Evaluation of the Benefits of Pursuing Hiking as a Hobby

Evaluation of the Benefits of Pursuing Hiking as a Hobby

Hiking involves walking in nature as a recreational activity. It is usually common among individuals in sedentary occupations. Sedentary occupations are jobs characterized by light physical activities or sitting at a desk in an office. As such, people who engage in hiking as a hobby enjoy a wide range of benefits. However, most people who engage in hiking as a hobby are unaware of the general human wellness and health benefits of hiking as an activity. This paper, therefore, evaluates physical, psychological and social, and health, and completion of developmental challenges benefits of hiking as a hobby. .

Physical Fitness Benefits

When hiking, there are various physical activities that hikers engage in such as walking and climbing mountains or hills that enhance the physical wellbeing of individuals. Regular hiking has significant physical benefits such as weigh loss. Weight loss are associated worth being physical fit as a human being. It enhances alertness of people to their environment and surroundings. As a results it generally contribute to people being physically active. Moreover, people who are physically active have all-purpose body physiques that is well coordinated for a proper function of human body. Therefore, whenever a person specifically focuses on hiking, it comes with the physical body benefits that positively impact their general wellbeing.

Psychological and Social Benefits

Psychological benefits of hiking is on of the reason as to why most people chose to hike as a hobby. Most people who are stressed due to various reasons finds it more fun  and stress relieving to go hiking as compare to other hobbies. Based on the attention restoration theory by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan, when an individual is exposed to a restorative environment such as a natural environment, they improve their focus and mental health status by resting on the directed attention. Subsequently, alfresco spaces such as wooden parks, scenic natural landscapes, and places with age water tend to be the most preferred place for stressed and depressed people (Mitten et al., 2018). Additionally, social benefits of hiking results from social contact during the hike has some relationship help outcome to hikers. The positive social outcome of hiking is developed from the interaction with the natural environment and , which stimulates communication among hikers (Mitten et al., 2018). Therefore, the natural environment that hikers interact with has both psychological and social benefits. Hence, people who focus on hiking as a hobby benefit significantly

General Health

Hiking can results into immediate health-related benefits such as decreases blood pressure and improvement and strengthening of an individual’s immune system . Consistent hiking walks continuously for about six months may significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (Mandini et al.,2018). More particularly, it assists more effectively for people who are suffering from severe hypertension. Moreover, hiking is effective in the improvement and strengthening of an individual’s immune system. Strengthening the immune system is mostly measured via enhanced natural killer cell activity and intercellular anticancer proteins (Mitten et al., 2018). Additionally, this is based on a theory that inhaling volatile antimicrobial organic compounds or phytoncides from specific trees in forests contributes significantly to their health benefits. Therefore, hiking as a hobby is more beneficial to the hikers.

Completion of Developmental Challenges

Moreover, hiking as a hobby may benefit individuals by assisting in completing developmental challenges faced in each stage of life. Times spent outdoors engaging in various activities have a greater level of plasticity in children. For instance, kids who frequently play in natural environments have a more advanced motor fitness, including proper coordination, appropriate balance, and nimbleness (Mitten et al., 2018). Moreover, the kids also get sick less frequently. Another benefit of hiking as a hobby is that teenagers are usually more disturbed about their body image, sex, individuality, and how their future might look like. Therefore, involvement in hiking delivers teenagers a considerable opportunity to relax, increase their energy, and reflect on their personal needs and desires (Mitten et al., 2018).  Moreover, it is also beneficial amongst middle-aged women who have improved individual development, confident kindred with others, self-acceptance, and sagacity of determination in life

In conclusion, hiking involves in walking in nature as a recreational activity. Hiking is usually common among individuals with are in sedentary occupations. Sedentary occupations are jobs characterized by light physical activities or sitting at a desk in an office. Despite hiking having some negative health-threatening outcome, which includes an increased risk for mortality, more benefits outweigh the negative outcome. As such, people who engage in hiking as a hobby enjoy a wide range of benefits. These benefits revolve around evaluates physical, psychological and social, health, and completion of developmental challenges. Therefore, individuals who specifically focus on pursuing hiking have numerous benefits.

Reference

Mandini, S., Conconi, F., Mori, E., Myers, J., Grazzi, G., & Mazzoni, G. (2018). Walking and hypertension: greater reductions in subjects with higher baseline systolic blood pressure following six months of guided walking. PeerJ, 6, e5471.

Mitten, D., Overholt, J. R., Haynes, F. I., D’Amore, C. C., & Ady, J. C. (2018). Hiking: A low-cost),, accessible intervention to promote health benefits. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 12(4302-310.