For a lot of people, going to the gym can help them mentally and physically but it can be intimidating if you do not have a personal trainer. Luckily, you have other options for physical activity, such as hiking. Going hiking is not just a frivolous recreational activity that you do. It has a lot of health benefits, too!
Some people are fond of traveling to mountainous areas, some to beaches and others to historical places. Exploring new places gives you a fresh start to recover from a major transition in your life. Especially those who have some disease, doctors suggest the, to travel to relax. It gives you happiness and reflects the purpose of life.
You need to be prepared and you need to go slow. All climbers - even experienced climbers - are required to go through a multi-day training before climbing the mountain. The secret to climbing successfully on the mountain, is to take short, consistent steps and never stop. People who jump from rock to rock or vary their pace from fast to slow or extend their legs wide when climbing are often worn out, get hurt or too tired to make it to the top.
So they practice short, consistent steps. It’s harder than it looks, but when you are going up a grade, you can go longer with less fatigue than any other method. It's a fact that hiking is good for your physical and mental health. There are different scientific researches which explain that exploring new places can prove wonderful for your emotional wellbeing.
Here are a few reasons hiking is good for your health:
1. Hiking relieves stress
One of the biggest reasons people are into hiking is because of the fact that it is a great way to relieve stress. The great thing about hiking is that it requires you most of the time to be in an area that is surrounded by nature. Dedicating a time where you are surrounded by the healing powers of nature is a distresser in and of itself.
Since you may live your life stuck in the middle of all this hustle and bustle, your mind is probably tired from the overload of information that you deal with on a daily basis. Giving yourself the time to disconnect and simply be yourself in nature is a simple way to refocus your mental energy and get ready to tackle whatever else life is going to throw at you.
Hiking to fascinating places boosts your mood and confidence. Observing the wonders of nature can provide to eternal happiness. If you are tired from your everyday routine or bored of visiting the same places, explore the world. It helps you in gaining more experience and joy. This happiness starts from the step you plan your journey. Different places have different specialties.
2. Hiking helps you lose weight
One of the physical benefits that hiking can help you with is that, like any other physical activity, it has the potential to help you lose weight. The problem that people often have with losing weight is that it is so hard to go to the gym. Not to mention that feeling that people are judging you for being there.
However, if you go hiking, you have yourself and nature around you so you do not have to fear being judged by the mountains and the trees. At the same time, it does not feel like hiking has a lot of pressure on you being physically tired and producing results fast. That way you do not have to add more stress to yourself when you are trying to lose weight.
Interesting reads: How to stay fit while traveling
3. Hiking reduces the risk of heart diseases
A specific reason why hiking is good for your health is that the activity in and of itself helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Hiking helps you get your blood pumping and your heartbeat going, which is some form of exercise for your heart. This means that you are exercising it and you are developing this muscle that pumps blood all over your body.
Because it is being exercised, your heart is going to become stronger and it will be more immune against a lot of heart diseases. You do not even have to overwork yourself to be able to get your heart pumping. Even just taking a short hiking trail is going to be beneficial to you.
4. Hiking helps lower your blood pressure
Another health benefit of hiking is that it helps lower your blood pressure. More so if you do it on a regular basis. If you have plans to go hiking up a mountain but are afraid of how it might affect your blood pressure there is no need to worry. A short and frequent hike can help you manage your hypertension and lower your blood pressure.
As long as you manage your assent and do not go too fast you should be fine. Nevertheless, it is best that you consult with a physician first.
5. Hiking improves your bone density
Aside from your muscles, your bones also improve when you develop a love for hiking. Hiking on a regular schedule helps your body reduce the rate with which you have bone loss; therefore, improving your overall bone density. Just make sure that you are hiking with the proper equipment such as walking sticks. That way, there is less chance that you will get injured during your hike.
6. Physical preparation
Physical preparation comes in the list of crucial things while climbing. You can start preparing by running, walking, and hiking. Here, not only strength plays a crucial role but also it requires your flexibility. So, you can start doing yoga and stretching exercises to build up the flexibility in you. Also, before you go for climbing you can start with indoor climbing to check your fitness capability.
Without training, you will find it very difficult to climb in the mountains. For the training purpose, you can enroll yourself in any training programme. There are various mountain clubs, where they provide periodic training. Camping is a must thing to do while you are in the mountain. It will be your shelter in harsh weather condition. So, learn how to set up camp on the top of the mountains.
Your gear is a prerequisite while you climb the mountain. So, these are the things that you will be needed to overcome any hurdles in the mountain. Before you start your climbing, make sure you run a trial test on your gear to check whether they are in proper condition or not.
7. Hiking is good for mental wellness
If you feel like your mental state is a little cluttered and all over the place, you might want to disconnect from the world a little and go hiking. Hiking helps you have a moment to yourself without distracting you the way your gadgets and other people do. Aside from that, it also gives you an exercise that is known to boost your mood overall.
Every further step relaxes your mind and recharges your body. Nothing is more delightful than a feeling to pack up your bags for a free of stress journey. As you go to a new place, you can feel the excitement at every step. It makes you tough mentally and emotionally. Having a joyful company adds to the pleasure. It helps to overcome your fears and explore the true meaning of life. Different places have a different environment.
It contributes a lot to the tourist destinations. For many people, anticipating a trip to fascinating places is thrilling and exciting. It helps you in calming yourself by creating amazing memories.
Therefore, if you are feeling like you need a mental health day, then why not spend that day by going hiking?
Interesting reads: Mental health benefits of traveling