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September 22nd, 2020
Young women smiling before white water rafting in the Smoky Mountains

6 Mental Health Benefits of White Water Rafting in the Smoky Mountains

February 18, 2015 September 22nd, 2020

Smoky Mountain Outdoors offers exciting white water rafting trips through some of the most breathtaking scenery in the United States. In addition to the fun and excitement, there are actually a number of mental health benefits to taking one of our rafting trips! Here are six reasons your brain will thank you for white water rafting in the Smoky Mountains:

1. Stress Reduction

Stress can have many negative impacts on the body, ranging from physical ailments to mental illness, such as anxiety and depression. One of the best known ways to reduce stress is to engage in physical activity, which helps release endorphins in your body. These chemicals trigger a positive feeling in your mind, which helps to get rid of stress and the negative emotions associated with it. Rowing a raft is great exercise, so you can expect to feel stress free and reinvigorated after your white water adventure.

2. Improved Self Esteem

Our exciting white water rafting trips include maneuvering around rocks and through many class 3 and 4 rapids. Although our guests are safe at all times with our guides, by completing a raft trip with Smoky Mountain Outdoors, you will feel a true sense of accomplishment. As a result, this helps to boost your self esteem and make you feel more confident about accomplishing other tasks in your life.

3. Sense of Well BeingGroup white water rafting in the Smoky Mountains

Rafting through the spectacular scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains helps to promote an overall feeling of well being. There is just something about being in the great outdoors that helps people feel more motivated and happy. The Upper Pigeon River rafting trip with Smoky Mountain Outdoors lasts 1.5 to 2 hours, while our Lower Pigeon River rafting trip takes approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. Therefore, you will have plenty of time to enjoy the fresh mountain air and feel completely refreshed.

4. A Better Night of Sleep

We know from experience that a day of white water rafting in the Smoky Mountains makes it easy to fall asleep at night! When you get a great night of sleep, your mind is able to rest and to make connections about what you learned during the day, which helps to boost your intelligence. In addition, sleeping provides your brain time to balance the hormones and chemicals that affect your mood and other mental activity.

5. A Boost in Brainpower

The same endorphins that are released during exercise that help to reduce stress can help you to concentrate and feel confident about solving any problems at hand. In addition, physical activity can help trigger the growth of new brain cells and prevent mental decline related to aging. A day of white water rafting can really boost your brainpower!

Family smiling whike white water rafting in the Smoky Mountains6. Team Bonding Benefits

The white water rafting trips at Smoky Mountain Outdoors provide an opportunity for your group to bond as you work together to achieve a goal. By participating in a team activity, you learn important social skills that can translate into many other areas of your life, including the workplace and your personal relationships.

Check out our White Water Rafting Group Information page to learn how you can save money when you visit Smoky Mountain Outdoors with a big party!