We all know running is good for us. It is perhaps the easiest form of exercise. It improves the way we feel and look. Running can give you a longer life, better sleep, improved immunity, weight loss, it’s even good for your knees & bones and more. In fact, there isn’t a system in the body that doesn’t benefit from running. From the top of your head to the tip of your toes, running gives you a total body workout and improve all aspects of your health! Here’s how:
Helps you sleep better
Exercises, like going for a run regularly, helps you fall asleep more quickly and improves sleep quality. In a study of 51 young people with an average age of 18, half were assigned to add running into their routines, while the other half did not (they did get some exercise, but didn’t add a regular running regimen). To get the benefits associated with running, the group of runners ran at a moderate pace for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for three weeks. Those in that running group were found to sleep better, show signs of improved psychological functioning, and focus better during the day.The same benefits are likely to apply to runners of any age.
Helps you lose weight, and keep it off.
If you want to be healthy, then maintaining a healthy weight should be right at the top of your to-do list, and running will help you tick that off in double-quick time. You burn a whole lot of calories when running, especially if you chuck in a few sprint sections during your run or power through your local parkrun.
Adds years to your life and life to your years.
When taken together, all the health benefits of running could actually help you live longer. In fact, runners have a 25 to 40 percent reduced risk of premature mortality and live about three years longer than non-runners, according to a 2017 study published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.
Improve your muscles and bones
Running helps strengthen and tone up your muscles. It makes your bones stronger and improves your posture. Running sensibly helps to keep joints healthy. The muscles around the joints strengthen and take the pressure o ff the joints themselves. This reduces the risk of – and helps to treat – osteoarthritis.
Improves your immunity
Running has been linked with enhanced immunity. According to studies, regular runners are more resistant to diseases, have lower inflammation and better gut microbiota.
Helps prevent cognitive decline like Alzheimer’s disease
Exercise in the form of running increases blood flow to the brain, which greatly improves brain health. Moreover, it stimulates the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This is a protein that encourages the growth and survival of neurons in the brain.
Reduces risk of many cancers
According to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2016, runners had a lower risk for developing 26 different kinds of cancer than low-and non-exercisers.
Improves mental health, and reduces depression
All kinds of physical exercises have been found to boost mental health because they release ‘feel-good’ hormones like dopamine in the body. After a run, it goes without saying that you are more aware of your senses and have a feeling of well-being. There are evidence that exercises like running can be as effective as psychotherapy sometimes, to treat depression.