Running is a special kind of exercise that’s really good for your heart. People have been doing it for thousands of years. Even in ancient times, running was important for hunting and staying alive.
Alyssa Olenick, who studies exercise, says that running is something humans have been doing for a very long time. It’s become a favorite sport for lots of people, from top athletes to regular folks.
In the USA, about 50 million people run regularly. It’s not just for men or women, young or old—it’s for everyone!
Benefits of Running for Everyone
According to Danielle Ponzio, who works as an orthopedic surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and has studied running extensively, running offers numerous advantages for people of all ages.
These include improving heart health, reducing the risk of death, managing weight, strengthening bones and muscles, enhancing coordination, and lowering stress levels while boosting mental well-being.
While running may not be suitable for everyone, especially those with specific medical issues who may need to opt for low-impact exercises like swimming, its benefits remain significant across different times and cultures.
Unmatched advantages for heart and lungs
Heart Benefits
Running has a lot of good effects on your heart. One big benefit is that it makes your heart stronger and better at its job, according to Allison Zielinski, a heart doctor at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She says that when your heart muscle gets stronger, it can pump more blood each minute, which is good for your overall heart health.
Zielinski also explains that running affects your autonomic nervous system, which controls things your body does automatically, like breathing and digestion.
It can make your heart beat slower when you’re not exercising, which is important because research shows that having a lower resting heart rate means a lower risk of dying from heart problems.
These improvements in how your heart works are why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that running is a really good exercise—it’s at the top of their list for activities that really get your heart pumping.
Lungs and Blood Flow Benefits
Running makes your blood flow better, which means your blood vessels get healthier. This is because it increases the number of tiny blood vessels and makes them work better. This helps your body react better to changes in blood flow.
Also, research shows that running helps your lungs work better too. It does this by making your body better at using oxygen. Oxygen is important for your muscles to move, and when you run, your heart pumps more oxygen-rich blood to your muscles, helping them work better.
Long and Improved Life
Improving your fitness, especially by boosting your VO2 max, can help you live longer. Even a small increase in VO2 max can make a big difference in your health over time, according to Olenick. But running does more than just improve VO2 max—it’s linked to a longer life in many ways.
A big study that lasted 15 years and was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that even running for just a short time each day, like five to 10 minutes, could add about three years to your life on average.
Duck-Chul Lee, who helped with the study and teaches about physical activity at Iowa State University, explains that running helps because it lowers the chances of getting sick with diseases like heart problems and type 2 diabetes.
Another study followed people over time and discovered that runners were 39 percent less likely to die and were also less likely to have physical problems compared to people who didn’t run. Running has also been shown to lower “bad” cholesterol and improve blood pressure.
Strong Muscles and Solid Bones
Running is not only good for your muscles but also helps make your bones stronger, which is really important as we get older. Ponzio explains that as we age, our muscles and bones tend to weaken, but running can help stop this from happening. A study even found that long-distance running can make our bones stronger by increasing the markers that show new bone is forming.
Running can also lower the chances of getting osteoporosis and arthritis, according to Austin “Ozzie” Gontang, who is a therapist and runs the San Diego Marathon Clinic.
Another great thing about running is that it helps us manage our weight. Running at a moderate speed, like five miles per hour, can burn a lot of calories. In fact, in an hour, a person weighing 154 pounds can burn about 590 calories while running, which is as much as or even more than many other activities like swimming or biking.
Gontang says running is a powerful way to burn calories, which is important for losing weight or keeping it off.
And running doesn’t just burn calories while we’re doing it; it also helps our bodies burn fat and carbs even after we finish running. Olenick explains that running boosts our metabolism, which is how our bodies use energy and helps us burn fats and carbs, both during and after exercise. Running has also been shown to help keep our blood sugar levels healthy.
Benefits for mental Well-Being
Running isn’t just about physical fitness—it’s also a big win for your mental well-being. According to Karmel Choi, a clinical psychologist, running isn’t always a solo activity. Whether you jog with a buddy or join a running club, the social aspect can help combat feelings of loneliness and give you a sense of belonging and encouragement.
If you’re battling depression, running might be a game-changer. Research suggests that people with depression who take up regular running can recover just as well as those on medication. Choi’s own studies support this, indicating that swapping just 15 minutes of sitting for 15 minutes of running daily could slash depression risk by up to 26%.
Running triggers the release of “feel-good” chemicals like endorphins and dopamine, which can boost mood, lower stress, and even give you that famed “runner’s high.”
But the benefits don’t stop there. Running could also give your brainpower a serious boost. By increasing blood flow to the brain and promoting the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule that helps grow new brain cells and protect existing ones, running can enhance your memory and learning abilities, as noted by Gontang.
Ready To Begin
One of the great things about running is that it doesn’t have to cost a lot to get started, and there aren’t many obstacles in your way. “Sometimes it can feel like you need fancy gear to run, but you can start with just a nearby road or trail and things you already have,” says Olenick.
To begin, take it slow and gradually increase your fitness level. “Find ways to move more in your daily routine, like parking farther away or taking the stairs,” suggests Vedanthan. Start with a brisk walk, then try jogging, and work your way up to running.
[…] Regular exercise is often seen as the best way to stay youthful. It benefits our bodies in many ways. Aerobic activities, like jogging, help keep our hearts strong, make our arteries more flexible, lower blood pressure, and improve blood flow to the brain. Strength training helps maintain muscle and bone mass, which naturally decreases with age. […]
[…] brain cells) and neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to form new connections), aerobic or Cardio Exercise is highly recommended for brain […]