Exercising in any form or sport has its own advantages, but some sports have benefits that many people who participate in them are unaware of. Hiking is one of those sports where many people may not know the numerous benefits it offers to the body and internal organs.
Hiking is a sport where individuals ascend mountains using special equipment or climb to reach the heights and peaks. Unlike many other sports, hiking does not have a universally defined or accepted set of rules. For example, the International Mountaineering Federation does not offer a specific definition of this sport. The Iranian Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation defines hiking as activities where the areas covered are higher than 1,800 meters above sea level, while mountaineering is defined as reaching altitudes between 1,800 meters and 3,000 meters. However, other sources do not define a specific altitude for hiking. Additionally, the Iranian Mountaineering Federation considers mountaineering a professional activity and hiking as a sport for amateurs. This condition doesn’t entirely reflect reality, as many renowned Iranian mountaineers have not considered this as their profession, and they are still considered amateurs because their main income does not come from mountaineering. In fact, earning a living as a mountaineering champion is not widely emphasized globally.
Morning hiking is one of the most enjoyable sports you can engage in. Over the years, millions of people have made it part of their routine to hike in the morning and have benefitted from its advantages, freeing themselves from many health problems and diseases. In this article, we aim to provide you with a brief list of the benefits of hiking in the morning.
Most strokes are caused by the blockage of internal blood vessels due to fat deposits and plaque. The body has many capillaries, which, during normal conditions and at rest, operate at 15% of their full capacity. However, during hiking, this capacity increases to 95%. This is because oxygen and nutrients needed by the body are distributed through these capillaries to every part of the body. As a result, with increased activity and the opening of capillaries, oxygen and nutrients reach muscles, the brain, and internal organs more efficiently and effectively.
During hiking, the heart rate increases from 72 beats per minute to 120 beats per minute, and the heart's output rises by 20%. This increase in blood circulation helps to clean the fat deposits and plaque inside blood vessels, improving circulation. During hiking, the blood supply to muscles increases by 20 times, and this increased blood flow ensures that muscles receive more nutrients, making them stronger.
Regular hiking helps to increase bone density and strengthens the bones, improving their endurance. Hiking also provides the body with much-needed Vitamin D (which is essential for strong bones and is also found in food).
With the growing number of hikers and the global rise in diabetes, seeing a diabetic person hiking in remote areas is not surprising. Physical activity in diabetic individuals, in addition to improving physical fitness, helps lower their average blood sugar levels. While hiking, substances like cholesterol, uric acid, glucose, and proteins in the blood metabolize more efficiently, which helps in preventing diabetes.
Among the many benefits of hiking is its ability to prevent various diseases. Diabetes and gout are two diseases that a person who engages in hiking will not likely suffer from. Extensive studies have shown that hiking reduces the risk of several types of cancer, including lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer.
Just as different sports shape the physique in different ways, the sights, sounds, and even the smells of nature trigger similar chemical processes in your brain. A 2015 study at Stanford University shows that hiking in nature calms and deactivates parts of the brain associated with mental health issues, contributing to both physical and mental well-being.
Additionally, spending time in nature reduces your tendency to "ruminate"—a term used by scientists to describe negative thoughts and patterns of focus that are directly linked to anxiety and depression. Evidence shows that for urban dwellers and those living in suburban areas, experiencing nature and hiking improves their mental state and keeps them away from depression and negative thoughts.
We hope you have enjoyed the content about the therapeutic benefits of hiking. Feel free to share this with anyone interested in hiking, and for more insightful articles, visit the Sports World section of Saad News. You can also share your own hiking experiences and benefits with us. Thank you for your support!
