Running is one of the most accessible forms of exercise found in almost any town or city around the world, and it doesn’t have to be expensive to have a positive impact on your overall health.
Running is considered one of the most popular forms of exercise due to its versatility in being able to be done virtually anywhere. According to Statista, approximately 56 million adults in the United States engaged in running/jogging and trail running activities in 2017.
The sport of running has gained a large and enthusiastic following worldwide, which is not surprising. The biggest challenge often lies in beginning, but once you overcome the initial discomfort, running offers incredible advantages that enhance both your physical and mental well-being.
Running offers a multitude of benefits, ranging from enhancing heart and lung health, decreasing the chances of contracting diseases, to boosting mood and self-assurance. These advantages make running appealing to a wide range of individuals, prompting them to consider lacing up their shoes and embarking on a journey along the road, track, treadmill, or trail. Continue reading to discover which benefits of running resonate with you and motivate you to take part in this activity.
Benefits of running
Here are some of the main benefits of running, which range from enhancing cardiovascular fitness to mitigating stress, illustrating the extensive list of advantages.
1. Running improves cardiovascular health
If you have ever found yourself breathless after running to catch a subway, a child, or your dog, it is not surprising that running impacts your cardiovascular system. This is because your heart rate rises while running to supply more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your active muscles.
With continuous running over time, your heart and lungs undergo adaptations. This results in the strengthening of your heart, allowing it to pump a larger amount of blood per beat, while your lungs become more formidable and able to intake a greater volume of air with each breath. As your cardiovascular efficiency enhances, you are able to achieve a higher running speed with reduced exertion.
2. Running builds muscular strength
When we have walked behind a runner, many of us have wished for their well-developed, strong calves. By ensuring that you provide your body with sufficient calories and protein to support your training, running can contribute to muscle building and improved strength. As a comprehensive exercise, running enhances the strength of your legs, core, and upper body.
3. Running increases bone density
A number of studies have shown that activities with a strong impact, such as running, exert pressure on bones, prompting them to adapt by increasing the deposition of minerals within the bone structure in order to enhance its strength.
When running, the body’s production of bone-building hormones is also increased, which prompts the body to generate more bone cells and restricts the functioning of cells responsible for breaking down bone cells. As a result, bones become stronger, leading to enhanced durability and reduced risk of fractures.
4. Running improves markers of health
Various studies have demonstrated that regular running can lead to a decrease in blood pressure and resting heart rate, an enhancement in blood sugar control, a decrease in triglycerides, as well as a decrease in cholesterol. Furthermore, it can also bring about a reduction in waist circumference and body fat percentage. By improving these health indicators, the risk of diseases can be minimized, thereby contributing to an overall feeling of improved health.
5. Running reduces stress
Engaging in outdoor activities and running on either pavement or trails is an effective method to alleviate stress and tension. Running has the ability to decrease cortisol, a stress hormone, resulting in a heightened sense of relaxation.
6. Running boosts confidence
By setting goals and accomplishing tasks you once believed to be impossible, running greatly contributes to the development of self-efficacy and enhances self-confidence.
7. Running burns calories
Running is an exercise that requires a high amount of energy and results in the burning of a significant number of calories. In fact, running is considered to be one of the most effective forms of exercise when it comes to the rate at which calories are burned in a minute. Therefore, if your objective is to lose fat or weight, running can play a role in creating the calorie deficit required to burn fat.
8. Running is accessible
With the exception of a good pair of running shoes, you require minimal equipment to begin running. However, it is important to have appropriate gear to ensure comfort during various seasons. For instance, colder weather necessitates warmer layers while wind-resistant gear is preferable for running in the fall.
9. Running improves your mood
The rush of mood-boosting endorphins brought on by a long-distance endurance run is not a fictionalized unicorn or elusive wonder, but rather referred to as the “runner’s high”.
Running can help alleviate symptoms and stabilize your mood if you suffer from depression, leaving you feeling proud, capable, powerful, and even elated, and ready to conquer anything with a positive attitude after a good run.
If you’re currently experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress in their entirety, know that you’re not the only one facing these emotions. According to the most recent stress report by the American Psychological Association, approximately one-third of adults claimed to be entirely overwhelmed by stress on a daily basis, while one in four individuals find it challenging to function due to stress.
Running, or engaging in any type of exercise, is not a universal remedy and there are instances where medication or therapy may also be necessary.
