Going Outdoors During Addiction Recovery
When you’re lost amid active addiction, doing things outdoors may be at the bottom of your list of things to do. Whether you tend to frequent bars due to your alcohol addiction or you feel more comfortable staying home while you consume your drug of choice, your time outdoors will likely be substantially less. Instead, you may actually find that you want to spend more time indoors. As you progress in your recovery journey, you will be more inclined to try and experience new things. Some of those activities that lead to thriving in recovery for patients may include spending more time outside going on a walk or hiking.
If you decide to work with the Muse Treatment Center team, we will always encourage you to try and explore new things as you begin to grow and develop in the progress you make in your recovery journey. Whether that means working out in general or setting aside time to go for a hike, you will come to find that there are great benefits associated with making time for this type of activity for thriving in recovery.
Exercise and Addiction
Throughout your recovery from addiction, you will always be encouraged to exercise due mainly to the fact that there are many positive attributes of working out. Some of the reasons why exercise should be an essential factor in your recovery and your life include:
Better quality of sleep
Keeping yourself active during your day can actually improve the overall quality of your sleep. Continuously consuming drugs and alcohol can, at a certain point, make you tired. However, when you fall asleep, you are not getting the restful and relaxing sleep you need. As a result, you will probably wake up feeling more tired than you did when you fell asleep. However, when you work out, your body will feel naturally tired at the end of the day. Therefore, when you go to sleep, you will get a deeper night of sleep and wake up feeling more rested and relaxed the next day.
Stress relief
Remember, just because you complete an addiction treatment program doesn’t mean that you will never experience an ounce of stress again in your life. The difference, now, is that you will have a better understanding of what you can do to relieve the stress, which does not entail drinking or using drugs. In fact, you will likely realize that you feel less stressed and more relaxed compared to when you started to work out. Once you realize this, you may want to work out more often to keep your stress or anxiety in check.
Improved physical condition
When you go for a hike the first couple of times, you may come back from your adventure feeling incredibly sore or tired. However, as time goes by, you will undoubtedly notice an improvement in your overall physical health while thriving in recovery. You may start to realize that you can breathe easier as you work out and see a definition in your muscles that may not have been there before. As a result, you may be more focused and driven to continue in your workout routine so that you can continue thriving in recovery. With time and dedication, you will want to continue to push and challenge yourself so you can determine just what you are capable of, both physically and psychologically. Consistent hiking or working out may help you lose the weight you may have gained during active addiction or simply maintain a healthy weight.
Hiking Benefits to Addiction Recovery
Are you on the fence about whether or not going for a hike in Los Angeles can actually benefit your recovery journey? Here are some of the advantages that you should consider:
It’s challenging
Any type of simple exercise should be challenging. After all, that is part of the fun of it. Hiking trails provide their own kind of challenge depending on the route you decide to venture out on. Since Los Angeles is filled with various types of hiking trails, you can challenge yourself in multiple ways each time you go out for a hike.
It’s free
Many people stay away from conventional workouts in the gym or with a personal trainer simply because they don’t want to pay the cost associated with it. One of the best things about going for a hike is the fact that it’s completely free. The most that you may have to pay is for parking, depending on the hiking trail. However, as long as you have a bottle of water and maybe a snack, you can easily enjoy hours enjoying the great outdoors without paying anything out of pocket.
A unique connection with nature
There is something incredibly relaxing and inspiring when you spend time in nature. When you’re sober, this is something that you may appreciate much more. For example, you may notice that you can hear the chirping of the birds that much more or the water trickling through the different bodies of water that may be in and around the trail. Spending even just five minutes doing this could make a world of difference in the approach that you take for the rest of your day.
A group or an individual activity
Are you looking for ways to spend more time with your friends or family members? Going for a hike is an excellent way to not only relax but begin to reconnect with those that you may have lost touch with during the time that you were in active addiction. There is plenty of time along the trails to talk. You don’t necessarily have to talk about anything serious during your hike, but you can start to make small strides in establishing your connection. You can also opt to go for a hike on your own. This can be a great way to take time away from the annoyance or aggravation you may feel simply being around people some days. There are times when it is healthy and helpful to be on your own to reassess and think about certain aspects of your life in peace while thriving in recovery.
Best Hiking Trails in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has some of the best hiking trails in the state. When you’re ready to make plans and go for a hike, why not try some of these fantastic locations that offer some of the best hiking trails in Los Angeles:
Hollyridge Trail
The Hollyridge Trail is one of the most popular hiking trails in the Los Angeles area because you will have the opportunity to walk directly behind the famous Hollywood sign. It takes approximately two to three hours to fully navigate the trail’s entire span, and it’s reasonably straightforward. This means that new and experienced hikers will be able to enjoy this trail. Don’t forget to bring your camera along with you on the journey as you will undoubtedly want to take pictures to capture these special memories.
3200 Canyon Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068
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Hollywood Reservoir Trail
The Hollywood Reservoir Trail gives you the chance to see different aspects of nature all in one spot. This is a great place to go hiking, but you can also explore the area around a lake in the middle of this location. Slightly beyond the lake and the majesty of the hills, you can see the incredible skyline of the infamous city of angels.
2460 Holly Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Temescal Gateway Trail
Any person that has ever gone for a hike knows that one of the best things about a hike is seeing features of those locations that you may have never seen before. The Temescal Gateway Trail allows you to do just that. Not only are the views associated with this trail incredible, but going for a hike here will enable you to make it a family event.
15601 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
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The intake team at the Muse Treatment Center is available around the clock to assist clients in the steps they need to take to overcome their addiction to drugs or alcohol once and for all. You don’t have to struggle with putting together a plan for thriving in recovery. When you partner with the Muse Treatment Center, you have the peace of mind of knowing that you will work with an experienced group of professionals by your side every step of the way. We offer detox programs if your addiction is severe, and we also provide inpatient and outpatient programs that will help get you focused on the right path in life for you. To learn more about what you will experience when you come to Muse Treatment Center or for more information about our personalized treatment options, please reach out to us today at (800) 426-1818.
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