by Pete Olson
Not everyone loves to run. But just about everyone can run, and can learn to love the benefits.
Because there are many.
From physical to psychological, a little endurance running can yield a big return on the investment.
Helps mental health
Running allows people to free themselves.
There are hormonal and chemical releases occurring in the brain allowing runner’s to receive a “runner’s high.”
A runner’s high is the euphoric feeling everyone talks about after a great workout.
Running fires the endorphin and endocannabinoid systems that take focus away from the brain and react to the physical/ emotional stress on the body instead.
Both systems release all dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.
Provides cardiovascular development and lung growth
Distance running can help increase lung capacity.
The typical runner has larger ventricles, also giving them a more efficient heart, pumping a larger volume per beat.
A study by J.D. Cantwell says “The “athlete’s heart,” once believed to be an abnormal condition, is now recognized as representing a highly efficient organ.
Another UMiami Health study scientifically proved “long distance runners are 45% less likely to die of heart attack or stroke.
Helps you lose weight and burn fat
Distance running melts fat at a rapid pace.
An average one mile run burns 100 calories on a person (varying with weight, height, and pace the person is running).
Exercise like distance running floods your body with adrenaline releasing fat from the cells in the body.
A healthline study also shows that distance running “suppresses appetite and mainly targets harmful belly fat.”
Improves sleep
Many people enjoy running as a way to improve their energy throughout the day but it also enhances the quality of one’s sleep.
Any exercise helps improve sleep, but research proves that any endurance training such as running improves the quality of the rest.
Pushing yourself to 10,000 steps a day will have you sleeping like a baby.
Aids positive self esteem
Once receiving the “runners high”, people always want more.
This is the feeling of accomplishment and growth that is easily tracked through running.
This is long lasting on mental health. There was a Japanese study showing the direct correlation between physical exercise and cognitive health improvement.
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