One of my favorite hobbies activities done regularly in one’s free time for pleasure or relaxation is hiking. I love walking, but hiking has the added benefit something that promotes well-being of going up and down hills and being amongst nature. I go on a hike twice a week to the Griffith Park Observatory. It’s a one mile walk to the park and another mile up to the top. I choose to go up the steepera slope rising or falling sharply side and come down the side that is more flat. It makes a nice 4 mile loop. There are great city views from the observatory, so it’s a nice reward something that is given for achievement for making it to the top! Once I’m there, I do some calf, quadricep, and hamstring stretches before heading back down.

Hiking has other health benefits besides physical. Various having different qualities brain chemicals are released when we do certain activities: