Consider this scenario: After a nuclear attack, can you keep your family entertained if you have to stay in a bunker for several months or even years?
It's easy to stock up on food and supplies so you can survive in a bunker, but it may be difficult to keep everyone from getting bored. To prevent boredom, introduce your survival group to various hobbies.
A hobby is more than an activity to help you pass the time. Some hobbies can be creative outlets while others give you a sense of self-sufficiency. Some hobbies can even improve your quality of life. When SHTF, hobbies can help you stay entertained.
Try the activities below for something fun to do if you find yourself stuck in an underground bunker.(h/t to ThePrepperJournal.com.)
Befriend other people in the bunker
If you're staying in a bunker with people other than your family, you can befriend them. Even if they're not the same age as you, you can learn many things from other people. Socialization is crucial if you're stuck in a bunker for a long time.
Crafting
Staying in a bunker can be scary for some people, but engaging in crafts can help you relax and attain peace of mind.
Crafts like drawing, knitting, or sewing can help you meditate. Crafting can also help you manage anxiety or chronic pain. For example, knitting can keep your hands busy while the continuous action of knitting triggers the parasympathetic nervous system. This is a form of nervous control that helps you stay calm during stressful events so you won’t feel the need to choose a fight-or-flight response.
Dancing
Dancing is a fun hobby that offers the benefits of exercise. Dancing can also reduce stress because it is associated with the increased production of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter hormone linked to feelings of happiness.
Martial arts
Karate is a martial art, and it's a good way to learn self-defense. Practicing martial arts can also improve your balance, coordination, stamina, and strength.
Karate can also teach you how to be more disciplined and focused. Martial arts can bring balance to your body and mind.
Learning a foreign language
If someone in the bunker knows a foreign language, ask them to teach the group. Learning new languages can help you communicate more effectively when you're traveling. Being able to speak more than one language makes you smarter, and it can even help you become more decisive and perceptive.
Reading books
Reading can keep your imagination active. You can read aloud to your family and friends if you want to turn reading into a fun group activity. This hobby can also keep your mind off the reason why you're taking shelter inside a bunker in the first place.
Additionally, reading can enhance your knowledge and your ability to concentrate. It will even improve your vocabulary.
Research even shows that reading can also help lower stress by as much as 69 percent, so this hobby can help you relax and sleep better.
Aside from fiction, keep books about human psychology and medicine in your bunker. These reference books will teach you how to diagnose and treat common illnesses that you might encounter during your stay in an enclosed space. Books about engineering can also teach you any skills you may need to be a builder or an electrician. (Related: Considerations you need to know before bugging out to a makeshift bunker.)
Other book topics to consider include:
- Advanced strategic survival techniques
- Economics
- Farming
- Finance
- Food preservation
- Gardening
- Primitive skills/woodlore
- Ranching
- Survival stories
Yoga
Yoga offers benefits for both your mind and body. You'll only need a small space to practice this exercise.
Yoga can help you stay focused, and it is a form of entertainment suitable for both men and women. It's also a good way to meditate, which can help reduce stress and boost your overall health. Meditation through yoga can also improve your mood and help you stay relaxed.
Having to stay in a bunker doesn't mean resigning yourself to a boring life after SHTF. Try the hobbies listed above so you can keep your survival group entertained while you stay underground after a survival scenario.
You can read more articles about other hobbies that you can try when SHTF at Disaster.news.
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