Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Running
Last Update on October 26, 2023 : Published on May 25, 2020
Running is a great form of exercise. It is simple, doesn’t need a lot of equipment and also you can run even on the side of a road if there isn’t too much traffic. It is popular and rather inexpensive. You can even enjoy this activity with or without a friend. You need special instructions or even an instructor. You just need to put on your shoes and get out. The list of benefits is long and gives enough reason for one to start and include this activity in their daily routine. So today, I am going to share with you some of the mental and physical health benefits of running so that you can get started and can also encourage your friends and family to do the same. Have a look:
Mental and Physical Benefits of Running
1. Improves Stamina
Exercising daily and religiously can help boost your endurance and physical stamina. It helps a person to enhance their physical abilities and go beyond their current state. If your occupation demands you to sit for hours in a place and not move much, a running session in the morning will allow you to burn extra calories and also will give your body a workout it desperately needs.
2. Reduces Fat
If there is a chunk of fatty cells collaborating on your belly making your look out of shape then here is another reason as to why you should start running ASAP. Running helps increase your metabolism which in turn will burn more calories over the time. This aerobic exercise has been found to reduce the fat even if there was no change in diet.
3. Good for Depression
Running can also help in curbing the depression levels. If you have been suffering from stress and tension, running can help you alleviate it. It has been found to release a hormone named serotonin, also known as feel-good hormone. When released, it reduces the stress levels on the physical as well as mental plane.
4. Immunity Booster
If you have been prone to infections and common colds lately, it may be possible that your immunity levels have been affected. Now a major part of immunity is composed of T-cells and these T-cells function under the conditions of a healthy body. It means that one should eat a good diet and also sleep well so that the body can take care of itself. But do you know that you can also boost your immune system through running? A group of people were asked to go through a stressful workout for a longer duration of time during their week and it was found out that their bodies have started building robust antibodies which are more efficient in warding off diseases.
5. Memory Booster
Yes! It’s true. A study conducted on a group of rats in Brazil proved it. Many middle aged rats were exposed to a few minutes of treadmill like running multiple times in a week. It was found out that only after 5 to 6 weeks of this routine they not only came out of their sedentary lifestyle but were also found to develop better memories with a surge of new cells in their brain.
6. Improves Sleep
If you are suffering from sleep apnea, insomnia and even drowsiness during daytime, then running is what you can add in your schedule. It was found out that running can significantly affect your circadian rhythms and also sleep-cycle. This directly affects sleeping disorders and helps in promoting deep sleep.
7. Enhances Creativity
Running regularly not only affects your physical performance but can also improve your creative prowess. In a study conducted by British researchers for sports, it was found that athletes who were active on field were also found to be active and creative in other fields of life. Isn’t it amazing, how such a simple exercise can help a human body in so many different ways?
8. Decreases Cravings
If you are addicted to certain kinds of foods or drugs, running can significantly help you. In many studies conducted on the subject it was found out that participants that were asked to run on treadmills reported to opt for healthy diet choices composed of fruits, vegetables, and juices rather than going back to drugs like marijuana, cocaine, meth, nicotine and even alcohol.
So these were some of the mental and physical health benefits of running that I wanted to share with you. Our mental health is something we usually ignore until situations get worse and demand it. It should not be such. If you are suffering from any kind of health issue and feel like it can be something serious, I highly suggest you to consult a medical professional and seek help.
More power to You.
Hope it helps.
Thanks for reading!
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