Health benefits of hiking

Hiking is a popular holiday activity for those wanting to experience a new country at its best, see new sites and explore the local wildlife. However, hiking also has a number of health benefits that can leave you feeling fit and rejuvenated when you return to the UK.

With a Holiday Extras policy, if you are either hiking, trekking, mountain walking, rambling or mountaineering up to 1,000m you'll find your hiking travel insurance is covered as standard in your policy. If you have selected your travel insurance policy and are hiking up to 2,000m, you will need to opt for an additional sports cover level and select Extra Activity Pack 2. For hiking from 3,000-4,000m, select Extra Activity Pack 4.

Please note that other insurance providers may differ on how they categorise distance and which bracket they fall under: standard or additional.

What are the physical benefits of hiking?

Lowers Blood Pressure: Hiking is a great exercise for lowering your blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease when performed often due to its strenuous nature.

Builds Muscle Strength: Hiking is also important to build muscle strength as the terrain is often rough and difficult to navigate, meaning that your muscles will build up over time.

If you do decide to go hiking, you should ensure that you take out the appropriate level of hiking travel insurance to protect you in the event of injury.

Top ways hiking relieves stress levels

• Focus: The focus that you'll put into hiking helps to reduce stress levels by making you fatigued and tired. This helps you to forget anything else that may be on your mind. Regular exercise is also well-known for reducing stress.
• Release Endorphins: Hiking releases endorphins due to its cardiovascular tendencies. Endorphins increase your mood and relieve stress, and the effects of these can stay with you for a long time, even after you've finished your hike.
• Views:The views that you'll see when hiking will do wonders for your stress levels and let you relax. You'll also feel a sense of pride when you finally complete your hike.

Is hiking good for losing weight?

Hiking is a great way to lose weight whilst taking in new views. Regular exercise has been shown to help you to maintain and lose weight, and, if you choose to hike often, this will help you to burn calories.

Hiking is not only a good method to explore another country, but is also an excellent way to keep fit and healthy whilst on holiday.