10 Health Benefits of Hiking
Why walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise
We all know exercising is good for us.
Most of us are aware that walking outdoors comes with an abundance of perks.
We all want to be happier, fitter, healthier and stronger.
What most people don’t tell you is: regular hikes in the wilderness give you all of these things and more; with the many benefits having the power to quite literally change lives.
Sound dramatic? Let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits and we’ll let you decide.
Improves fitness
Is this news to you? Probs not — but it’s a benefit that needed to be stated nontheless. The 10,000 steps per day claim might not be rooted in science, but it can’t be disputed that a daily stroll can extend your lifespan.
Better still, walking is one of the best forms of cardio around. Known as weight-bearing exercise, you of course carry your own weight when you walk which in turn offers many benefits including reduced body fat, increased muscle strength and endurance.
Boosts mood
Rates of depression and anxiety are much lower among regular walkers. Not only does a day in nature reduce stress and boost your mood temporarily, but it can have positive effects on your mental health in the long-term.
Psychologists have found that just a 10-minute walk may be as beneficial as a 45-minute workout when it comes to relieving the symptoms of anxiety.
Who can feel stressed when taking in the beauty of the great outdoors, eh?
Improves heart health
Walking can decrease your risk of heart disease (by significantly improving your cholesterol and blood pressure) just as much as running if the energy expenditure is equivalent (e.g., a long walk as opposed to a short run).
That said, walking at least 30-minutes a day, five days a week can reduce your risk of coronary heart disease by around 19-percent.
Increase the duration or distance, and you decrease the risk — win-win.
Helps control diabetes
A small study found that taking a 15-minute walk three times a day improved blood sugar levels more than most forms of exercise.
So if a long hike isn’t your cup of tea, try and split your day into a few short walks and your blood sugar levels will thank you for it.
Improves attention span and creative thinking
A quick tally around the team here at Getlostmcr found that pretty much all of us had trouble concentrating at school pre smartphones.
Put us in an educational setting today after years of scrolling, binge watching and tech consumption? We’d literally have no chance.
Studies have found that not only does reconnecting with nature improve your attention span — but if you’ve got a creative project looming and a bit of artistic block to boot, a quick stroll in nature will sure have you on your way to a finished masterpiece.
Research shows that experiment participants found it incredibly easy to think of new ideas while walking, particularly outdoors. The researchers concluded that walking opens up a free flow of ideas and is a simple way to increase creativity and get physical activity at the same time.
Sign. us. up!
It can be a social activity
We can’t speak for the masses, but whenever we try to incorporate our daily jog into a social outing… it’s safe to say it doesn’t end well.
While your mate may be able to hold a steady conversation as you run alongside each other, our lungs definitely can’t manage that feat.
“Fancy a walk instead, pal?” Chewing our mates’ ears off is no problem on a stroll — luckily or unluckily for them.
Limiting screen time
Scrolling on socials one day, we came across the “do more things that make you forget to check your phone” quote.
It might sound cheesy on the surface, but in the digital age — it’s one of the best pieces of advice we’ve ever heard.
Other than using navigation apps to follow routes, we’ve found whenever we set off on a long trek outdoors, we scarcely remember we even have a phone.
How’s that for a digital detox?
Eases joint pain
It’s fairly well known that walking helps protect the joints, including your knees and hips. That’s because a short or long stroll helps lubricate and strengthen the muscles surrounding that support your joints.
As if that wasn’t reason enough to lace up your walking boots, walking can also provide benefits for the symptoms of arthiritis and other ailments — including pain management and reduced recovery time.
Boosts immune function
Living in a rainy city like ours of course comes with a few cons — and the seasonal bouts of flu is definitely one of them.
While you may not feel like stepping outdoors when winter hits, did you know walking can actually reduce your risk of developing a cold or the flu?
Studies show that those who walk at a moderate pace for 30-45 minutes a day had 43-percent fewer sick days and significantly less respiratory tract infections overall.
What’s more, their symptoms also lessened if they were to get sick than compared to adults in the study who were sedentary.
Fancy waving goodbye to the lurgy for good? Dig out those trainers and get outdoors.
Extends your lifespan
Walking just a few times a week could extend your lifespan significantly — particularly if you challenge yourself to walk at a faster pace every so often.
Research shows that walking at a brisk pace reduced your risk of overall death by 24-percent, and who doesn’t wanna reduce that?
