Take a hike from stress

Savvy reasons for a backcountry escape when you’re stressed out

By Emily A.P. Mulica

T-minus two weeks to our wedding day and my fiancé, Matt, and I are teetering on the edge of a stress-induced meltdown. We oscillate between thinking “no human way” and believing that we can actually manage our long list of wedding to-dos. Naturally, then, we should head into the backcountry for a few unplugged days of pre-marital bliss, right?

I was the one, in fact, who had suggested this last-minute weekend—but that was two months ago, when I pictured myself, at this moment, much farther along in the planning and implementation process. As our wedding day drew near, I’d have already designed programs, created the perfect centerpieces, planned the music list, and completed a host of other tasks. What better time for us, and my future brother-in-law Craig, to disappear into the wilds?

While logic didn’t turn out to be part of our decision to stick to the backpacking plan, I discovered that such a trip provided a revival that helped us to enjoy our wedding day even more.

Stress, both positive—like a momentous life event—and negative, taxes your body, reducing body function, says author of Healthy, Sexy, Happy, Nancy Deville: “Once your adrenals reach peak output of stress hormones, your body is forced to go into survival mode, overtaxing your entire endocrine system.” She adds that taking a break and going into the wilderness is a great way to spare your body, mind, and spirit. “How many people have said, ‘I hardly remember my wedding, it was such a blur.’ The reason is, by that point your brain simply can’t process any more information.” It turns out that one of the best ways to prep for a big day—or any big event, be it a cross-country move, giving birth, or graduating from college—is to step away from the mile-long list of things to do, silence the unsolicited advice-givers, and put the event into perspective with some time in the out-of-doors.

“Being outside is especially powerful,” says Caroline Miller, a professional coach and author of Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide, “and this impact is separate from any boost that comes from being physically active or being with people you enjoy.”

According to a series of studies published in a 2010 issue of the Journal of Environmental Psychology, even just remembering your favorite trip to the wilderness can help reduce stress. The studies showed that the effects of being in or recalling nature made people feel happier and more zestful in as little as 20 minutes. “This is called having a ‘savoring’ mindset, and it’s a sign of a flourishing person,” confirms Miller. “Another important part of having an adventure with a loved one is that it is often a new and unexpected event to share, unlike the ‘same old same old’ date night that couples can get stuck in.”

In addition to the mental boost, schlepping a 35-pound pack for three days had the added benefit of toning my body, tuning into the fitness level that I’d hoped to peak around the big event. My husband and I aren’t exactly “gym people.” We spend our weekends skiing, hiking, and rafting, but have no interest in paying money to work out indoors with a bunch of other sweaty people. That said, we both wanted to look our best on the big day—and for the gazillion photos that we’ll someday show our grandkids.

From the pack hoisting to miles of ascending and descending, backpacking is a full-body workout that lets you settle into deep sleep and de-stress with constant and arduous activity, but it’s also unexpected—a style of exercise that helps prevent complacency in your other workouts. Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress, notes that the body tends to adapt to any routine, and needs to be surprised. “Hiking takes me deep into the heart of nature,” she says, “so I get more out of it than any treadmill. The terrain varies, and one needs to use core stabilization muscles, too.”

It’s not just that rush of endorphins and muscle surprise from the unfamiliar, says Miller. “When you remove the distractions and instead enjoy the great outdoors while exercising, you can get a double-dose of benefits.” Their bottom line is that that re-visiting a favorite outdoor activity will simultaneously be a better-than-average workout and more fun.

While there are limitations to your last-minute trek’s ability to override an unhealthy lifestyle, there is potential for it to promote a healthier lifestyle post-trip. Not just in terms of your fitness, but also in terms of the relationships you may have been stressing as a part of the event planning. “Adventures and experiences are the only things that appreciate in value as time passes,” says Miller. No matter the event, taking quality time to re-connect and breathe some life into your relationships is a key to making them last.

Unexpected trials that pop up during shared adventures can also be considered bonding opportunities. Late-summer backpacking in the Rocky Mountains, in our case, is an uncertain proposition and ripe for frustrating circumstance, too. The crux of our hike put us atop a mountain pass blanketed in thigh-deep snow that pushed our 5-month-old puppy to the brink of exhaustion. In the three-plus years of our relationship, Matt and I had championed through trials and tribulations. But as my superhero fiancé struggled over the pass with 30 extra pounds of puppy in his pack, I appreciated the last-minute opportunity to witness our genuine, good-natured efforts as a team.

It’s easy to get hung up on the tiny details while in the throes of planning, but taking a break from my own pre-wedding mania allowed me to return to the production process with a more effective and joyful mindset. Long-since recovered from our trials atop the pass but closing in on our big day, my darling reminded me that “It’ll get done,” as I scrambled to print programs, make my Greek grandmother’s baklava, ready the guest book, and otherwise tie up all the loose ends for the wedding. Everything did get done. I remember almost every blissful moment of it, and we look great in the pictures, too.

A UCLA study suggests that testosterone and estrogen react differently with the stress chemical oxytocin: gendered stress responses may be very different.

*Catecholamine, a group of stress hormones that are named for their chemical makeup.

Chemistry Decoded

Fight or flight: Those are your body’s reactions to stress, whether you’re running from an angry bear or prepping for a high-profile presentation. While fleeing is usually the safest option from a survival standpoint, if you’ve ever had cold feet before a big event or felt overextended after a deadline, you know that those instincts aren’t always spot-on and the damage of long-term stress manifests in sometimes unhealthy ways.

Chrissy Oberholtzer, owner of the Maesa Stress Management Center in Philadelphia, PA, confirms that your body’s endocrine system responds to stress by producing hormones that trigger a survival response but can also do damage if they’re pumping constantly or excessively. “The big problem with stress is that our nervous systems don’t know the difference between running from a bear, a wedding day, and a busy workplace,” she says.

While short-term exposure to stress can give you a performance edge, long-term stress can do serious damage.