Benefits of running include weight loss, stress relief, improved health, increased energy levels, and more. Read this article to see which benefits apply to you.
You’ve heard it all before. Running provides the key to a healthy life, but are we repeatedly tired of hearing the same thing? Don’t we already know all this? Yes, we do. But how many of us implement what experts suggest and start running?
Running is an excellent choice. It is great if you love fitness. It helps you lose weight. It can prevent heart disease. Running fights anxiety and depression. It reduces stress and increases fertility. It also boosts your mood!
Regular running helps you lose weight. It curbs your appetite. Running makes you crave healthier food options.
What Are the Health Benefits of Running?
1. Running Improves Your Cardiovascular Health
Running improves cardiovascular health. It raises heart rate and oxygen demand. This helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Running can reduce the risk of chronic conditions like breast, prostate, or colon cancer.
Running doesn’t pack on the pounds like strength training. However, it can improve your cardiac health significantly. Run regularly to boost your heart rate. This will also improve your endurance. This way, you get the most out of your workouts.
Better cardiovascular conditioning can also reduce the risks of depression, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It may even increase your life expectancy by as much as two years!
2. Running Helps You Maintain a Healthy Weight
Running can help you maintain a healthy weight. It burns calories and can help you lose weight. One study found that running may cause your body to burn up to 30% more calories. This is compared to other exercises like cycling or swimming.
Running burns calories. It helps in weight maintenance and loss by creating a calorie deficit. To lose weight, consider adding exercise like running to your daily routine. This helps to burn extra calories and reach your health goals.
A 160-pound person who runs at 5 mph for a full hour burns roughly 635 calories. This is close to twice the amount of calories burned by walking at the same time. While it’s true that running does burn more calories than walking, walking still has many benefits. It may be a better option if you’re looking for something less intense.
3. Running Strengthens Your Bones and Joints
Running strengthens the bones and joints because it is a weight-bearing exercise. It reduces the risk of arthritis. Running helps to prevent injury to the knees, hips, ankles, and feet. It builds strong muscles around them.
Running with resistance strengthens muscles. Each stride forces muscles to react and stretch, straining tendons and ligaments. This builds strength over time, protecting from injury.
Running boosts health by increasing bone density and cardiovascular fitness. It raises heart rate and circulates oxygen-rich blood. As a popular aerobic exercise, it needs minimal gear—just good shoes and comfortable clothes. Plus, it can be done almost anywhere!
4. Running Reduces Stress and Boosts Mood and Sleep Quality
Running helps reduce stress, boost mood, and improve sleep quality.
A 2012 Michigan Technological University study found that running in the woods reduced perceived effort and stress more than city running.
A 2008 University of Kentucky study showed that exercisers experienced 25% less stress, despair, and rage than non-exercisers. A 2011 Journal of Adolescent Health study found similar results for teenagers. It showed higher self-esteem and less sadness among those who exercised.
Running may help with insomnia and improve sleep quality. A 2013 Northwestern Medicine study found that moderate exercisers slept better. They fell asleep quicker and woke up more refreshed than non-exercisers. Those who ran had better sleep quality. They had fewer insomnia symptoms compared to those who did tone or stretching sessions.
5. Running Improves Memory, Delays Age-Related Mental Decline, and Helps Stave Off Depression
Running boosts brain health, improves memory and learning, and prevents cognitive decline. It increases blood flow to the brain and can act as meditation. Additionally, running can enhance sleep, aiding memory retention.
6. Running Increases Lung Capacity and Heart Health
Running strengthens the heart by making it work harder. Studies show runners have lower resting heart rates and blood pressure, indicating more efficient heart function. Additionally, running at least 15 miles per week reduces the risk of coronary artery disease by 50%.
It’s Never Too Late to Start Running
We know that getting started can be the most challenging part of running. So, we’ve come up with a few ways to help you ease into it.
Start With a Run/Walk Routine
If you’re new to running, start by doing run intervals of 10 minutes. Do brisk walking for one minute between each run. Slowly lengthen your running time as it becomes easier. Use a running distance calculator to help you measure the distance.
Don’t Worry About Buying the Right Gear Right Away
The most important thing is putting one foot in front of the other. Just wear comfy running shoes. When you take your first steps outside, they’ll support your feet. This makes running easier on your joints.
Set Small Goals at First and Build From There
Instead of setting out to finish a 5K marathon first, start by simply committing to a 30-minute run. Do this three times per week. You can also have fun with friends or family members who enjoy running. Join them on weekend runs.
Get an Accountability Buddy!
It’s always more fun to do things with others trying to reach their goals. You can even get pushy if someone else is involved! If possible, recruit a friend or family member with similar health goals. Make plans to go for runs together once or twice per week. You’ll be less likely to cancel when someone else is counting on you!
Find Inspiration From Fellow Runners on Social Media for Motivation!
Bottom Line
Running is one of the best forms of exercise. This is for many reasons. The top among them is its benefits to our mental health. It improves memory. It prevents cognitive decline as we age. Running can help us sleep better. It can increase our lung capacity. It also improves heart health. Running can even boost our mood!
It’s never too late to start running. Just find a routine that works for you. Get started today. Don’t forget to be inspired by fellow runners. They work hard every day to reach their fitness goals!
For more information on how to start running from scratch, check out our comprehensive guide. And if you’re looking to improve your running technique, we have tips for that too!
As a veteran fitness technology innovator and the founder of GearUpToFit.com, Alex Papaioannou stands at the intersection of health science and artificial intelligence. With over a decade of specialized experience in digital wellness solutions, he’s transforming how people approach their fitness journey through data-driven methodologies.