The health benefits of hiking in nature are endless. But for now, we’ve picked out the top seven perks of going on a hike, and will explore the positive impact hiking can have on your life. Whether physical or mental, the benefits of hiking are undeniable. So, if you’re deliberating dusting off your walking boots, hiking trousers and walking poles, remind yourself of all the amazing benefits of hiking and get ready for your adventure.
What Are The Advantages Of Hiking?
1. Decrease heart disease risk
Hiking is one of the best cardiovascular workouts you can do. This type of aerobic activity increases your blood circulation, which then results in a lower blood pressure and heart rate. All of this has a hugely positive impact on your heart health, which then decreases the risk of heart disease in the long run – especially if you go hiking regularly.
2 . Build up muscle strength
As well as a cardio workout, you’ll also be building up your muscles without actively working on them. A great way to get toned up all over, one of the key benefits of hiking is that it works a variety of different muscles. What’s more, the uneven terrain you encounter will be exercising your core through the lateral motion of trekking.
3. Combat anxiety
It’s no secret that being outdoors does wonders for your body, but the benefits of hiking on mental health are unmatched. The combination of exercising and spending time outdoors helps to reduce our stress levels and, in particular, helps us to recover from ‘attention overload’. What’s more, studies have shown that spending time outdoors helps us to stop overthinking and improve our problem-solving skills as fresh air clears the mind.
4. Enhance social wellbeing
Another one of the advantages of hiking is the relationship building. While solo hiking is great, heading on your trekking adventure with a buddy is a great way to bond and increase closeness. Plus, having company while hiking means you can tackle the challenge together and boost your motivation to keep going when the trail gets tough!
5. Lower blood sugar levels
A natural and healthy way to lower your blood sugar levels is through exercise – which is just another one of the great physical benefits of hiking. Since you’ll be working your muscles hard, the glucose will move from your blood to give you an energy boost. And what’s more, this isn’t just the case with uphill treks – hiking downhill has the same effect on your blood sugars, contributing to the improvement of your overall health.
6. Improve focus
As mentioned previously, one of the best benefits of hiking on mental health is its calming effect. But it doesn’t end there. The closeness to nature that comes with hiking is said to restore cognitive function and therefore improve your memory and focusing ability. For more information like this, check out our blog on the five benefits of being outdoors.
7. Reduce screen time
An obvious one, but super important to remember. In a world where most of us work at a computer screen all day, we then go on to reward ourselves by watching television and scrolling on our phones. While a little screen time can be fun and is unavoidable in modern society, taking the time to rest our eyes and get some vitamin D can be hugely beneficial for both our physical and mental health.
And that concludes our top seven benefits of hiking! Fancy giving it a go? Just be sure you have the right kit for the job with women’s outdoor clothing and men’s outdoor clothing from Craghoppers.