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10 Reasons Taking A Hike Could Be The Best Thing For Your Physical, Mental, And Spiritual Health

No matter what time of year it is, taking a hike may be just the thing your body needs!

Katrina Roshak

Nov 15, 2019

Shippensburg University

109

10 Reasons Taking A Hike Could Be The Best Thing For Your Physical, Mental, And Spiritual Health

@hikingtheglobe

1. You burn calories

Hiking can burn a lot of calories, depending on the kind of hike you do. I personally love hiking because there are options for how hard of a path you want to experience. It's all up to you and your goals.

2. It builds strength

Hiking is great to make your legs and booty stronger! It works out your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, hip muscles, and even your abs!

3. Being in nature improves your headspace

According to Stanford researchers, just being in nature showed positive effects on memory, mood, and other operations of the brain!

4. You'll get more vitamin D

Vitamin D is just overall something that keeps you healthy. There are many mental and physical benefits vitamin D gives you. Getting enough vitamin D is especially important for depression.

5. It reduces stress

According to multiple studies, hiking reduces stress. I always feel way less stressed when I go for a hike.

6. It's a good way to evaluate what's going on in your life

Breathing in fresh air and walking in nature always gives me a clear mind. For me, it's the best way to evaluate the problems I have in life. I always make better decisions after a walk in nature.

7. You get new experiences

The fun part about hiking is there are hundreds of trails you can take. Each trail leads you to a new experience and if you're like me, new experiences make me happy. You never know where a trail might take you.

8. It will improve cardiovascular health

You don't have to do a hardcore hike to improve cardiovascular health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just 150 minutes of even just a brisk walk per week will improve cardiovascular health.

9. It decreases depression and anxiety

Since hiking is good for your mind, body, and overall health, it is also a great way to reduce depression and anxiety. Endorphins, the hormones that send happy signals to your brain, are released when you do any physical activity such as hiking.

10. You will feel accomplished

At the end of a hike, I always get a feeling of accomplishment. No matter how rigorous the hike is, every hike is an accomplishment.

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The 12 Stages Of Course Registration, As Told By "Friends"

No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

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Bonus points if it is more than two.

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Recommended for you

10 Reasons Taking A Hike Could Be The Best Thing For Your Physical, Mental, And Spiritual Health

No matter what time of year it is, taking a hike may be just the thing your body needs!

In This Article:

1. You burn calories

2. It builds strength

3. Being in nature improves your headspace

4. You'll get more vitamin D

5. It reduces stress

6. It's a good way to evaluate what's going on in your life

7. You get new experiences

8. It will improve cardiovascular health

9. It decreases depression and anxiety

10. You will feel accomplished

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No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

Told through Parks & Recreation GIFs

Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

1. When you have to provide an "interesting fact" for your first day ice-breaker.

2. When your professor is babbling on and on in his lecture.

3. When you edit your friend's paper and they get an A.

4. When it's 2 AM and you remember you have a test tomorrow.

5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

6. ...but then you get the test back and somehow passed.

7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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