We run for the best, well not all times we do the physical running. The metaphorical running is quite more in number than the physical. Think about it. Well, physical running, or running is very effective to make us healthy. Not our favorite one, right? But check the benefits of it. You sure would change your preference after reading them. In today’s post, we will discuss the health benefits of running (1).

Basics of Running

How to Run?

The ideal posture of running is to keep your spine erect. Shoulders at the back posture with a lean in a slightly forward manner. Your head should be up, chin parallel to the ground. Do not look up or down, hunch, turn your hips or loosen your body to a sitting position. Torso should be in a stable posture. Body relaxed which would make your muscles relaxed (2)(3).

What to Wear When I Run?

• Men: Comfortable clothes and sports shoes.
• Women: Sports bra should be your prime choice, comfortable lower and sports shoes.

Muscles your body uses while Running

Running usually recruits lower body muscles. While you run, the muscles that are most active are quads, hamstrings,  glutes, hip flexors, and calf muscles. It also helps to tone your lower abdomen.

Health Benefits of Running

1.  Weight Loss

Obesity is a serious issue among all age groups. Running helps you to lose your weight. Running on a regular basis burns more calories than walking, cycling and even swimming (4). It recruits more muscles than many other aerobic exercises. But this also depends on intensity, speed, and duration of running. Hence, this form of exercise would actually help you say goodbye to your weight (5). Along with running, you can try various aerobic exercises for weight loss.

2. Healthy Heart

Your heart’s boost is running, how? Run for five to ten minutes a day. Speed should be slow. The Journal of American College of Cardiology has the landmark study which projects that there is a drastic reduction of risk of dying from the heart disease. Running on a regular basis would actually decrease your heart-related diseases as your heart needn’t function as hard as it should if you are resting (6) (7).

5. Strengthen Muscles

Running is basically an aerobic activity that uses a variety of muscles that helps you go through hypertrophy or growth. Though your leg muscles won’t bulk up it would just shape them and increase the endurance.

6. Stronger Bones

It is said, “Move while you can.” You may have observed that when you sit for a longer duration, your body becomes stiff and you start experiencing pain in different parts even if you move a bit. This is because our bones and muscles need movement. Even the infants who cannot move by themselves are given daily massage and exercise by the nanny. Running would actually help you fight osteoporosis and strengthen your bones. It makes your lower part of the body carry your entire weight.

7. Boost Memory

Exercise such as running helps your chemicals in the brain function efficiently and affects the growth of your brain cells which in turn helps to grow the new blood vessels in the brain. The new brain cells would be revived and be in abundance. In an experiment, women who engaged in 5 minutes of low impact exercise immediately after learning showed a better recall than women with no activity (8)(9).  This proves that running helps in boosting memory.

8. Get Glowing Skin

Running helps to increase the blood flow that nourishes skin cells. This happens because the blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the cells that work throughout the body.  Thus, running actually helps your skin from the inside. Also, running causes excessive sweating which helps to open up skin pores and breathe. This greatly helps in increasing the skin glow. You can also try different yoga asanas for glowing skin.

9. Get Sound Sleep

Many people who are depressed and overthink have a problem in having a sound sleep. The cortisol hormone is released when you are under stress. The higher the cortisol level the greater the stress.

So, how do you know if you have had a sound sleep?

When you get up in the morning and feel fresh as a flower, you have had a sound sleep. If you feel tired, exhausted and want to sleep more, your sleep was not sound even if you had slept for 10 hours.

Running helps you to control hormone cortisol. It actually makes you so tired that you start feeling sleepy at night. It helps you regulate your body clock. The excessive cortisol circulation would be slowed down after you run.

This would produce a relaxation effect and help you to go to sleep. Running enables your body to liberate dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and norepinephrine which decreases your anxiety. That actually makes you happy and relaxed.

10. Increases Stamina

When you run your heart muscles are worked and your muscular function is increased ten folds. Stamina simply means the ability to work for a longer time without being tired. When your muscles are stronger, its endurance and flexibility increases which helps your body perform for a longer duration. But it only happens when you run regularly and increase your distance or pace, each at a time.

Here is an informative video from Vitor Caldeira

11. Reduce Stress

Exercise helps to maintain mental fitness and reduce stress. Running helps to release endorphins that act as natural painkillers. It helps an individual to sleep sound and feel more relaxed.

12. Toned Legs

Running involves your lower part of the body to function more than your higher part. Your legs get a good shape as your thigh muscles and you’re overall leg muscles in a good shape. Ultimately your legs get toned. The process is actually taking place because of the whole movement of your knee muscles which strengthens your muscles and gives you a toned leg. This is one of the best health benefits of running.

