Although many people don’t consider hiking to be a type of exercise, but rather a hobby or leisure activity – something to do to kill time on a Sunday morning, it most definitely is a great workout. Hiking has a number of health benefits – both physical and mental.
Hiking is a pretty easy exercise to engage in, you just need some light clothing, a bottle of water, and a good pair of hiking shoes, which can be found in literally every sports goods store.
Physical Benefits
Firstly, the physical health benefits are enormous as you can lose weight, build muscle, and increase your general endurance. It’s scientifically proven that hiking helps lower cholesterol levels and general blood pressure, not to mention the great benefits considering your heart’s health. It also helps improve bone density.
Mental Benefits
These are only the physical benefits – the more subtle benefits are the psychological ones! A simple walk in the woods helps relieve a lot of stress which is one of the greatest burdens of our time. Because of these reasons, hiking presents a great workout both for your body and mind.
