With the new year fast approaching, we at WorldWave want to wish everyone happy holidays! Enjoy your time now, and come into the new year strong. The first habit we’re taking a look at adding to our regular routines is hiking. Definition of hiking (from Wikipedia): a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails (footpaths), in the countryside.
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Hiking is an activity that can be found in all parts of the world with people from all over. The skill level of hiking also vastly differs and anyone from the biggest beginner to an expert trained hiker can enjoy the trails. Let’s dive into four of those benefits right now.
Exercise
First and foremost, the benefits of exercise are vast and deeply studied. Just a few of the benefits include a lower risk of heart disease, improved blood pressure and blood sugar levels, an improvement in bone density, and better balance. Furthermore, hiking as a form of fitness is a great lower body workout that can build strength in your glutes, hamstrings, and muscles in the hips and lower legs. Webmd has a useful article for tips if you are a beginner that you can read here. You also can cater the cardio intensity based on the specific trail and speed you hike. Lastly, the more hiking experience you have, the easier walking will be while urban traveling as the roads and paths will likely be much smoother than some of those hikes.
Being With Nature
We as a society are spending more and more time indoors. This trend is not without cost. The absence from nature can have negative effects such as anything from respiratory problems to Seasonal Affective Disorder. Our sleep cycles are even disrupted when we don’t get enough natural light. To find out more information on sleep cycles, check out our weekly wave on blue light on sleep here.
However, this isn’t all bad news. Exposure to elements of nature such as forests and trees, can boost the immune system, lower improve mood, reduce stress, and accelerate injury healing time. Research published by Scientific Reports suggests just 120 minutes a week in nature will give you good health and wellbeing. That’s less than 20 minutes a day! If you’re wondering what’s considered nature? Anything from outside in green spaces, specifically forests will allow you to reap the intended benefits.
Challenge Yourself
We’ve talked about benefits Clayton gained when challenging himself to sleep outside here. Hiking also is not always an easy task. Depending on the trail, it can take a lot of physical strength and endurance, and mental prowess and determination. In the modern day and age, when our brains are always seeking an activity, why would you choose to exert effort for a hike when there’s a new series on Netflix waiting with cookies in the oven. Well glad you asked.
A 2015 study by psychologist Gail Matthews found when people wrote down their goals, they were 33% more successful in achieving them than those that did not. Not just simple goals, but specifically challenging ones that won’t be a cake walk. Professors Yakum and Latham from University of Toronto published a finding that found people who set difficult goals achieved greater success than others. You’ve now heard it here. Go out for a hike if you’re a beginner. If you’re more seasoned, go find a harder trail. Regardless of who you are, use a hike to challenge yourself.
See New Environments
“Just try new things. Don’t be afraid. Step out of your comfort zones and soar, all right?” Michelle Obama
The former first lady was talking about our innate desire for novelty. Our brains are wired to new experiences, and this isn’t bad. Psychologist Barbara Frederickson at UNC conducted research which indicates people who engage in a variety of experiences retain more positive emotions than those with less. This effect does not only apply to experiences, but also applies to seeing new environments. Sometimes our schedule or bank account can put a hamper on our dream vacation. Why not take a close substitute in the form of a new hiking trail?
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