Drakensberg Wilderness Hiking South Africa - Mountain of the Dragons - Where Adventure beckons.....: HIKING THE WILDERNESS

“ENDURANCE IS NOT JUST THE ABILITY TO BEAR A GREAT THING……… BUT TO TURN IT INTO GLORY……..”

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HIKING THE WILDERNESS

WHAT CAUSES MENTAL MOODS

There’s more to wilderness hiking fitness than just physical strength and flexibility. As all hikers know – you often go through a full range of mental states on a long day in the wilderness. But what causes these see-saws of mental mood? You have to look at it from your brain’s point of view.

You start

Commonly the point when people feel the worst. This stage of the walk is the equivalent of a short-intensity workout, which catches the body unawares. Still struggling to adjust to the new level of activity, your brain has not yet started to release inhibitor molecules called endorphins – a natural equivalent of morphine – secreted into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland.

Brain control

Spend five minutes doing gentle stretching exercises before you start to ease your body into the increasing level of activity.

You click into gear

At some point during your initial slog, you will experience a second wind. Exercise-induced acidosis of the blood occurs, due to reduced oxygen flow to the muscles. This is detected by the pituitary gland, causing it to release endorphins which bind to pain receptors and suppress discomfort. This results in a mild state of euphoria, making you feel far better about the steepening slope ahead. While endorphin release isn’t governed by fitness, if you are out of shape you may not feel the effects of endorphins at all.

Brain control

Don’t be fooled by the release of endorphins: the euphoria will tempt you to speed up your ascent, but it is far better to stick to a comfortable rhythm that you can sustain during the entire ascent.

You hit a knife-edge ridge

That flutter in your stomach or the weak feeling in your knees is all down to the hormone adrenaline. Released by the adrenal glands on the kidneys, it attaches itself to receptor sites on your heart, brain, eyes and intestines. It kicks your heartbeat up a notch, dilates your pupils and reduce circulation to your intestine and stomach, leading to that wide-eyed nauseous feeling you get in high places. This allows extra oxygen to be redirected to the limbs, so you may feel agitated, jumpy or unusually energetic. This is known as the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome. It provides extra energy to the parts of your body that will get you out of harm’s way quickly – at the expense of areas that won’t immediately aid your escape, such as your digestive system.

Brain control

Your butterfly-filled stomach is a physical result of your brain recognizing the danger and not because you are a whimp. Take deep slow breaths to improve oxygen intake.

You reach a false summit

The exhaustion that takes hold at a false summit is a balance between physical and psychological fatigue. As you approach a point you believe is the end of your ascent, it’s common to increase activity in a final push for the top, in much the same way as an athlete will sprint the last few yards of a race, using up the last of your energy reserve. Discovering the summit lies ahead, up yet more ascent, can cause apathy and fatigue due to your reduced energy levels.

Brain control

Eat a banana. It’s not only a good source of slow-release energy; it also contains tryptophan and vitamin B6, which together help your body to produce serotonin, a feel-good chemical that improves your mood.

You hit the high point

The euphoria you experience on hitting a summit may not merely be the result of achieving a hard-earned goal, though this does have a lot to do with it. Research has linked this feeling with a substance called phenylethylamine, a chemical naturally produced in the brain that’s linked to the regulation of moods during exercise. An enzyme changes the chemical into phenylacetic acid, which has a similar chemical structure to amphetamines and can cross from the blood to the brain. It has been suggested that phenylacetic acid may be linked to the phenomenon known as ‘runners’ high’, a feeling experienced by many top athletes on completion of a race. This may make you think you are ready for another summit due to its seemingly revitalizing effects.

Brain control

Be aware that your brain, awash with chemicals, may trick you into thinking you are less physically tired than you really are. Sit down for five minutes and have a snack before making any decisions.

You descend

The jarring movement of descent are the most stressful on joints, and the endorphin production of the walk’s earlier stage slows or even ceases as your heart return to normal levels. This makes you increasingly aware of your aches and pains. The fitter you are, the less you will notice this; but if you are only an occasional hiker, descent may well be the most uncomfortable part of the walk.

Brain control

Break the descent into several short sections, with a food reward for completing each. This goal-achievement will heighten your mood.

We as hikers, explorers, and adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses. Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

The End.

Safe Hiking.