What Are Some Health Benefits Of Hiking
The health benefits that can result from hiking are impressive and numerous.
Hiking provides an excellent cardiovascular workout which strengthens and tones much of your body, including legs, arms, knees, abdominals, and hips. In addition to toning a variety of muscles, hiking is known to strengthen your heart and lungs which lowers your risk for heart disease and stroke, promote HDL (good cholesterol) levels, and lower blood pressure.
Other ways hiking can improve your health include: improving bone strength and density which helps prevent osteoporosis; relieving certain types of back pain and stiffness; lowering your risk for many types of cancer; burning calories to help maintain or achieve a healthy weight; bringing pain relief to some individuals with arthritis; improving quality of sleep.
Hiking also helps build our immune system, resulting in fewer illnesses, such as colds and flus.
When looking at the health benefits of hiking, we should also remember that hiking is a great way to relieve stress and improve mental clarity. Hiking provides us with an excellent opportunity to exercise outdoors; as we breathe in the fresh air, taking in the beautiful sights and sounds of nature, we will also find that hiking is an excellent mood booster.