8 Benefits of Hiking

If you’re looking for motivation to go for a walk, we’re pleased to announce that you’ve come to the right place!

Over the next few lines, we’re going to help you “put your boots on” and hit the road to enjoy one of ourwalking tours and reap all the benefits that walking outdoors can offer you.

Come along!

8 Benefits of Hiking

Among physical and mental benefits, hiking will help you to:

1 - Reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems

Between the ups and downs of the trails, your physical health will benefit on a cardiovascular level, since hiking allows you to reduce the risk of stroke by up to 30%, lower your cholesterol levels and prevent hypertension.

What’s more, walking will increase your heart rate, resulting in better blood flow and oxygenation which, consequently, will translate into a marked improvement in your cardiorespiratory capacity.

2 - Improving your mental health

One of the great benefits ofwalking is undoubtedly the boost to your good mood thanks to the endorphins released, which provide the neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of pleasure and motivation.

Socializing with fellow hikers, facing new challenges and being able to learn something new about the places you visit are some of the factors that make hiking an excellent way to awaken positive emotions in you.

It’s also important to note that walking can increase the hippocampus by 2%, something that will ultimately benefit your memory.

3 - Lose/control your weight

The effort expended whilewalking will help you lose or control your weight. Just to give you an idea of its impact, walking for 30 minutes at a brisk pace will cause you to lose around 150 kcal.

If you go for longer, regular walks, you could lose up to 400 kcal per hour and around 2.5 cm of abdominal circumference per month.

4 - Strengthen your immune system

According to some scientific studies on the subject, walking regularly will help strengthen your immune system and thus prevent colds and flu.

5 - Better sleep

Regular walking will help you sleep better and maintain healthier sleep routines.

This is because exercise stimulates the production of melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland whose function is to regulate the circadian cycle and promote the proper functioning of the body. As icing on the cake, melatonin also acts as an antioxidant, resulting in slower ageing.

6 - Reducing the risk of developing diabetes

According to the Associação Protectora dos Diabéticos de Portugal, “physical activity stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin and leads to the use of glucose by the muscles, preventing it from accumulating and increasing in the blood”.

So, to significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, all you need to do is walk for 30 minutes a day. If you already suffer from this disease, walking will help you control it.

7 - Strengthen your muscular capacity

When you walk, your muscles will end up taking in more oxygen, which will help increase their efficiency and, consequently, make them more resilient.

What’s more, since walking is part of the aerobic exercise group, you’ll be able to work and strengthen a large number of muscles.

8 - Fight osteoporosis

By promoting an increase in bone density, walking is an excellent antidote to osteoporosis, particularly for women going through the menopause, when bone density decreases, as it will help reduce the risk of disabling injuries and fractures.