If you’re an avid fan of fishing, you probably already know that February is the perfect time in South Florida to enjoy some bass or crappie fishing. But you may not know that February is also National American Heart Month, and there are a lot of heart healthy benefits to going fishing, especially for seniors.

Heart Healthy Benefit: Stress Relieving

Reducing feelings of anxiety and stress has a proven positive effect on blood pressure and heart health. Spending time enjoying the outdoors while fishing can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, which in turn can lower your feelings of anxiety. Mood disturbances like depression and anxiety occur frequently in older adults. Fishing is a great way for seniors to leave stressors behind, breathe in the fresh air, and relax their worries away.

Heart Healthy Benefit: Good Exercise

While fishing often involves lots of relaxing by the water, there is still plenty of exercise associated with the hobby. Walking to your favorite fishing hole, for example, can help improve your cardiovascular health and strengthen your heart. Setting up, casting, and reeling can keep you moving without putting too much strain on muscles and joints. It’s also great for fine motor skills, hand strength, and manual dexterity. As an added bonus, repetitive activities like casting and reeling a fishing rod can help slow cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Heart Healthy Benefit: Socialization

Everyone loves fishing with friends and family, especially the grand-kids. A fishing trip is the perfect time to share some quality time together, make memories, and have fun. You can relax and enjoy nature, tell tall fish tales, or even start a friendly competition to see who can catch the biggest fish.

When it comes to heart healthy benefits, fishing has more to offer than you might think. At Grand Oaks of Okeechobee, our residents enjoy special trips to their favorite fishing spots, as well as other fun activities, like cooking in our Country Kitchen, craft making, movie night, and more. They also have 24/7 access to state-of-the-art health care, enjoy chef-prepared meals, and have lots of socialization around the campfire.

For more information or to schedule a tour, contact us today at 863-824-6770.