The Advantages of Recreation

By Scott Makekau


How do we define recreation? How is recreation different from leisure? When you recreate, you do not merely entertain yourself as what happens with leisure activities, but you also do it to maintain good health. It is as much a curse as it is a blessing that today's generation are presented with all the gadgets and means that allow them to do things instantly and without exerting much effort.

Most of us choose to spend days or even months in front of the computer without bothering to exercise or do things that are beneficial to our health. This way of life leads us to a lifestyle lacking activities that contribute to physical fitness and eventually we start to develop health complications like obesity, diabetes, heart diseases and even depression. Many people do recreational activities in order to step back from their busy work schedules and regain their energy. Like any other thing, too much of it can lead us to be unproductive and lazy. Research shows that recreation can bring a lot of benefits to a person and some of which include satisfaction in life, better health and it contributes to the overall quality of life that a person leads.

There are evidences to show that people from the past engaged themselves in many recreational activities. How come they don't appear to do a lot of recreational activities anymore? The idea that too much work and no play can make a person dull continues to hold true and the benefits of recreation proves that. Recreation can prolong the life of a person and help him de-stress frequently. Stress continues to kill more people and this has been proven by reports in the United States. This is where the help of recreation comes in.

Some recreational activities are deemed illegal in conservative countries. Some countries ban activities like gambling, alcohol drinking and belly dancing. The government takes an active part in people's recreation by initiating healthy and fun ways to recreate. Parks are built by the city government for people to have a chance to walk, exercise and do other recreational activities. It can be an effective boredom buster and it will help you forget about your problems for a while. These activities include but are not limited to playing tennis, baseball, soccer, card games and arts.

Recreational activities can be both indoor and outdoor; choose the one that's more convenient for you. Some people like to stay in and play indoor games while others like to sweat it out under the sun by doing sports or exercising. Forget about all your problems and take this playtime as a chance to have fun and relax. If you are not the type who's into sports, you can go on a travel expedition. Recreational activities like hiking, kayaking, sailing and biking allow you to relax and appreciate nature at the same time. To be able to see mother nature for the beauty that it holds is, in its own way, a form of relaxation already.

Recreation brings peace of mind and a genuine sense of happiness to the one lucky enough to get it. It cannot be denied that at such a rapidly-developing world, recreation is becoming more and more crucial to one's wellness. Being too stressed out from work results to poor performance and even poorer health. Doing something fun and interesting once in a while will allow a person to recharge and as an effect, do better at work.

A person of any age can pursue recreational activities. Children not only have fun, but also develop motor and social skills when they engage in recreational activities. Recreation is also a lucrative field that some people really pursue as a profession. There are really studied recreational specialists that serve to look after related recreational needs of people. These people are fit to work in parks and other recreational centers. Try and give yourself a well-deserved break and start doing the things that you love.




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