As I sit here and write- my mind is on the trail! I always want to be hiking because it is natures medicine, the most therapeutic activity I can think of and no pills are required. All that you need are your feet, basic gear and a trail. There are 11 reasons you need to hike now for your Mental Well Being.
So busy you can’t make time? This tells me that it’s even more reason you must take time to go hiking.
The benefits of hiking are way too great to ignore and really must be considered. Especially, if you are in a position where you are feeling like you’re going crazy. Stressed to the max, no time for yourself and sick with worry all the time..
Give hiking a go- and see if you don’t start feeling better within weeks! So here are 11 reasons below you should hike NOW for your mental well being.
Elevates mood and promotes happiness
This is one of the biggest changes I hear time and time again from fellow hikers! Hiking impacts our emotional well-being positively, as it triggers the release of endorphins – the body’s natural ‘feel good’ hormones.
Consequently, hiking can help manage depression, reduce anxiety and feelings of fatigue, and instill a sense of accomplishment. The serene surroundings and fresh air experienced during a hike also provide an all-natural stress relief, contributing to a happier, more positive mood.
Regular hiking may also increase grey matter in brain regions linked to emotion regulation over time, leading to long-term resilience against stress-related mental health issues like depression. Natural sunlight exposure also increases serotonin while reducing levels of stress hormones like cortisol.
Another factor related to depression that is getting more attention recently is loneliness. I read an article the other day that Loneliness is now an epidemic with more than quarter of Americans. Being alone can cause feelings of depression and anxiety. Hiking with others is an excellent way to combat this! Hiking is a great social activity, providing opportunities to connect with others and create meaningful relationships.
Joining group hikes or exploring nature with friends provides you with quality social time. This in turns help to alleviate loneliness and isolation. Social interactions during hikes offer emotional support and stimulate the brain through engaging conversations and shared experiences. To join other fellow hikers, one of the best ways to do this is to checkout groups like MeetUp.com. If you live in the Phoenix area, be sure to check out mine!
Boosts Self Esteem
Hiking boosts self-esteem through a sense of accomplishment. Making it to the top of a trail or tackling a challenging route makes us feel proud of pushing our physical limits. Pushing our physical limits can give us more confidence to achieve demanding goals through perseverance and grit. A higher opinion of ourselves leads to greater overall well-being.
Overcoming challenges makes us feel empowered and eager to try more strenuous goals, which transfers to other life domains. The sense of achievement from hiking fuels our motivation to apply this mindset elsewhere, like work, relationships, or academics.
Reduce symptoms of ADHD
Being active can help diminish attention deficit issues for those with ADHD. The constantly changing scenery and stimuli along a hiking trail fully engages the senses. The varied and beautiful nature scenes and physical activity provide alternate outlets for excess energy levels. It can also improve focus as one needs to be able to concentrate while looking at map and navigating the trail. Research indicates time spent hiking lessens fidgeting, impulsivity, and hyperactivity for hours after completing a route.
Reduces Fatigue
Fatigue is a feeling of extreme tiredness often caused by physical or mental exertion. You can reduce and prevent fatigue in multiple ways while hiking. Being active in a natural environment improves cerebral blood flow, delivering more oxygen to the brain. Endorphins released during hiking counteract the body’s natural stress response. This leads to an improved sense of energy and ability to manage stressors that can cause mental exhaustion. Even light-moderate hiking can leave one feeling reinvigorated versus depleted after spending time on trails.
Shifting focus and finding perspective
When hiking, our focus naturally goes to environmental stimuli like scenery, wildlife, and navigation. This provides a welcome mental break from daily worries and distracts from our troubles. Simply admiring natural beauty can induce calm reflection. Reaching a scenic viewpoint also fosters a shift in perspective. It allows us to gain a broader sense of our greater surroundings and place in the larger scheme. It generally helps to reduce anxiety over short-term stresses by promoting a more balanced long-term perspective on life’s challenges.
Boosts creativity and problem solving skills
I have solved many problems and thought of great ideas while hiking. Being in a natural environment away from digital distractions gives the mind the space to wander and think creatively. Hiking on trails you’ve never been on before also enhances problem-solving skills. Studies have shown that immersion in nature can improve creative problem-solving ability by as much as 50%.
Hiking stimulates brain activity through increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, leading to improved cognitive function. It requires navigation skills, memory recall, and problem-solving abilities when encountering obstacles along the trail. These mental tasks prompt the brain to build new neural connections, enhancing cognitive flexibility. Also, being in nature reduces stress and anxiety, which can negatively impact cognitive function if left unchecked.
Encourages mindfulness
You can be truly present and mindful in nature where your mind can relax significantly. Your mind can be focused on only your surroundings- and not what happened yesterday or all the work that waits you. You can experience pure joy when looking upon a large oak vs. a slew of incoming texts and emails.
Natural settings encourage involuntary focus, where our vision and attention are open and relaxed, not jerked around from one stimulus to another (like oncoming traffic).
In a forest for instance, your gaze softens and opens. The green environment allows you to relax which makes you more mentally receptive. For these reasons, you can think and see more clearly in nature. Natural beauty soothes us and relaxes the mind immensely.
Provides a sense of accomplishment
Getting to the top of a peak or reaching a beautiful scenic view can give you a sense of accomplishment. Overcoming physical challenges and reaching your goal will make you realize that you are capable of pushing yourself. Our physical and mental are intertwined so it’s important to realize how much your thoughts impact what actions you take. This achievement can instill confidence and resilience, enhancing your mental well-being. Furthermore, the ability to tackle challenges and solve problems while hiking can translate into everyday life, making you more capable of handling life’s obstacles.
Promotes better sleep quality
Studies show that Hiking is linked with better sleep quality. An article from the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership found that participants on a multiday hiking trip had longer sleep durations and better sleep quality. This improvement might be attributed to the physical exhaustion from hiking and the reduced screen time, which are known to interfere with sleep patterns. Therefore, hiking can be a natural remedy for sleep disorders, enhancing overall health and well-being.
Hiking promotes better sleep by contributing to increased physical activity during the day. Moderate exercise from hiking helps us fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Being active outdoors is also associated with improved circadian rhythms. Exerting our bodies stimulates the production of adenosine, the chemical that induces drowsiness, allowing deeper sleep. Since stress and energy exertion interfere with restorative sleep, reduced tension from hiking yields higher-quality rest at night.
Improves brain memory and function
Getting regular exercise through hiking enhances brain function in several ways. Recent studies have shown an active lifestyle can boost the growth of new brain cells. It also increases blood flow, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients. The varied terrain and views stimulate the mind to learn spatial awareness and memory formation. Facing challenges along the way exercises problem-solving skills.
Break from Technology Overload
Many people use so much technology that results in digital fatigue and burnout. Daily hiking interrupts this cycle by fully disconnecting in natural environments without devices. Being present outdoors, absorbing scenery and physical sensations, replaces screen time and its mental toll. One can instead engage the senses away from notifications and applications, reducing stress and restoring focus. Returning home feeling refreshed after escaping tech overload provides better balance. Unplugging regularly through hiking makes for more restorative downtime.
In conclusion, how can the benefits of hiking possibly be disputed? Here’s a recap of the benefits:
Improves your mood, reduces stress and anxiety, promotes better sleep, enhances creativity, increases your life energy, makes you more mindful, improves brain function, gives you a break from technology, reduces symptoms of ADHD and gives you a sense of accomplishment. Whew! These 11 reasons should definitely be motivating for you to hike Now. There are so many facets to hiking that you could create enough goals to last you the rest of your life. In my opinion, hiking is one of the best natural remedies out there for your mind, body and soul!