Gone fishing: Angling is the reel way for men to beat the blues as being out in nature boosts their mental health, research finds
- Regular fishermen are 17% less likely to suffer from depression or anxiety, a study has found
It’s an age-old pastime made even more popular by the hit TV series starring Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse.
Now new British research shows the couple’s relaxing hobby on Gone Fishing is the perfect boost for men’s mental health.
Scientists from three British universities surveyed more than 1,700 men about their hobbies and lifestyle and found that regular fishermen were 17 percent less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.
Experts believe the benefits come from the physical exertion involved in catching fish, but also from regular exposure to so-called ‘blue space’ – such as rivers and lakes – which has been shown to boost psychological well-being.
An estimated 1.25 million people in Britain enjoy spending hours on riverbanks and lake shores pursuing their angling hobby.
New research shows that regular fishermen are 17 percent less likely to suffer from depression or anxiety. Pictured: A fisherman fly fishing in Scotland
Experts believe the benefits come from the physical exertion involved in catching fish, but also from regular exposure to so-called ‘blue space’ – such as rivers and lakes – which has been shown to boost psychological well-being. Pictured: A man fishing for trout in North Wales
The Environment Agency says fishing has increased since the pandemic as people want to spend more time in nature, with sales of freshwater angling licenses up 16 per cent.
Psychologists from Ulster University, Queen’s University Belfast and Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge interviewed more than 1,700 men about their lifestyle, pastimes and mental health history.
The results, published in the journal Epidemiologia, showed that those who fished regularly were significantly less likely to experience depression, anxiety or self-harm. The more time they spend on it, the lower the risk.
Previous studies have shown that fishing can relieve stress and make people more sociable.
In a report on the findings, researchers said: ‘Exposure to blue spaces can lead to better mental health and wellbeing. A meaningful way to do this is through recreational fishing.”
BBC figures show that almost 2 million viewers watch every episode of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, which hit screens for a sixth series on BBC2 earlier this month.
The series shows the two comedians fishing side by side, enjoying each other’s company while being in the middle of nature. The experience is said to have helped both men after treatment for heart problems.