Most corporate jobs force us to live a sedentary lifestyle in front of our laptops. Even when we are back home, we enjoy our leisure time watching TV or scrolling through our mobile devices. Such a lifestyle can lead to a number of health issues, such as loss of muscle strength, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and hormonal imbalance. To avoid such problems and ensure good physical health, it is important to exercise. After all, an active lifestyle is synonymous with a healthy life.
Yes yes, I hear you! Exercise sounds a bit run-of-the-mill. But how about practicing an exercise that brings you closer to nature and gives you picturesque views of hills and valleys, snowclad peaks, and verdant woods? That’s the beauty of hiking and trekking. It has a number of benefits that include physical health, mental health, as well as overall personality development and growth.
Let’s discuss all the hiking benefits for body in further detail…
1. Physical Health Benefits of Camping and Hiking
Despite being a relatively lower intensity form of exercise, hiking has several physical health benefits as discussed below. You only need to invest in the right gear and the most comfortable hiking boots to seize all these benefits of hiking.
- Amplification of Cardiovascular Health
Since trekking is mostly about walking, it is one of the best workouts for the whole body. Inactivity can lead to many lifestyle diseases and heart-related problems. Adventure activities like trekking improve cardiovascular health and decrease the risk of respiratory problems.
- Improvement of Muscle Strength and Bone Health
It not only helps in strengthening your lower body muscles and bones but also boosts your motor control. The benefits of hiking in the mountains also include weight management by burning calories. As you have to climb uphill and walk downhill while hiking, it helps you maintain body balance and stability. Being a weight-bearing exercise, hiking facilitates the maintenance of bone density. This becomes all the more important with advancing age. Hiking also reduces the risk of osteoporosis by maintaining hormonal balance. If you are still a beginner, you might experience sore feet after your hike. In such cases, you can rely on compression wear for pain relief. Once you get used to this physical activity, hiking will be comfortable for you.
- Reduced Risk of Obesity
According to a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, walking uses 90% of all muscles, strengthens the muscles, and enhances the stability of the spine’s upper segment. As a result, it considerably reduces body weight.
2. Mental Health Benefits
The mental health benefits of hiking are:
- Stress Reduction
Most people practice hiking for health and happiness. It reduces anxiety, stress, and depression. It gives you the feeling of accomplishment that boosts your self-esteem. As you feel less stressed, it improves your sleep quality too. Stress is replaced by feelings of personal fulfillment and pride.
- Mood Enhancer
The release of endorphins while hiking enhances your mood and leaves you feeling relaxed.
- Stimulation of Creative Thinking
Through hiking, you can stimulate your creative thinking too. Consequently, it enhances your problem-solving skills.
3. Social Benefits of Hiking and Trekking
It is quite likely that you will meet new people on your hiking excursion. So, it will build a sense of community and give you an opportunity to make new friends. If you have gone on the trip with your loved ones, you will get to spend some quality time with and strengthen your relationship with them. An added advantage of hiking is that it gives you exposure to local people, their staple food, and cultural heritage.
4. Reinforced Connection with Nature
The deep blue sky, the verdant surroundings, the melodious chirping of the birds, the soothing sound of the flowing rivers and waterfalls —- All these beautiful elements inspire our senses and instill a feeling of responsibility towards Mother Nature. Hiking makes you more mindful of the things around you and amplifies your presence of mind. Such adventure activities encourage you to live in the moment.
5. Cognitive Benefits
Research shows that hiking improves your concentration and memory retention. It reduces mental fatigue and enhances mental clarity. Hiking is even helpful to people with mild cognitive impairments. Spending quality time in the lap of nature offers a feeling of peace and contentment while eliminating negative, obsessive thoughts. Children with ADHD who struggle with impulse control and focus are prescribed such adventure activities along with prescription medication.
6. Practical Skills Development
Engaging in outdoor activities like hiking and camping test your abilities and force you to push the boundaries. It teaches you new skills like the usage of maps and compasses, thereby enhancing your navigation skills. Hiking through rugged terrains prepare you for unforeseen circumstances and familiarize you with outdoor survival techniques. It also gives you an insight into how to use a first aid kit in case of emergency.
The Impact of mHealth on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention(Opens in a new browser tab)
Conclusion
Hiking is a simple and affordable way to breathe in new air and revive your senses. It gives you a break from the monotonous routine. Even a short hike of 8 kilometers at a slow pace has immense health benefits, be it your physical health or mental well-being. It is an excellent way to improve your cardiovascular health, respiratory system, muscle strength, and bone density. Just make sure you avoid hiking with a heavy backpack and use the right footwear. In case you are concerned about finding comfortable hiking shoes for your large feet, worry not. There are plenty of footwear options for people with big feet in the online marketplace.
While trekking, you are most likely to come across locals living in remote villages. It will give you a golden chance to learn more about their culture and taste the local food. Hiking brings you out of your comfort zone and trains you to survive with minimum resources. It gives you a chance to detox from social media and break free from the shackles of technology.
How exciting does all this sound, right? Exploring nature from up close, experiencing the rich flora and fauna, and breathing in clean and fresh air sounds so much better than working out in an indoor gym.
So, are you ready to get ready for a hiking trip and live some tranquil moments with yourself?
Then, what are you waiting for? Book your trip, pack the hiking gear, set out and explore the great outdoors.
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