Hiking Benefits for Mental Health

I am an avid hiker and love to explore trails all around the world. A short walk outside or a hike has a powerful influence on our mental health, helping us shut off from stressful thoughts and think more sensibly while being at one with nature! Here are some ways that hiking might help you improve your mental health.

Organize your thoughts

Hiking through a natural environment is more beneficial than merely walking in the city. While any type of walking is beneficial to one’s physical health, walking in nature is more helpful to one’s mental health. Hiking in the countryside has more mental health benefits than walking in populated areas. Hiking minimizes the impact of the brain area that causes inferior emotions.

Walking: The most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise. Carrie Latet

Boost your mental power

According to research, people who spend more time outdoors and less time with technology are up to 50% more creative when it comes to problem-solving activities. Furthermore, habitual walkers and hikers have a superior memory than people who do not spend as much time in nature.

Being close to nature on regular basis can also help repair cognitive skills like memory and attention.

Boost your confidence

Some people tend to over-analyze their bad feelings and experiences, known as rumination. Hiking has the added benefit of reducing the possibility of over-thinking these experiences. I can understand that running on a treadmill is beneficial to mental health too, but a trek in the woods is better for combating common mental health disorders such as stress and depression. The diverse scenery of mountains, trees, waterfalls, birds' voices, and beaches is far more intriguing than the usual gym’s walls, so it’s easy to see why a walk through nature — or simply the park — makes us feel so much better.

Unplug from the rest of the world

Hiking gives a pleasant break from the constant sensation that keeps going all the time in this modern world which is highly wired through technology. We continually look at displays and check our phones, always connected to the global network. Wandering where there is no WiFi can be a great way to relieve the mental tiredness of technology.

Hiking improves sleep quality

One of my favorite topics to write and read is improving sleep, a crucial part of human life. As you may know, hiking on uneven trails required more energy than walking on a flat surface; the most important aspect you are pretty much not using the modern electronics on trails like phones, laptops, huge TV games, etc. A great exercise with a good blood pump to the brain helps you sleep better.

Hiking builds relationships

It is evident that hiking is an excellent exercise for your mental and physical health, but we see with a lens, it also help build relationships.

We hike with others most of the time, and any exercise that promotes collaboration is great for building relationships. As an avid hiker, I can confirm, hikers are always there to help each other. You never know when you'll meet someone great on the hike to build a lifelong relationship. I prefer to hike with my partner or a group of hikers, but a solo hike is not harmful to get a more peaceful time. I read an article on how to stay safe on solo hiking; please read this Vocal article.

Bonus Tip: Before hiking, I usually check the AllTrail app. AllTrail is a fantastic app that covers almost every path on the planet.

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I wish you happiness and good health. This article was originally published on another platform. If you enjoy writing, you can join Vocal as a creator to find your voice and reach out to a broad audience. I also write on Medium and NewsBreak.