About seven in ten U.S. employers offer a general wellness program, up from 58 percent in 2008, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Not every program measures up to Google, which offers employees on-site physicians and nurses, nutritious food options, nap pods and complementary fitness centers. In fact, there’s a much cheaper route to good health: take a hike.
Many studies positively correlate time spent in nature with an individual’s well-being. Psychologically, time spent exercising in nature has been reported to not only reduce stress, and improve attention, but also positively impact mental restoration and coping with attention deficits.