The First 40 Miles: Hiking and Backpacking Podcast · Heather Legler

213: Health Benefits of Backpacking

·25 min·1 clip

Heather says backpacking can cause boosted immune function, reduced blood pressure, improved mood, and better sleep.

1. The First 40 Miles episode 213 focuses on the health benefits of backpacking and time outside. 2. Heather Legler and Josh Legler host the show, and Heather frames the topic with a list of listener-requested health effects while Josh adds personal trail examples. 3. The episode asks what backpacking does for a person beyond miles and gear, and it argues that the real benefit is getting outside. 4. Heather reads a long set of claimed effects, including boosted immune system functioning, reduced blood pressure, reduced stress, improved mood, increased ability to focus, and improved sleep. 5. The hosts point to the Japanese phrase “forest bathing” and describe it as walking slowly, paying attention to the senses, and breathing in the woods. 6. Heather quotes John Muir saying, “Wilderness is a necessity,” to connect mountains and wilderness with recovery from being “nerve-shaken.” 7. Josh ties morning sunlight to sleep, saying a recent Katie Bowman podcast episode discussed serotonin in the morning and melatonin at night. 8. He says “15 minutes outside in the morning” can affect the next 24 hours and mentions vitamin D as part of that discussion. 9. The hosts then present a top five list of health benefits they have “personally experienced” on the trail rather than copied from an online list. 10. Josh’s first example is endurance, which he links to hiking long distances with weight on his back and using that endurance at work and in daily discomfort. 11. He also describes “mental pinball symptoms,” where thoughts ricochet until backpacking lets him think long thoughts again. 12. Heather connects backpacking to minimalism, saying it taught them to shave ounces, reduce what they carry, and ask, “Is this necessary?” 13. She gives examples of minimalist footwear, short ingredient lists, and keeping the family schedule from becoming over-scheduled or over-complicated. 14. Heather says backpacking has “raised all the boats in my harbor” by benefiting friendships, physical activity, mental health, and her sense of closeness to God. 15. She describes a winter hike where the forest feels alive, with birds, insects, wildlife, and no walls or borders around her. 16. Josh calls that feeling a kind of “synergy,” or being part of something bigger and grander than yourself. 17. The segment uses a conversational, back-and-forth style, with Heather introducing ideas and Josh adding examples, reactions, and one-word judgments. 18. The tone stays reflective and practical, mixing research references, personal stories, and plain language. 19. People who like hiking, wellness, and simple trail philosophy would likely enjoy this episode. 20. People wanting technical backpacking gear only may skip the health discussion.

As heard by us

A calm case for backpacking as whole-life medicine, with trail sense and a faint penultimate-episode ache.

Backpacking is framed as a full-life practice, not just a weekend hobby. Heather and Josh speak with the easy certainty of people who have spent enough time on trails to see outdoor time reach into the body, the mind, relationships, and faith.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want backpacking framed as a health habit, not a toughness contest.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The First 40 Miles: Hiking and Backpacking Podcast