Running Benefits: The Physical And Mental Benefits Running Provides
Time after time, one feels like they should get up and do something – for their health, for their peace of mind, and simply for the thought of feeling productive and fulfilled. And if that’s not worth it, I don’t know what is.
So, this way, many human beings take to the extremely efficient sport, that is, running. According to research, many experts think that our bodies are shaped this way because we evolved to be effective endurance runners. The shapes of our feet and hips, the length of our legs, our shock-absorbing spinal discs, and our ability to sweat have enabled us to run great lengths.
Running effectively is not easy to do, however, it’s one of the most accessible things you can do for the benefit of your health and mind, meaning it’s said to be of benefit of both, our bodies as well as brains.
Running improves aerobic fitness, and it’s a great way to improve cardiovascular health. It builds strength, helps in burning calories, and has a great number of psychological benefits. Below we will list some of the benefits of running in our physical and mental health. Scroll down to read more.
Running Benefits
Research suggests that running is a great way to improve health. It can raise the levels of good cholesterol and help in increasing lung function and use. It can lower the risk of developing blood clots and boost your immune system. There seems to be no system in the body that doesn’t benefit from running.
1. Improves Your Health
Here’s how running will improve different aspects of your health:
– Joints & Muscles: Running can keep joints healthy, while the muscles around the joints strengthen. This way, it will reduce joint problems and lower blood pressure.
– Blood Vessels: As muscles get stronger, new blood vessels grow and this leads to reduced pressure in the system. When you run, bad cholesterol levels fall and it prevents the narrowing of blood vessels or atherosclerosis.
– Skin: High stress levels often make conditions such as psoriasis and eczema flare up. Running has a calming influence that helps in improving skin and boosting self-confidence.
– Brain: When one runs, hormones and feel-good brain chemicals are released. This way, it helps in easing stress, anxiety, as well as treating depression. There is less risk of dementia and stroke due to healthy brain circulation. The hormones that the brain secretes when running are very beneficial when it comes to helping in eliminating depression.
– Liver: Keeping a healthy weight through running can reduce the risk of developing ‘fatty liver’, a problem where fat builds up in liver cells.
Heart: When under strain, the heart starts pumping faster. Sports like running are effective if you want to strengthen the heart. According to Runtasic, running can benefit the heart when it comes to lowering resting heart rate and also heart rate under strain. There is an increase in maximum oxygen intake capacity, as well as improvement of efficiency when doing cardio work.
Lungs: According to research, running improves the lung capacity and strengthens the respiratory muscles, meaning the muscles between your ribs and in the diaphragm.
2. Makes You Happier
Exercise makes you feel better. According to a study, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, in 2006, researchers found that even 30 minutes of exercising can instantly lift the mood of someone who suffers from a major depressive order.
3. Knee Health
As Dr. Jon Schriner, a faculty member at Michigan State University told Live Science, when it comes to the relation of running and knee health, heavier people are at higher risk for arthritis. However, it can also depend on how the person runs. Meaning, how high you lift your foot off the ground and how you touch the ground. There are also other factors such as body structure, shoe selection, and technique that seem to affect your knees while running. Consequently, Dr. Schriner says that if your knees are healthy and you follow a ‘reasonable approach to running’ your knees will be safe of injury. And as research suggests, seems like running can even contribute to knee health.
4. Keeps You In Shape
To maintain a healthy living, one must not only exercise but also keep a balanced lifestyle as well as a healthy diet. However, when it comes to how running keeps you in shape, it has been concluded that running does, in fact, help you lose weight as well as tone the muscles from the waist down.
5. Adds Years To Your Life
The minimum amount of physical activity is 30 minutes on a regular basis, meaning 5 times per week. So, if you get simply that amount of exercise, according to different studies, you’ll increase your lifespan.
6. Boosts Confidence
When you run, you tend to not only be but also feel healthier. As the saying has it, ‘you’re only as healthy as you feel’. So, when you meet your goals and destinations, you get a sense of fulfillment and productivity, and all of this will also boost your confidence.
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