Hiking and its health benefits

Hiking provides a number of mental and physical health benefits, such as improved cardiovascular and musculoskeletal fitness, improved balance and coordination, and improved mental health that is unmatched by other forms of exercise.

“Hiking is an incredible way to get outside and explore, reconnect with a sense of wonder and awe, and reap countless benefits, such as reduced anxiety and depression, and a lower risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity,” says Alison Chun, PhD, director of adventure sports and recreation programs at Stanford University in the US.

These benefits are especially encouraging given that hiking has proven to be accessible to everyone and less dangerous than other popular summer mountain activities such as rock climbing, mountain biking, paragliding or mountaineering.

“Whether it’s a local trail or a challenging mountain excursion, each offers a customized adventure for every fitness level and schedule,” says Rami Hashish, a physical therapist and performance consultant at the National Biomechanics Institute in Los Angeles. (USA).

Among the physical benefits of walking is improved cardiovascular and respiratory health, in part due to stronger lung tissue and heart muscle.

“A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort, which reduces pressure on the arteries and lowers hypertension,” says Chun.

Walking may also aid in weight control, as it is associated with four times more weight loss than indoor exercise.

“When hiking in difficult terrain, the average person can burn between 400 and 550 calories per hour,” says Chun. Thus, activity plays a critical role in preventing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

Plus, weight-bearing can help increase bone density, which reduces the risk of osteoporosis, Hashish adds.

Muscle growth and maintenance also occurs because walking targets multiple muscle groups, including the quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, calves, glutes and core, says Joel Martin, a kinesiologist and associate professor in the School of Education and Human Development at George. Mason University in the USA. Using canes trekking You can also work your upper-body muscles, like your arms and shoulders, “and steeper hikes can really intensify the workout for many muscles,” says Martin; “Some people also choose to walk with extra weight, like a weighted bag or vest, to give them an extra boost of energy.”

Changing the terrain frequently and avoiding rocks and other obstacles also means improved balance, posture and coordination.

“Hiking is actually a three-in-one exercise that combines cardio, balance and weight lifting components, and this increased difficulty puts even more stress on our bodies,” says Joyce Gomez-Osman, a physical therapist and neurologist at Miller School. Medicine from the University of Miami.

The mental health benefits of walking are equally compelling. “There is strong evidence of the mental health benefits of walking in a wide range of people, both old and young,” says Martin.

For example, walking for just 30 minutes has been shown to reduce stress hormone levels by 28%. Longer and more frequent walking has also been shown to improve physiological parameters associated with acute stress, “such as heart rate variability and cortisol levels,” says Martin Niedermayer, a sports scientist at the University of Innsbruck in Austria and lead author of the supporting studies.

One way to provide these benefits, explains James Ashton-Miller, mechanical engineer and director of the Biomechanics Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan, is that “hiking requires constant attention from the frontal lobe of the brain.” process an ever-changing field of view and identify successive trip and slip hazards as they appear on the trail.”

Another contributing factor, says Gomez-Osman, is that walking increases the brain’s neuroplasticity, or the ability of the nervous system to reorganize and establish new functional connections. “Neuroplasticity is vital for us humans because it allows us to learn and grow throughout our lives, and it strengthens the thinking and memory centers of the brain,” he says.

Hiking with others has also been shown to be beneficial for your social life, which can reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.

But many of the best mental health benefits associated with walking come from the rhythmic stride of walking combined with the calming effects of the sights, sounds, and smells of nature.

“Simply inhaling organic compounds called phytoncides, which are released by trees, has been found to improve immunity,” says Suzanne Hackenmiller, an integrative medicine physician in Scottsdale, USA.

Hackenmiller says other immune health benefits are still being studied, but even earlier research suggests that simply being able to see nature can help you recover faster after surgery.

Another benefit of hiking is that the combination of physical activity and being in nature can help release endorphins, which improve mood and reduce stress, says Hashisch. He points to research showing that natural light from being outdoors can also help regulate circadian rhythms and improve sleep quality, and that vitamin D from sunlight is good for bone health and disease prevention.

Research also shows that people who walk in nature, compared to those who do so in urban environments, experience less rumination, “an experience in which stressful thoughts become stuck in a loop of endless repetition,” says Hackenmiller. In the same vein, Hackenmiller cites other research that shows that people who hike in nature improve their attention span by 20 percent.

Another compelling view comes from research on “blue zones” – regions of the world where people live longer and healthier lives.

“Most of the research in these areas is aimed at identifying the active ingredients,” explains Gomez-Osman, “and it turns out that living in a mountainous area is one of those factors.”

Other meta-analyses show how exercising in nature can produce greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy, and “reductions in stress, confusion, and anger,” Hackenmiller notes.

Another advantage is that there are few barriers to entry and it is not difficult to get started in this recreational activity.

“Hiking is an activity that doesn’t require a lot of equipment, training or certification requirements,” says Hackenmiller.

To start, he recommends going on a hike with someone, or at least making sure someone knows where you’re going and when you plan to return.

Hackenmiller suggests carrying a small first aid kit and making sure you have a cell phone or other electronic device accessible, “ideally in silent mode, but with you in case of emergencies.”

When choosing hikes, Hashish recommends starting with trails that suit your fitness level and then moving on to more challenging ones. When researching trail options, Chun suggests considering factors such as accessibility, difficulty level, nearby drinking water sources, expected elevation changes, and “always check the weather and trail conditions before setting out.”