Reel in Good Health in Retirement - H.A.R.D. Wears
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Reel in Good Health in Retirement

By H.A.R.D. Wears on September 7, 2021 in Unique Retirement Gifts

At H.A.R.D., we relish the time we have in retirement for fishing! We know it’s not for everyone, but man, we love it! It’s something we’ve done our entire life, and being retired, we’ve made it one of our priorities. There’s nothing like being outside, in the sun, hanging with our favorite people, practicing catch & release or catching dinner. We dug around a bit and found some of the other reasons retirees should consider picking up the habit, I mean, the hobby, of fishing.

Fishing Provides Health to Retirees

According to most of our friends, good health is a huge component to enjoying retirement. Fishing isn’t just a fun hobby to share with all generations of friends and family, but it is good for your health too. Not only does fishing provide great mental health benefits due to participating in a calm outdoor activity, but the physical health benefits are quite good, too.

Fishing is much more physically demanding than you think. Hiking to the river, loading and unloading the boat, wading in the streams, rowing the boat all take physical exertion. It may not look like hard work, but the truth is that fishing can be much more physically demanding than you might realize. Even if you choose to fish from the bank, you’re engaging your core and working on your balance.

Think about it. Though it doesn’t seem like a taxing activity, some things we love include:

  • Baiting the hook or tying your flies: Consider how your fine motor skills and nimble dexterity begin to diminish as we age. Working your eyes and fingers to coordinate and manipulate your bait/hooks/flies can keep things in better working order for longer.
  • Casting and reeling in: You’re working on hand-eye coordination and working the small muscles in your hands, wrists, forearms, biceps, triceps, and shoulders.

Fishing Is Good For Your Mental Health

Planning how to spend your free time in retirement is key to your emotional well-being. This is particularly true for men, who are more prone to depression and anxiety when retiring. Going fishing regularly can help in this respect. An impressive 38% of fishing enthusiasts find fly-fishing an effective way of relieving stress. This is thought to be largely thanks to the calming motion of casting the rod back and forth, as well as the peaceful, natural surroundings that come with fishing. In this way, going fishing regularly can add valuable structure to your daily life while also helping to keep your mental health in good check.

According to Tom Rosenbauer “more clinical result was related to me by counseling psychologist Greg Burchstead. In a study of Iraq war veterans with missing limbs suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, conducted by members of the University of Southern Maine, the University of Utah, and the Salt Lake City Veteran’s Administration, levels of cortisol, formed by the degradation of epinephrine and associated with high levels of stress without a consequent reduction of the stress, were measured two weeks before a weekend of fly fishing, immediately after the weekend event, and a follow-up evaluation six weeks later. Cortisol levels were significantly reduced immediately after the fishing trip and were still at a lower level than the initial measurement six weeks later.

Just as significant were statistically valid improvements in sleep patterns, lower levels of depression and anxiety, significant and sustained reductions in somatic stress ( faintness, chest pains, nausea), and significant and sustained reductions in guilt, hostility, fear, and sadness. And finally the most positive result of the study was that three months after the study, 50 percent of the participants were still fly fishing, continuing to reap its benefits.”

The H.A.R.D. apparel line, HARD-Wears, made its debut in Daytona Beach, FL. And for the classy, beautiful women, the ones you dream about, a Dame’s apparel line is also in the works. But we are about more than just looking good. H.A.R.D. is a mindset, an attitude. A lifestyle.

The creation of Half Ass Retired Dude was initially geared towards the Baby Boomer generation – the 78 million people born from 1946 to 1964. These are people in early retirement or those who will be retiring in the near future. However, as we began to ask these questions of ourselves, we realized we shouldn’t just target people our age. H.A.R.D. does not advocate quitting your job, but it encourages you to evaluate what you want and need. In most cases it just asks you to look at life differently. This is also something you shouldn’t do alone. Before making any hasty decisions, seek some advice, get a mentor, pray. A wise person always seeks counsel. Learn more about H.A.R.D. at https://www.hard-wears.com/ or contact us at customerservice@hard-wears.com.