Hiking is one of those activities that appeals to different people for different reasons. That’s what makes it so universal; there is a chance that everyone is going to love getting out in the fresh air and discovering new places or even walking across familiar ones and enjoying them many times. You can explore the world through hiking and meet many like-minded people along the way. Here are some more reasons why hiking is so good for you.
Hiking Gives You Perspective
If you’re finding life is tough going, and you need to get away from it all and recharge, hiking could be the answer you’re looking for. Hiking has a way of enabling people to get a fresh perspective on the problems they might be experiencing in life and cope with issues in a much healthier way. Hiking isn’t just about going for a long walk and breathing in the good air; it’s about being able to have the time to really think and make decisions that you just wouldn’t be able to do if you stayed at home.
Hiking Keeps You Fit
It’s amazing what hiking can do for your overall fitness; when you are really striding along you can burn up to 440 calories an hour! This can be increased even further by trying Nordic walking, but even if you stick to the standard method of hiking, you’ll find your fitness levels will increase. Not only that but your lung capacity will grow too, and that can help the circulation of blood and oxygen around your body and make you much stronger too.
Hiking Bring Happiness
Even if hiking did nothing else to help you out, it makes people happy and sometimes that’s enough. Hiking, like most exercise, releases hormones into the body. Specifically, these hormones are serotonin and endorphins which are nicknamed the happy hormones because they improve the mood. Serotonin also limits feelings of loneliness, and between them, they can help to keep you happy in general.
Hiking Brings You Closer to Nature
No matter where you choose to go hiking, you’ll find that you are closer to nature than you’ve ever been before. You can really see the breath-taking scenery that it has to offer and the animals, insects, and plant life that are all around you. If you combine hiking with a vacation and sort some camping gear, you will get to experience all of this even more. You might even be touched by a level of spirituality and can find some inner peace on your literal journey.
Hiking Is for Everyone
Another wonderful benefit of hiking is that it is for all ages which means you can take your whole family or a big group of friends with you and enjoy some company as you walk along. Who is in the group will determine where you go and how far you hike – some trails are easier than others – but no matter where you choose you’ll all get to enjoy some time together and bonding away from screens and work is a good idea.