Backpacking is both a magic experience and a useful outdoor sport. Most people like being outside in nature, hiking through nature reserves, woodlands, and urban parks, camping in the forest, lakeside, seaside, enjoying nature's wonders, and getting the physical and mental benefits.
It is easy to understand the physical benefit the backpacking help to us: it’s exhausting and incredible exercise to trudge uphill for a few miles to reach the campsite. But for the mental benefit? Yes, it is. Researchers found that even short hikes can improve your mental health, help reduce stress, and leave you relaxed or joyful. So, most of the backpackers are generally happier and healthier than people who spend most of their time indoors.
Of course, backpack camping also requires some routine, or skills which can make your physical and mental relax faster and have a more comfortable experience. In this article, we will recommend five simple, useful steps to relax and give you a sweet sleeping.
1. RELAX YOUR BODY
After exhausting hiking for a few miles (and carrying weight!!!), your muscles will become very tense and need some soothing exercises to relax. no need for complicated ones, you can do just stretches sports to relax your quads, hamstrings, calves, and your core, including your back, sides, plus shoulders and neck.
2. CLEAN BODY AND CHANGE TO WARM & DRY CLOTHES
Generally speaking, after a long time hiking, we will sweat a lot and our clothes are soaked with sweat. So we need to take off these wet clothes (and dry out them), washing off the dirt and dried sweat, and change to warm, dry & lightweight clothes.
3. LET OUR FEET BREATHE
After walking a long way in heavy and hot hiking shoes all day, your feet need to breathe, especially when get wet from a river crossing or rain. An ultra-light Camp Shoes is a good choice (can choose flip-flops or sandals in summer), you can wear your camp shoes on all the way in the campsite until bedtime.
4. SET UP YOUR CAMP
If it’s already evening when you arrive at the camp, and the sunlight starts to dim, then you need to build your camp immediately after completing the above three steps: set up your tent, inflate your mattress and lay out your sleeping bag to let it loft up, then break out food, kitchen gear, water filter, and anything else you will need...
5. PREPARE CAMP FOOD
Generally speaking, we were hungry when we arrived at the camp, urgently need food to replenish depleted body reserves, to make sure we have the strength for stretch sports and build camps. In this case, just-add-water camp food is a good choice.
After all the camp is prepared, we can cook some real & delicious food for ourselves, such as cheese, salami, nuts, sandwiches, and fire up the stove and boil water for hot tea or cocoa or instant soup.
Follow these tips hope you’ll have a more comfortable camping time.