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You or others may ask, "Why do you hike?" Well, hiking provides incredible exercise, refinement of skills and a great balance of physical and mental health. But it's much more than just that. It provides access to a world of amazing views, experiences and scenery that will enhance your quality of life, create long lasting memories and improve your general well-being. This week we will just scratch the surface on how hiking increase one's overall happiness.
The benefits of hiking go far beyond the purpose of exercising the body. Hiking can offer a mind/body/nature connection with many mental health benefits as well. I don’t need scientific studies to tell me this–I know that after a hike I am a happier person. I brag that I’m a more patient father, more caring husband, and a less regretful eater after I’ve been on a hike. Sometimes I hike simply to feel better and eat more–of the good stuff of course!.
Guilt-free snacks aside, hiking can relieve or reduce depression. Hiking will give you better quality sleep, and improved stress management, mental acuity, brain elasticity, positive attitudes, enhanced creativity and critical thinking abilities. Hiking can just make you happier.
Hiking: Way Better Than Simple Meditation
I’ve learned over the years that many of the benefits of hiking are similar to those that can come from positive meditation. This is great for me, because I hate meditating, or at least I strongly dislike meditation. Just like golf ruins a fine walk, meditation only serves to ruin a good nap. Meditation is good–I get that. I just want the benefits without having to sit still.
Meditation derives from an ancient practice of calming and balancing the brain. Traditional mediation is a quiet practice of sitting and using measured breathing techniques–but just writing about the process distresses me. We already sit too much. Wonderfully, the desired calming and balancing effect of meditation can also be achieved through various acts of activity and movement such as hiking. Yaaay!
Hiking Is Good For Your Brain
This, I believe, is how it works: hiking involves a combination of cross pattern movements of arms and legs on the sagittal plane that divides the right and left halves of the body. This fluid motion stimulates specific brain activity managed by the corpus callosum, a broad band of nerve fibers joining the two hemispheres of the brain. Research indicates that exercising the corpus callosumnot only balances brain function, it may increase brain elasticity which is helpful in all of the daily tasks we face at work and at home.
Additionally, the health and function of the corpus callosum is related to positive mental health outcomes and reduced effects of aging. When the brain is balanced, a person’s state of being is also balanced.
No Thrashing Down The Trail
To coax the meditational benefits from hiking, you must be mindful in your hiking practice. It’s not as simple as just thrashing off down a trail. If you want to realize the maximum meditative effects of hiking, you must set your mind to it. Pick a portion of the trail that will demand your attention but will not require all of your concentration to navigate. Settle into a groove ahead or behind the group or your hiking partner. Focus on your breathing and foot placement, while imagining a sense of floating along the ground. Disappearing into the movement is key. A meditative state will come and go. And so it should–there is a level of alertness that is always required to stay safe. This is not about zoning out. It is all about zoning in. Hiking in non-technical terrain, requiring lower average heart rates but for longer durations offers a wonderful opportunity to access the meaningful benefits of meditation in an active rather than a passive state.
Our culture suggests we can’t make time for every desired activity. I want the biggest health reward for the activities I choose. I choose hiking because I can be assured that it covers a variety of health benefits while providing many valuable components of meditation. There’s no need for a Guru. Just get your hiking shoes, some reliable outdoor clothing, and get out there!
Written by Jamie Clarke, founder of LiveOutThere.com on April 24, 2018N.A.C. NEWS
(Sunday, June 16, 2024)
First off, I would like to send out a special congratulations to my amazing lady and NAC Partner, Lauren Lengies. Excuse me, that's Dr. Lauren Lengies!
Lauren has been working long and hard to earn her doctorate and after writing her exams a few days ago, her goals have been realized. Lauren is now a Doctor of Osteopathy. But it's not over yet, over the next while, Lauren will continue her studies to earn a second doctorate in Naprapathy making her a connective tissue specialist.
And as an NAC Partner, Lauren's clinic, Driftwood Osteopathy offers all NAC Season Pass Holders a $10 discount per treatment to a maximum of $50 per calendar year. So, if you've been suffering with chronic pain, visit Driftwood Osteopathy and book your initial visit now. You'll thank me later!
Good Morning,
This past Friday, we visited Hamilton, Ontario where we started our journey at Christie Lake Conservation Area and continued along numerous trails following the shores of Christie Lake, crossing water dams, and continued along the bank of Spencer Creek to view both Webster's and Tew's Falls along the way. We then headed out along the Bruce Trail to the edge of the Niagara Escarpment and the huge outcrop known as Dundas Peak which offers incredible views of the surrounding areas. Finally we headed down the Escarpment to the finish our hike. It was a beautiful day and an amazing hike with a great group of people. Check out the photos on NAC's Facebook Page!
Jon us once again this coming Friday when we return to Climber's Rock Climbing Gym in Burlington, Ontario. NAC's Rock On Indoor Climbing events are always a blast and great exercise with an amazing group of people. Join us for a fun and challenging day of indoor rock climbing and if it is your first visit, you are eligible for a free rock climbing lesson and free day pass provided by NAC.
(Does not include gear rental, must be age 14 to participate in a lesson, under 18 must be accompanied by legal guardian)
Make sure to visit the NAC Event page often for many more upcoming adventures. We have a few climbing adventures and a kayak refresher event coming up soon and more hikes will be planned for the near future.
That's all the news for this week.
Remember, the adventure never ends, it's just a change of location!
Lenny Burch