13. Reduces Pimples:

Running helps your skin pigments to be rejuvenated. The dead cells that get a hold on your skin are shed off easily as you run. The constant movement in your muscle of your face helps it to grow less. To reduce pimples try home remedies for glowing skin.

Read More: How to Get Rid of Pimples Overnight | Proven Home Remedies

14. Less Hair-fall

Running keeps up great dissemination that enables a sufficient supply of supplements to the hair follicles. This would reduce your hair fall and you can shoot off the bald issues. The sweating caused during running, open up the scalp pores and fights dandruff, prevents hair fall.

Also Read: Best Foods for Hair Growth (Science-Based)

15. Improves Metabolism

Metabolism simply means what you eat and how much you burn what you eat. If you feel hungry at the same time every day, your metabolism is good. A good metabolism is developed by eating at regular intervals and exercising regularly. Your metabolic rate can be increased by running regularly. The calories are burned and it generates energy. This reduces your weight and your metabolism is improved.

16. Reduces Belly Fat

In recent times, not only old but also young people have unhealthy belly fat. It is a byproduct of our ultra-modern lifestyles which makes us move less and sit more. Running would help burn your overall body fat especially belly fat. This would, as a result, help you lose your tummy. All you need to add is a belly fat burning foods in your diet which would make your tummy all plain and perfect.

Some Additional Benefits of Running are

17. Help Make New Friends

When you run you actually come across many to faces, with them you slowly grow friendship bonds with. You never know there are many running clubs which can take you in and you make amazing friends. Running with friends would make it happy hours.

18. Can Be Done While On Tour

You can run anywhere in the corner of the world, it is easy and simple. All you need is a road to run. Fitzgerald notes, “You can run anywhere in the world. There are literally races in Antarctica and the Sahara Desert,” should be your ideal motto when you are touring (9)(10).

19. Saves Money

Insurance companies will pay for your sport/running club memberships. When you inquire your insurance representative might leave the money in your bag. Also, your weight loss products and gym expenses can also be met by running which adds to your fitness and helps you cut down these not so necessary spending.

20. A Faster Way to Achieve The Weight Loss Goal

Running burns all the unwanted calories for our body. It prevents the storage of excess fat which in a way shapes your body to be slim and fit. Also running would make you go slim quickly than other exercises.

21. Good Mood

After you make new friends and go for running on a regular basis your bad mood and depression can be kicked out. Open access to nature in the early morning itself would make your mind fresh set you in a good mood to make your day a nice one.

22. Easy Exercise

You needn’t undergo a lot of postures for running it is simple. All you need to do is exercise your lower abdomen of the body that in turn helps your muscles function. Exercises help you pick dumb-bells, then dumbbell Lateral Lunge, pistol squat get-ups, lateral Step-Ups with medicine bell, One-Arm Kettlebell Press, Lunge Jumps.

23. No Gym Facility Required

The gym actually becomes a hub for exercise within an enclosed space. Running would give you the same effects that the gym would only in an open space and your exercise give you the same effects that a gym would give also running is a cost-effective procedure (7)(8). Gym trainers might ask you to take steroids and the health would go very artificially active which has some negative impacts in the long run.

Tips For Running Regularly

1.  While running your foot should be up to 12 o’clock, out to 3 o’clock, the ground should be stuck by your feet at 6 o’clock. Pushing off to 9 o’clock. This circular motion gives you a fast run.
2. Breathe slow while you run, this would actually help you get rid of carbon dioxide and your lungs would be healthier.
3. Land your forefoot on the ground that actually helps your running go efficiently.
4. You should run in all directions like backward, sideward which actually helps your muscle activated and your micro-tendons which give you a good shape at the end.
5. Running helps your brain cells get active and help you get rid of your negative energy. The surrounding also plays a huge role in it.
6. Moving forward with your chest will avoid rounding your shoulders and hunching over, that stresses on your neck and causes breathing problems.
7. When the foot is striking the ground it makes a quick forefoot slap that transfers the force into hips and pelvis without bleeding any energy into the ground.

Running actually helps you mix with the environment very soothingly. It helps you lose your stress and helps your body to function accordingly. This easy exercise actually makes you say goodbye to a lot of health issues.

Adding to it you get to check your facial beauty and your hair problems there are more fantastic facts that can totally influence you to join the running club. You can save a few minutes of the onset of your day that would set you in a fresh mood and help you stay active all throughout the day.

Bolt says in the Telegraph interview that “Running is very important. People run for many different reasons – from winning Olympic medals to staying healthy, both physically and mentally. For me, running has been my life. It is my job and also my passion.”

Feeling like running after reading this? What is stopping you? Go run for you need to stay healthy, fit and fine.