Get Out On Your Favorite Hiking Trail TODAY
Health Benefits Accrued From Hiking
Text by Elizabeth Mathu, guest blogger for https://joanmatsuitravelwriter.com
Edited by Joan Mead-Matsui, publisher
Beat Boredom and Refresh
There is nothing that gets the boredom and refreshes your mind more than a refreshingly cool time in the woods. The challenging trails, rough terrains, and frightening woodlands make you freak out while having fun. This is what you need to do when you feel like taking a breakaway from your rigorous daily activities. Maybe you wish to do so every day, but you cannot. Or can you? Depending on where you live and your threshold for heat and cold, even a daily trek to the top of your favorite mountain is a goal that’s attainable.
However, when you have some free moments to lighten your daily load, plan for fun and adventure and reap the mental and physical benefits of hiking. What are the benefits of trekking? They are immeasurable, so it’s up to you to have that energizing moment that propels you outside. Get off the couch or away from your computer.
Here are some of the health benefits of hiking.
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Improved Body Fitness
Hiking improves your health immensely. It doesn’t have to be rough and tough, no! The simple hiking you undertake helps build some maneuverability and strength. You are experiencing long challenging journeys in the wilderness, but you are walking for fitness. While having fun, you challenge your body’s stamina in a new environment. You’re building agility and strength as you exercise your body as much as possible.
Undeniably, the gym cannot beat the fitness and mental acuity accrued in the wilderness; You are hiking for health. The adrenaline rush tests your resilience and endurance and adds to the superfluous fitness.
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Reduced Stress
Stress is one bad human health condition. If overeating or binging is your way of dealing with that overwhelmed feeling, you have to find a way to get healthy and get your weight under control. One of the most effective ways of doing away with stress is breaking away from the stressors. And the best way it is to embark on an adventure somewhere and have fun. If you have something that is weighing on your mind and resulting in sleepless nights, a hike is one way to effectively sort your problems.
Why let stress wreck your life and upset your “apple cart?” Have you heard of a “walking meditation?” Try it! Use your time wisely to deal with your issues. Find a meditation practice on the internet and download it to your smartphone before you leave home.
Thank you to 10revs.com for creating this infographic “cheat sheet” for you. Visit the website to read more about hiking and camping.
3. Cardiovascular Strength
‘Muscles and bones are the corner pillars of your body’ and they have to be strong at all times. Staying put all day in your job is the opposite of strong cardio; hiking outdoor is the solution. Yes, we are talking of strong bones and healthy muscles. When you hike, you’re using core muscles and giving your body overall fitness.
During this time when the body is on the move, the muscles stretch evenly and refresh. Besides, the tough get going when it’s difficult to endure. The outdoor expedition is therefore very useful to a person’s cardio.
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Weight Control
Hiking is the solution to the tummy or the “tires” that have been a nuisance to you. Every moment you stay indoors, fat and cholesterol gradually add up. Show the world and set an example for your friends. Excess body weight is daunting and you might be trying other exercises with no success. Try hiking!
On a normal hike, the body tends to lose about 400 calories per hour. At this rate, you tend to lose the unnecessary body weight without much difficulty. An extended hike on easy to rough terrain is enough to rid you of some excess body weight.
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Boosts Vitamin D in the Body
One of the health benefits of hiking is the Vitamin D boost. This vitamin is vital for building strong bones. Kids and adults need to supplement their Vitamin D by being outdoors. The morning sunshine is the perfect vitamin D source.
While hiking early in the morning, your vitamin D levels go up. You can also enjoy the benefits of a morning walk with kids to ensure they grow up healthy.
6. Boosts Your Creativity
Hiking outdoors raises your creativity levels. A mountaintop, spectacular vista, cascading waterfall, or a healthy picnic lunch alongside a creek, can create an adrenaline rush through your body. It boosts your self-confidence, gives you a brighter outlook, and can boost your management skills which are all vital to a person’s creativity.
When hiking, your mind adjusts enabling you to think better and make informed decisions. Without technology and media out there, you can focus on other things thus opening up the mind for new ideas and thoughts.
7. Better Perception Of The World
Bonding to the world is possible through hiking. Perhaps you’ve been having bad thoughts about life. Hiking can cure that malady. The outdoor is full of beauty that can alter your mood and leave you wanting more and more recreation time. So get out there on the trail and relieve your mind from all the negativities in your life and the world. It is a way of cleansing your body and rejuvenating for a better life.
8. Great way of Controlling Diabetes
Controlling diabetes is one of the major hiking benefits. A study found that hiking is a therapy for diabetic people.
- It helps reduce your blood sugar levels Walking for fitness is a great step towards recovery.
- The workout improves oxygen uptake and blood flow in the body, thereby reducing the blood sugar levels.
Conclusion:
We can conclude that the benefits of hiking are numerous and undeniable. Hiking improves both the body, soul, and mind and should be a regular practice. If you feel something in your life is causing you grief, try getting out and I BET things will start falling into place.
AUTHOR BIO
Elizabeth Mathu is a hiking enthusiast with more than five years of experience in composing articles, blogs, web and social media content in the outdoors’ niche.
Do you have questions for Elizabeth Mathu or the team at joanmatsuitravelwriter.com. Feel free to comment here. What do you love about this article? Where’s your favorite hike?
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