3 ways kayaking can help you escape your stress

When daily life gets overwhelming, getting away from it all may be exactly what you need. If you've never tried the sport before, here are three reasons why kayaking may be the best way to help you relax, recharge and escape from the stresses of work and home.

If you've not yet discovered the benefits of being outdoors, then it's definitely worth a shot – even more so when it comes to kayaking. Why? Simply put, kayaking is a great outlet for stress. Here are three ways kayaking can help you physically and mentally.

Find a pond, a lake, a river – it doesn't matter. All you need is a body of water and natural surroundings and you're on your way to inner peace.

• Not only is hopping into your kayak a great way to cultivate your mental health, it's also a great way to stay in shape physically.
• You'll want to turn off your phone while kayaking, to help you disconnect completely. (Although taking "selfies" to remember the occasion is okay!)

Kayaking can also be a strenuous exercise if you need to burn off steam.

For those who are not in it for the exercise, there are others way to enjoy kayaking.

• Maybe you just want to let the river carry you along with its current while you enjoy the quiet ambiance of nature.

Even if drifting along quietly and peacefully isn't your cup of tea, most kayaks have a holder for a fishing pole and plenty of space to bring a cooler and a tackle box as well.

• Kayaks are also easier to haul around than canoes!

Part of the fun about kayaking is to challenge yourself to discover aspects of nature that no one else gets to see.

• Bring your camera on board (just keep a tight grip on it!) and get those sought-after shots that every photographer dreams of.
• If bird watching is your thing, then binoculars and a kayak provide plenty of opportunity to see species you wouldn't normally spot.
• If you have a friend who kayaks, then taking up the sport is a great way to spend quality time with him or her, bedsides doing the usual things you enjoy together.

Whatever soothes you, chances are you can find it in a kayak.

A warm sunny day is the perfect time to go kayaking out on the water. Along with the exercise it provides, kayaking is an excellent way to disconnect from meetings, phone calls and emails and affords you with an opportunity to reconnect with the beauty of nature.