The Benefit Of Hiking For The Human Brain

When we go hiking in nature, we keep fit while admiring the scenery. This activity is beneficial not only for the heart, muscles, and joints but also has unsuspected virtues on the brain.

Chase stress and negative ideas

Walking in nature is a better way to get rid of stress and anxiety. Being in a quiet environment helps to forget your worries. Also, this physical activity stimulates the secretion of endorphins by the brain, causing a sensation of well-being. 

During a wilderness hike, there is also less of a tendency to brood over obsessive thoughts, as demonstrated by a study that compared the level of rumination of participants having hiked 90 minutes in nature or urban areas. Volunteers who wandered in the wild reported less thought than those who walked in town.

Awaken creativity

To create several artists, like to relax in nature. And this positive effect is for everyone. American researchers have verified the influence of hiking on problem-solving. Volunteers spent a few days walking in nature, without access to their cell phones and other technological tools.

At the end of their immersion in the natural environment, they were asked to solve problems. The participants’ performance increased by 50% compared to what it was before this stay. The authors of the study conclude that finding themselves in a quiet place, without being distracted by technology, promotes creativity.

“Finding yourself in a quiet place, without being distracted by technology, promotes creativity. “

Stimulate cognitive functions

The hike also has a beneficial effect on specific cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and reasoning. A Canadian study indicates that outdoor exercise helps prevent the decline of an aging mind.

Another research reveals that people who walked in the forest had a 20% higher success rate in memory tests than those who had walked in the city. Other studies have also shown that physical activity in the natural environment improves attention and decreases impulsivity in children with attention deficit disorder.