River Rafting Benefits: Whitewater Rafting As A Scientifically Proven Therapy

The Science Is In On Whitewater Rafting

River Rafting Benefits and Therapeutic Effects Most of us live our day-to-day lives in a concrete jungle, caught up in unrelenting hustle and bustle and plagued with endless life tasks that, upon completion, bring little solitude or sense of serenity. We live a life fraught with stress, worry and hurry, and we wonder why we find ourselves so grossly unhealthy, both physically and mentally. But alas, there is a solution! Numerous scientific studies have been conducted and published confirming and praising the benefits of, you guessed it, whitewater rafting! These scientific studies support the restorative potentials of natural settings, and have found significant associations between whitewater rafting and improved mental and physical states of health. These benefits occur across all age groups and throughout all levels of rafting difficulty. Since the beginning of time people have turned to nature for its inherent healing properties. We're seeing trends back to nature once again as people begin to see the shortcomings of conventional treatment approaches. What is commonly missing from these conventional approaches is a focus on healthy lifestyle behaviors. Whitewater rafting, in a therapeutic sense, is often referred to as therapeutic recreation. Several benefits associated with whitewater rafting include relaxation, appreciation of nature, enhanced kinship and better physical fitness1. Most all rafters report a sense of peace and "living in the moment" on the trip. Navigating river rapids cause increased feelings of self-competence and self-confidence, and help to reenergize the mind and body in order to better deal with life's problems. Navigating the river helps people put their lives and problems in perspective. Additionally, many participants who suffer from anxiety, insomnia and PTSD report a drastic drop in the need to take medications on and after the trip2,3. Perhaps most importantly, people tend to experience a true sense of joy and oneness that is often lost in their everyday routines. [iframe id="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VbjInYMnuRE?rel=0" align="center" mode="normal" autoplay="no" aspect_ratio="16:9" maxwidth="700" grow="no"] ?The more you look at the rock, the bigger it becomes. The bigger it becomes, the harder it is to avoid. Keep your focus downstream and on the opportunities rather than on the obstacles. Boating is a lot like life. Focus on where you want to be rather than on where you don't want to be. Recognize the rock in the river but don't focus on it. Focus on the clean run and put all of your energy into accomplishing it.? - Anonymous Nature is a sanctuary, and when combined with therapeutic recreation such as whitewater rafting, it can be a powerful therapy. It?s time to relax, recharge and restore on a whitewater rafting trip with Advantage Grand Canyon. You can't argue it, the scientists say so!

  1. Garg, R., Couture, R., Ogryzlo, T., & Schinke, R. (2010, August 1). Perceived Psychosocial Benefits Associated with Perceived Restorative Potential of Wilderness River-Rafting Trips. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20923066
  2. Dustin, D., Bricker, N., Arave, J., Wall, W., & Wendt, G. (n.d.). The Promise of River Running as a Therapeutic Medium for Veterans Coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved 2011, from http://r4alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Dustin_2439-9558-1-PB.pdf
  3. Pearson, D., & Craig, T. (2014, October 21). The Great Outdoors? Exploring the Mental Health Benefits of Natural Environments. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4204431/