HIKING HELPS YOU GET THROUGH NEGATIVE AND OBSESSIVE THOUGHTS:
Many of us often find ourselves consumed by negative thoughts, which entirely drains us and takes us out of the enjoyment of the moment at best and leads us down a path to depression and anxiety at worst.
Apart from an instant feeling of calm and contentment that we get while spending time outdoors, hiking in nature can reduce rumination.
A recent study revealed that spending time in nature decreases obsessive and negative thoughts by a significant margin.
To conduct this study, researchers compared the reported rumination of participants who hiked through either an urban or a natural environment. They found those who walked for 90 minutes in a natural environment reported lower levels of rumination and they also had reduced neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain related to mental illness. Those who walked through the urban environment, however, did not report decreased rumination.
The researchers noted that increased urbanization closely correlates with increased instances of depression and other mental illness. Taking the time to regularly remove ourselves from urban settings and spend more time in nature can greatly benefit our psychological (and physical) well-being.
HIKING HELPS YOU TO DISCONNECT FROM THE TECHNOLOGY AND BOOST YOUR CREATIVE SKILLS:
HIKING IS A GREAT EXERCISE AND INCREASE BRAINPOWER:
Hiking is a great way to burn between 400 – 700 calories per hour, depending on the height and distance you travel, of-course. Additionally, it has also been confirmed that people who exercise outside are more likely to stay focused and stick to their programs, which makes hiking a wonderful choice for those who wish to be more active on a regular basis.
HIKING OUTDOORS IMPROVE ADHD IN CHILDREN:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is becoming more and more common among children. Those who have ADHD have a difficult time controlling their impulses and remaining focused, because they are easily distracted, and they display excessive hyperactivity.
Although raising children who have ADHD can be hard on parents, the common solution of choosing prescription medication may be doing more harm than good, especially when natural solutions can have the same effect.
