Maybe it’s a new year and you’re looking to get more active with some healthy resolutions. Maybe you’re trying to improve an aspect of your life and have heard that there are benefits to be found here. Or maybe you’re looking to pick up a new hobby or activity. Maybe you’re an athlete looking to supplement your cardio. There are a lot of reasons to start running or jogging, here is a list of benefits to grab your pair of running shoes and go.
Exercise has tons of health benefits, and running and jogging is one of the most effective and accessible forms of exercise. Anyone can run, and the only things you need are a lightweight water bottle, and a good pair of running shoes. You can get away with a simple water bottle but the shoes will require a little more thought. Find the shoes with the right fit with the expertise of those on Find My Footwear.
You’ll want to have the right shoe to make sure you stay on track and injury free so you can continue seeing all the benefits of running.
Depression and mood
Running is a great way to combat depression and mental health. After your first run, you should see an immediate boost in your mood, with the pleasure and reward receptors being stimulated. Running has been linked to increased happiness and better focus.
Knee, muscle and bone health and strength
Opposing common thought that repeated stress of running may be damaging to the knees, the other thought process is that running may actually help strengthen the knees, joints and muscles, as the repeated exercise, with proper footwear and movements, will help build those muscles and joints. As long as the workout is not overly stressing, and just enough to push comfort levels, your body should see the benefit of running.
Better sleep
Running places your mind in a relaxed state and can even contribute to stimulating creativity. In addition, your sleep should see an improvement. Not only do you tire yourself out, your body now requires the added rest to replenish and rebuild itself, so you’ll find yourself knocking out most nights. Having a constant running routine, will inevitably result in an improved sleeping routine as well, pushing away any bad sleeping habits you had before.
Cardio
When the body is involved in any physical activity, oxygen is demanded as it is being used at a high rate. Your body, when running, especially faster than you normally feel comfortable going, will push the limits, requiring even more oxygen. Repeated running sessions will allow your body to adjust and adapt to the routine and this is where your cardio improves. You won’t be as out of breath the more you run, your lungs and blood cells will be able to hold and distribute more oxygen to your body.
Mental benefits
There are just as many mental benefits as there are physical ones. More oxygen to the body, as well as more oxygen to the brain will allow you to be more alert and also allow you to focus better, contribute to creativity, learn and retain more quality information, and after about a month, you’re shown to learn faster as well. The long term effects will also help extend your lifespan and ensure your quality of life is better too. Additionally, confidence and self esteem has shown to be positive beneficiaries when it comes to exercise.
Calorie burn and weight health
Exercise is a big factor in diet and weight loss programs. It is one half of the solution. Running being very accessible is going to be the easiest way to stay on your healthy regime. Things like keeping and maintaining weight goals will be easier the better you stick to a running routine.
Prolong and promote healthy life
Running improves and helps regulate your blood pressure and has shown to lower blood sugar, improving your insulin sensitivity helping people with diabetes. In the long run, your metabolism will see the effects of running as well. Even small things in your lifestyle will inevitably change. You may change what you eat and drink, the more you exercise to fit your new lifestyle. And you’ll finally meet the daily recommended amount of water you drink with all the exercise you’re getting. Your health and even appearance will change for the better, your skin may even improve and you may look younger. So not only are you going to be living longer with all the health benefits, your quality of life will also improve.
There are so many reasons to run, not necessarily listed above. The last thing we can say is that at some point, you may and most likely will begin to enjoy running itself and may even invite others to join you. The takeaways from running not only are limited to health benefits. It is a great social or even solo activity to help clear your thoughts. So lace up your sneakers, and we’ll see you on that open road.
