Self Care September Day Ten: Take a hike.
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” John Muir, Our National Parks
I. love. this. quote. Hiking is incredibly therapeutic for the mind, body, and soul. Still wondering why you should lace up and take a hike?
Hiking reduces stress.
Exercise reduces stress, but in my experience there’s nothing more refreshing and centering than simply enjoying the outdoors. Nature helps to put life’s problems into perspective and leaves you feeling more connected and at peace. Research has even shown that were are more relaxed when exposed to nature.. and even watching videos of natural settings can have a significant impacts on stress reduction.
Hiking inspires.
A beautiful landscape has been the inspiration for many amazing works of art. Nature inspires creativity and boosts problem solving skills. Researchers have shown that turning off technology and immersing yourself in nature can increase your creativity and problem solving skills by as much as 50%. Just being outdoors in a natural setting can help to create more abstract thought processes and simply taking a stroll can encourage cognitive processes to become more fluid.
Hiking is healthy.
Hiking is a great low-intensity exercise and most easy to moderate trails can be done by anyone! Trying to build those Carrie Underwood legs? Hiking assists in building leg and core strength. It also boosts your immune system, lowers blood pressure, and reduce the risk of cardiac disease and osteoporosis.
Hiking promotes happiness.
We could all use a little more happy in this world. There is a certain mood boosting effect that is produced when being surrounded by the natural beauty of this world. Hiking can even be a great way to prevent and combat depression.
