10 Ways Running Improves Life

By: Ryan Castle

Looking for a solid workout that’s easy to do and benefits your mind body and spirit?  It’s here. It’s available everyday and you can do it right now!  Are you ready?  Here’s what you’ll need: Do you have legs? You’re set!  It’s called running, and here are ten reasons why it is a great workout any time of day.

It boosts energy

Few things make you feel as alive as a good workout. Getting your blood flowing and your muscles going while breaking a sweat is a great way to wake up your body and pick up your spirits. Running is an excellent warm-up to ease your body into training mode, and helps you go about your daily routine with energy and focus.  This also builds your stamina and makes future workouts much easier on your body to endure.  And now that you have knocked out a great workout, imagine what else you can accomplish with all that energy.

It combats stress

Ever feel like you have so much going on in life that you can’t even breathe, and just want to run away from everything? Do it! Not figuratively, but literally, get up and go for a brisk jog. The rhythmic physical routine of running takes stress off your mind and acts as an escape to assess your inner-thoughts while your body focuses on the activity at hand. Your run will help you organize your thoughts so you can face what is stressing you out rather than running from it.

It strengthens your mental health

Just as running gives the mind an opportunity to battle stress, it also relaxes and strengthens brain chemistry. Running boosts circulation throughout your whole body, so your brain gets more oxygen and nutrients enabling you to concentrate.  You will also lower your depression and anxiety levels in the process.  So now you’re getting free therapy and feeling better about yourself while working out?  This should be illegal!

It’s cost-effective aerobics

How many times have you heard people complain about not being able to afford a gym membership? Well no membership is needed to get a good run in.  You don’t even need to buy shoes if you don’t want to. We wouldn’t recommend that last one, but it’s true, running is one of the few activities that require no equipment of any kind and you can do it anywhere.  The world is your oyster, run with it.

It makes for a healthy heart

Routine running boosts circulation, maintains blood pressure and reduces the risk of various heart related ailments, all while fighting allergies, colds, cough, and flu. Circular endurance training is a fantastic way to strengthen inner-health in numerous ways: It boosts immune health, improves digestion, lowers risk of diabetes, boosts joint help by strengthening your tendons and ligaments.  And it also heals your body and improves biological health, physical health, psychological health and emotional health.  All these benefits and all you have to do is keep your legs moving. Not a bad deal.

It’s great way to explore

There is no better way to experience the atmosphere around you than to run through it. Whether its breathing in the fresh oxygen produced by nature, or hearing the sounds of the city as you pass through it, nothing gives you a better feel for your surroundings then a brisk jog. You can expand your horizons and feel great while doing it. Keep this in mind the next time you’re visiting a new location and squeeze in a run if possible. You’ll be happy you did.

It slows aging

Father Time never stops ticking, and sometimes it’s nice to find ways to keep the aging process from moving too fast on us. New research indicates that running slows down aging by beefing up protection of our DNA, which degenerates over time causing many of the body’s aging signs to slow down. And all this time you were looking for anti-wrinkle cream or extreme hobbies to do the trick, all you needed to do was lace up the track shoes and get out there.

It’s a great way to lose weight  

Who doesn’t want to shed some unwanted fat in their free time?  Sprinting down the road is an excellent way to burn calories, and a great way to balance your heavier meals. Obviously your diet plays a major role in your weight cycle, but running frequently will help you maintain a healthy appearance and also boosts your metabolism, helping you get rid of that unwanted fat. So just remember, if staying true to that strict diet is proving more than difficult, a solid run can be a great equalizer.

It helps you sleep better

How many nights have you spent tossing and turning, restless and wide awake?  Sleep can seem so enticing throughout the day, then as soon as it’s nightfall and you’re supposed to, it’s the last thing your body wants to do. Running helps promote good sleep; the more active your body is during the day, the more likely you are able to relax fully at night and enjoy a night of deep, undisturbed sleep. With regular exercise your sleep quality is improved and the transition between the cycles and phases of sleep becomes smoother and more regular. Now that you got a great sleep, you can get up and take on the day with more energy helping with all that running you’re going to be doing.

It improves physical appearance

Let us not overlook what is probably the leading reason people get out there and get in a good run, although it won’t be readily admitted; it makes us look good! Physical appearance is important to most, and we all want to look healthy and fit. Few workouts will consistently keep you as lean and physically fit as running does.   Creating a more intense run workout such as running up stairs or through mountainous terrain creates a challenge for your body that develops lean muscle and tones muscular features.  So while your body’s thanking you for such healthy activity, the other folks at the beach will thank you for providing such great eye candy.