In a review of 116 studies published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2020, it is highlighted that running could potentially serve as a effective method to tackle numerous mental health difficulties. Nonetheless, the authors caution that this holds true only if it does not evolve into a compulsive exercise requirement.
10. Running can connect you to nature
Although treadmills can be useful for training purposes, opting to run outdoors provides an opportunity to disconnect from technology and screens and establish a connection with nature.
In today’s world, a large portion of our lives occur indoors; however, studies indicate that engaging in outdoor exercise, regardless of other factors, offers notable advantages for mental well-being compared to indoor workouts. Whether you discover a serene forest path or visit a nearby park, incorporating outdoor running into your routine is a definite approach to absorbing vitamin D and enjoying fresh air.
11. Running strengthens your whole musculoskeletal system
Many of the physical benefits of running will be discussed, as there is a lot that running does for your body.
Not all of them are cardiovascular exercises either. Despite being a form of aerobic exercise, running can also contribute to building strength, especially in your lower body. According to Rhianna Green, DPT, a physical therapist and dedicated runner based in NYC, running relies on a coordinated effort from various muscles in your lower body such as the quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes to propel you forward or uphill.
Increasing the intensity on hills may result in additional strength advantages. A study conducted in 2017 verified the validity of the benefits acquired from hill sprints. The study revealed that soccer players who engaged in 10 sprints of 10 seconds on a 7% incline twice per week for a duration of 6 weeks experienced notable enhancements in their leg and back strength. It is important to note that the efficiency of running is influenced by the muscles in the upper body and core as well.
Megan Roche, MD, a running coach and physician, explains to SELF that strengthening your tendons, ligaments, and bones is not the only thing happening as a result of running. These body parts also adapt and build resilience due to the continuous impact.
Dr. Green explains that hormonal changes during menopause lead to a decrease in bone density, making bone strength especially crucial. Consequently, the risk of developing osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures is significantly elevated.
Dr. Roche believes that weight-bearing exercises such as running can be beneficial for increasing peak bone density during the early stages of life until the age of 20. Additionally, running can assist in maintaining the existing density as you age and slow down the rate at which it decreases. According to Dr. Roche, the human body is an incredible tool for movement throughout many years, and having a stronger foundation is personally fascinating.
12. Running can anchor a whole host of healthy habits
Dr. Roche’s research focus includes examining the lifestyle behaviors individuals engage in on a daily basis, such as nutrition, sleep, and exercise. Dr. Roche emphasizes the significance of cue reinforcement in these behaviors, explaining that taking the initial step to go for a run can initiate a positive cascade effect, making it easier to adopt other favorable behaviors.
Once you start running frequently, you may start considering how you fuel your miles. If you have set an early-morning alarm for your run, you are likely to prioritize going to bed earlier.
Before long, you might develop what Lembach refers to as a “runner’s identity” and begin organizing your days and routines based on when you can go out and how you can ensure optimal performance.
13. Running connects you to a community
By engaging in jogging along the streets and parks near you, you can experience a sense of being firmly rooted and connected to the environment surrounding you. Goodman, who resided in Providence, Rhode Island for many years, found great joy in observing the seasonal transformations such as the falling leaves during autumn and the festive lights during holidays, as well as the constant sight of neighbors strolling with their dogs.
According to her, if you frequently run on the same route at the same time, you will inevitably encounter familiar faces and establish connections and a sense of community. Additionally, you may discover landmarks that would normally go unnoticed or come across trendy new shops or cafes.
14. Running gives you practice setting goals, achieving them, and celebrating them
When you run, you have plenty of opportunities to set a goal and strive for it. Perhaps you aspire to surpass your previous achievements, maintain a schedule of running a mile three days every week for a month, or achieve your personal best in either an in-person race or a virtual challenge.
According to Peralta-Mitchell, breaking down a big goal into step-by-step processes is necessary in order to achieve it. This skill is applicable to other areas such as starting a business or a new job.
15. Running can boost your brainpower
A recent study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that the more aerobically fit a person is, the more likely they are to retain gray matter in their brain as they age. This is important because brain tissue naturally shrinks with age, similar to how muscle mass decreases. Consequently, the risk of cognitive decline is increased.
Previous studies have indicated that engaging in running or other regular workouts can potentially enhance the size of the hippocampus, a crucial part of your brain responsible for memory retention. This effect has been observed even among individuals who exhibit early symptoms of memory decline.
