress better than anything you can do at home or inside a gym.