Understanding the intrinsic value of spending time in nature is beneficial.
You know hiking is good for your health. But do you know just how good it is?
Nothing helps you connect with nature and nurture your spirit the way hiking can. Being outdoors in the wilderness far away from civilization and the hustle and bustle of every day life, breathing fresh, cleansing air and simply enjoying solitude can give you a different perspective and help you recharge your soul.
It is essential to recognize that hiking in nature is wholesome for the body, mind, and soul. Walking through the woods while observing colorful birds and foliage, smelling the aroma of spruce and pine trees, and listening to a soothing running stream has the ability of simply clearing our mind and making us feel virtuous. Study after study confirms there are countless mental health benefits to spending time hiking in nature.
Hiking reduces rumination. Those who ruminate or focus too much on negative thoughts about themselves can exhibit anxiety, depression, and other mental health illnesses. In a recent study researchers investigated whether spending time in nature affects rumination. It was discovered that hiking in nature decreases obsessive, negative thoughts. In this study, researchers compared the reported rumination of participants who hiked through an urban environment versus a nature environment. They noticed that those who ambled for just 90 minutes in a natural environment, reported lower levels of rumination as well as reduced neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, which is associated with mental illness. Those who walked through an urban environment did not relish these benefits.
Our world is becoming progressively urban and it has been theorized that this urbanization is interconnected and linked to depression and other forms of mental illness. This too could be the reason that more and more young adults are suffering with depression and other forms of mental illness as compared to earlier years. Noticeably, simply detaching us from an urban environment to expend time outdoors where there are fewer mental stressors, less noise, and less distractions proves to be advantageous for our mental health.
Hiking is Now Prescribed by Doctors!
Has your doctor ever told you to “take a hike?” This isn’t a phrase that we typically want to hear, especially from our doctors, but they actually have our well-being in mind. Progressive doctors are now aware that people who spend time in nature enjoy less stress and better physical health. Jokingly, more and more “nature prescriptions” are being handed out. Fortunately, hiking is one of the easiest and least-expensive activities which has the added benefit of being fun and beneficial for the whole family.
So, everyone, regardless of having a mental illness, should put their phones down and go “take a hike!”
You can go alone and enjoy solitude and independence, or go and have fun with family and friends. Hiking is multifaceted and all-around beneficial!
This is a picture of my two aunts and I. We recently went on a Hike by the Delaware Water Gap, which was my inspiration for this article! We spent quality time together and shared stories which for the time-being was an escape from reality and a comprehensive, enjoyable, and healthful experience for all of us.
