Harvard study confirms how FFing effects your brain...

[afishinado]

http://neuro.hms.harvard.edu/harvard-mahoney-neuroscience-institute/brain-newsletter/and-brain-series/fly-fishing-and-brain

 

[MathFish]

Thanks for sharing the article. After reading it I realized that the stress relieving qualities of fly fishing were definitely at play for me this past work week. I haven't been able to get out to fish since the end of November until this past weekend. My job has been pretty stressful for the past month and a half and I've been letting the stress of it get to me.

I can honestly say that the stressors of my job haven't changed this past week, but this past week didn't have me riled up like the past month and a half. It could very well be that I had a better mental state at work and at home because I was able to get out Sunday morning and just focus on fishing.

Now I just need to find a way to convince my wife of the Harvard-scientifically-backed reasons that I need to be on the stream at an increased frequency... Somehow I don't think that telling her that "Harvard researchers" have my back on this will be enough! ;-)

 

[troutbert]

Just going out for a walk in the outdoors has a similar effect, IMHO.

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:
Just going out for a walk in the outdoors has a similar effect, IMHO.

^ True to some degree, for any outdoor activity or hobby.

But IMO, one's intense focus when FFing on the stream often occupies one's mind by trying to match the hatch, fly selection, reading the water, casting, mending, strike detection....there's no room left in your brain for all that other stuff.

And the Harvard School of Medicine agrees.....

 

[Acristickid]

An escape. Your so wrapped up in the moment, your not thinking of anything else. Definitely works for me.

 

[Dave_W]

Interesting and not really surprisng to us. Thanks for the link. I do agree - I think we all do - with the author of the article that FFing relieves stress.
However, I tend to agree with TB that a hike or other outdoor activities are just as good.

Speaking for myself as one who usually fishes alone...when out fishing my mind really tends to wander. I often find if I need to think something over, that a fishing trip allows me to get away and focus my mind.

Also interesting statistic that 38 mil people in the US are FFers.

 

[JackM]

A dozen or so years ago, my ex-wife insisted I go to the doctor probably to see if I had sufficient life insurance. After some tests and blood work, I went back to discuss his findings. He said my blood pressure was good, cholesterol levels down, etc. He asked what I had changed in my lifestyle and I mentioned I had taken up fly fishing. When I came home she asked what the doctor's advice was and I said "He wants me to fish more."

 

[Maurice]

JackM wrote:
A dozen or so years ago, my ex-wife insisted I go to the doctor probably to see if I had sufficient life insurance. After some tests and blood work, I went back to discuss his findings. He said my blood pressure was good, cholesterol levels down, etc. He asked what I had changed in my lifestyle and I mentioned I had taken up fly fishing. When I came home she asked what the doctor's advice was and I said "He wants me to fish more."

Apparently it has the opposite "effect" in grammer.

Hey JackM how'd that work out for ya?

Which brings me to a story I have probably shared once or twice here but here goes again,

About 1992 I am on a bus trip to the Yellow Breeches and upon exiting the bus to begin our day of fishing I see an older feller fumbling with the zipper to his rain jacket.

I say, "boy the old lady ain't gonna be happy about that!"

He says, "Are you married?"

I said "yes".

He said, "Does fly fishing mean alot to you?".

I said "you bet, I love it!"

He said, "don"t get too used to it."

I said, "get too used to what?"

He said, "If you came here for the same reason I did, you won't be married long."

And then he walked away swearing at his zipper.

BTW, I am married 28 years now. But I love that story.

 

[hendeylathe]

No offence, I didn't need a Harvard study to tell me something I already knew. A person I loved, my father, taught me this and it didn't take a PhD.

 

[JackM]

Maurice wrote:

JackM wrote:
A dozen or so years ago, my ex-wife insisted I go to the doctor probably to see if I had sufficient life insurance. After some tests and blood work, I went back to discuss his findings. He said my blood pressure was good, cholesterol levels down, etc. He asked what I had changed in my lifestyle and I mentioned I had taken up fly fishing. When I came home she asked what the doctor's advice was and I said "He wants me to fish more."

Apparently it has the opposite "effect" in grammer.

Hey JackM how'd that work out for ya?

Last first: it worked out just fine. As for the former, I have no idea what grammer means.

 

[JackM]

Both my grammers were absolute peaches. All the time in different ways.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Is "grammer" supposed to be grammar?

 

[Maurice]

Yes, thank you. I hate it when that happens!

 

[troutpoop]

In my early 40s I suffered from some stress related issues. Doc asked if I had any hobbies. I told him I was taught how to fly fish as a child and I had considered taking it up again.
Since then I have used it as needed, which say often, to get away and enjoy the sport and all the ancillary hobbies, entomology, fly tying and new methods.

 

[pete41]

we need a study to determine why some guys fish minutiae and some fish articulated streamers.

 

[ryansheehan]

Kelsey is a great guy, loved him on cheers.

 

[salmo]

That study most be about some other Fly fisherman. When I'm nymph fishing and my dropper dry set up either gets tangled or worse yet hung up on a g.... da.... branch my blood pressure goes through the roof and I really cuss up a storm. Has anyone at Harvard done a study on the meditative effect of a long string of cuss words? Now cussing streamside is something that makes me meditate on destroying that g... d..... branch and probably the whole ....... tree.
OHMMMM. OHMMM. I am one with universe. OHMM!

 

[Maurice]

Salmo, I am the same way but I think that is part of it...when alone and out of ear shot you can release. This can be very refreshing. Let me ask you, after the initial realization that you are hosed, do you, like me, begin a patient problem solving exercise?

I often feel elation if I can untangle a mess without cutting the line or get a three fly rig out of a branch 8 ft above my head.

Sometimes I even say out loud, " whooped 'em again Josie".

 

[BrookieChaser]

Maurice wrote:

Sometimes I even say out loud, " whooped 'em again Josie".

That's a great movie.

 

[BrookieChaser]

ryansheehan wrote:
Kelsey is a great guy, loved him on cheers.

I remember him from "Frasier".