Let me explain the WHY part.
I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in order. — John Burroughs
My playground as a child was the great outdoors. I loved to play outside, which is almost impossible in modern society.
I grew up in a tiny village. There was no power for most of my childhood; when it finally came, it was down most of the time.
I was fortunate to get an opportunity to live in a big city for higher education. When I started to live in a big city, my university sent me to a residency for students in the mountains. That’s the first time I learned about hiking.
My hiking is inspired by a professor who took us on a thought-provoking walk to develop ideas for solving a mathematical problem. Since then, hiking has been a part of my life. I’ve been hiking for 17 years now.
Hiking helps me to live a healthy, productive, and creative life.
A famous proverb says you should walk 10,000 steps daily to stay healthy.
I have done it many times and shared my findings in the following articles.
I Walked 10000 Steps Each Day for 42 Days
How Long Walks Will Transform Your Life
I must say hiking plays a critical part in keeping my brain in excellent condition.
I can’t wait to hike on weekends, and sometimes, I hike alone to introspect, even on weekdays. It’s a great way to think or rethink.
After reading books about hiking and doing many hikes, I started writing my thoughts in a journal after each hike. My curious personality makes me keep exploring, and I am fascinated by how our brain works.
How does hiking change our brain?
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have found that hiking helps burn 400+ calories per hour and increases hippocampal volume.
What is hippocampal volume?
The hippocampal volume is the part of the brain associated with episodic (long-term) and spatial memory (recording and recovery of information).
Researchers found that regular hiking has increased memory and prevented memory loss.
As the image shows, the hippocampus is a complex brain structure implanted deep into the temporal lobe.
It is a plastic and vulnerable structure.
Why is hiking great for your brain?
Researchers found that hiking reduces stress and anxiety.
I observed that hiking is good for your mental health and creativity.
It does not matter how hard the task is. Whenever I go for a long walk or on a 45+ minute hike without any electronic device, my brain helps me to brainstorm while on the hike, and when I am back at the desk, I already have a potential solution.
Several studies have shown hiking to improve self-control, creativity, and enjoyment in the long run.
Imagine going along a trail with a huge mountain on one side and an ocean on the other.
Your brain will reward you for showing him nature.
Deep biological connection, looking at flowing water, has been shown to trigger an immediate response in our brains.
In fact, only seeing and listening to the sound of water can yield a flood of neurochemicals that promote wellness and increase blood flow to the brain.
It helps us to relax.
I was amazed to learn that regular exercise is the best way to prevent dementia.
According to the study, hiking also helps your brain to be more focused.
For example, I am much more focused when I go on a hike.
According to research, hiking also benefits brain health in people with mild cognitive impairments.
From a medical perspective, it makes perfect sense since hiking improves blood vessel health.
As we all know, roughly 15 to 20% of the blood pumped by your heart flows to your brain, despite the fact that your brain only makes approximately 3% of your total body weight.
Hippocampus
The hippocampus, with three primary functions, may be considered your internal navigation system.
i) Learning
ii) Navigation
iii) Memory
According to research, hiking is the best activity to keep your hippocampus in great shape.
Physical exercise can grow and promote gray matter retention and thickness in important regions of the brain, like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. — McEwen
Exercises indoor vs. outdoor
When you do exercise on an elliptical or treadmill, you’re not being challenged cognitively. You’re just using automatic movements you’d use every day — McEwen.
Another study suggests that spending a long time in nature changes brain signals to promote a more relaxed state.
Go for a hike; your brain will say thank you.
Interesting facts about hiking
Do you know in 2019, more than 47 million people went hiking in the USA?
The number of people going hiking has increased by 12.3% in 10 years.
The top four most popular activities in the USA:
1 — Running
2 — Fishing
3 — Biking
4 — Hiking
The top reasons people go hiking:
1 — To do exercise
2 — To enjoy nature
3 — To reduce stress
Key takeaways
Hiking has been shown to have numerous physical and mental health benefits.
In my experience, it has more mental benefits than physical ones.
Why?
There are many ways to boost your physical health, but there are limits to boosting your mental health. So far, hiking is the best way to strengthen your mental health.
Make sure to be prepared and equipped before going for a hike. Only go for a short hike if you are a newbie; build your stamina first, then go for a long hike.
Here are the 7 reasons to make hiking a habit.
- Hiking helps to improve memory and long-term cognitive help
- Hiking helps to soothe fear response and chronic anxiety
- Hiking helps to change habits
- Hiking helps to improve cardiovascular health
- Hiking helps to reduce anxiety and risk of depression (Stanford University)
- Hiking helps to reduce negative thought patterns
- Hiking helps to improve the quality of sleep. (underrated benefit)
I’m building a community of like-minded people, and I’d love for you to be part of it. Sign up below — it’s free!
Thanks for the marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed reading it,
you can be a great author. I will ensure that I bookmark
your blog and may come back from now on. I want to encourage you continue your great writing, have a nice afternoon!
My homepage;