It’s no secret that running is good for you. Everyone seems to be popping on their shorts or joggers, some trainers and going outside for a good run. However, you do not need to go outside to get your run on.
A home treadmill is also a great way to boost your overall health with a good run. So, even the most introverted individuals can get a good workout easily.
Running is good for you for many reasons, and while it can be a pretty hardy workout when you are not used to it, you feel it afterward and this is part of what tells you that it’s working its magic on your body.
Well, the thing is, it is not just good for your body, it’s good for other parts of yourself as well.
Let’s look at why you should think about running.
Why Is Everyone Running?
All you need to do is go out for a short drive, and you are sure to see at least one person out for a run. Why is this? What is it about running that has everyone wanting to go out and give it a go.
Well, here are 5 benefits of running that attract people to give it a go!
#1. It Can Help You To Lose Weight
Running is one of the best ways to lose weight because it has a great deal of calorie and fat-burning benefits. It is a form of cardio and cardio is very well known for being a great way to shed fat.
The number of calories you will burn depends totally on the intensity of your workout and how much you weigh. However, it is totally normal for people to burn at least 100 calories when they go for a run.
As we said though it does vary from person to person. For example, a 160 lb person running for half an hour would lose around 450 calories, if they did 30 minutes of walking instead, they would burn about 260 calories.
#2. It Can Serve As A Real Mood Booster
Running is also a mood booster, especially if you do it outside. Getting out in the sun will increase your vitamin D levels which can help you feel more chipper. However, it also does this inside too.
This is because exercising increases your blood flow, which in turn aids in the release of those ‘happy’ chemicals dopamine and endorphins into your brain. These together help you fight stress.
Getting running into your routine will help you to be more resilient in times of stress and worry.
It can also be a good factor to involve in your routine if you suffer from depression, it will not stop the depression, but it can help to ease it a bit, and those dopamine chemicals will fight it off for a while, helping you catch a break.
#3. Exercise Like Running Can Lead To Better Sleep
Any exercise will help you to sleep better. Physical activity helps your body to release serotonin which regulates your circadian rhythm and will help you to establish a more healthy wake-up and sleep time.
Exercise is also well known to improve deep sleep which is when your body heals the most.
There is no one best day for this, but we recommend running during the day, doing this late at night could give you issues calming before bed.
#4. It’s Good For Your Heart
Running is very good for your heart. Your old ticker can get a lot of benefits from getting some exercise in.
When you go for a run, it gets your heart pumping and your blood flowing, and it, therefore, makes your heart better at what it does.
However, it works other magic too, lowering your cholesterol, blood pressure, and it can also help to regulate your blood sugar levels. So, if you find that you actually have high blood pressure, a run might be the ticket.
This does not mean you should be replacing medication for these things for a run, but instead, that medication plus a run could make it easier for you to lower these, and get into a better state of health.
Runners also have a statistically lower risk of death via a heart-related illness, such as stroke or heart attack. What more reason do you need?
#5. It Can Boost Your Longevity
Research has looked into how good running can be for your long-term health and the results are awesome! There have been positive connections between running and having a longer life expectancy.
It shows that going for a run can actually lower the risk of suffering a premature death by over 25%. You even have a 23% lower chance of death from cancer!
Regular runners have also been shown to live a good 3 years longer than people who do not go for a run.
So, if you ever needed a reason to go for a run, a longer life with a lower risk of death by some of the biggest killers out there has to be no.1.