Is running good for your health.
You are wondering is running is good for your health… Well the good news is that running is very good for health. Some of the health benefits happen straight away and some are long term benefits that will help you for years and years. We will be honest with you if you’re starting running as a beginner – there will be some aches and pains – but (and this is an important but!) the benefits should outweigh these and the scientific benefits of running are well documented. We even have a guide to help you start running from scratch.
Why running is good for your mental health
Running provides a huge range of mental and emotional benefits including being a very good way of keeping you mentally well. Heard of the runners high? This is thanks to the chemical endorphins that running sets off in your body. Endorphins are the substances your body releases during and after exercise which make you feel good. Endorphins link to the same part of your brain as opiates – so the feeling of being happy and relaxed is very real.
You may find that you have a confidence boost and many runners find their anxiety and depression reduces as they get out and about. Running can also really help you develop a positive sense of self. By setting running goals and achieving them you build your own well-being and confidence. Running is a great way to see just what your body can achieve which is a great confidence boost.
Running outdoors has also been proven to help improve your mood and mental well-being. If you are wondering whether to run inside or outdoors – research from 2008 found running outside was 50% better for your mental health than in a gym – so why not try get out and about in nature to really maximise the running benefits to your mental health.
Why running is good for your heart health
After only a few weeks of progressive running you will start to see an improvement in your fitness levels. You will notice you can breathe more easily and during the run you will feel more in control!
But more than that, running has been proven to be good for your heart health. Regular running can reduce your risk of developing heart disease by 30% according to research. Your heart is a muscle and by using it and building it’s strength through running – it will get stronger like any muscle.
Why running is good for your health phyiscally
This is a good list as there are lots of very positive benefits to your physical health when you take up running.
Your breathing will become easier as you start to take in oxygen and utilising it effectively.
Your heart rate will descrease.
Your lungs will get stronger.
Circulation will improve.
Muscles and connective tissues will strengthen as well as recovering more quickly.
The long term health benefits of running
What can running do for your body in the long term?
Regular running has been shown to reduce your risk significantly of suffering from a long list of chronic medical conditions and causes of ill health. As well as reducing your risk of these conditions running is a really good way to improve and maintain your general health. You can increase muscle strength, joints and make your skin brighter! Your immune system will be boosted, muscle tension reduced, you will sleep better and reduce chlolesterol.
Running outdoors – what are the benefits of running outside
All exercise will improve mood stress and anxiety, but exercising in green space outside has been shown to have an even greater effect than exercising indoors. Research showed that exercising in a park or woodland was 50% better for your mental wellbeing than exercising in a gym. We don’t know why the brain reacts differently – but it does – so get outside for some of those runs. Running connects you with nature and has a calming effect!