Don’t let fitness influencers on social media fool you into believing that a fitness routine needs to break the bank in order to be effective in improving your overall health. Running is one of the most accessible forms of exercise and boasts a multitude of health and wellness benefits.
Sometimes, the most challenging part of undertaking a new exercise regime is just getting started. But with the perfect pair of women’s running shoes and comfortable clothing, you will quickly begin to reap the many rewards this simple exercise holds.
Cardiovascular Health
The cardiovascular system delivers oxygen and nutrients to every cell in the human body, regulates body temperature, and removes waste products like carbon dioxide. By continuously circulating blood throughout the body, it helps it to function correctly at all levels.
If you find yourself out of breath after walking up a flight of stairs, running to catch a train, or playing with your children, you will significantly benefit from including cardio activity in your fitness regime to boost your cardiovascular health.
When you exercise, your heart rate increases, which pumps more blood to your working muscles. Over time, with consistent training, your heart and lungs adapt, becoming stronger and more effective. This allows your heart to pump more blood with every beat and your lungs to take in more air with every breath.
Research shows that just 10-15 minutes of running per day at a slow to moderate pace can dramatically reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, improve cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and contribute to general longevity.
Improved Mental Wellbeing
Multiple studies have found that regularly running aids in enhancing your immune system by stimulating white blood cell and antibody production, lowering inflammation, and eliminating the stress hormone cortisol. This helps you feel more relaxed and reduces stress and anxiety levels. It has also been revealed that regular aerobic exercise that causes your heart rate to increase can enhance the size of the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory.
Additionally, a ‘runner’s high’ isn’t just a phrase people like to use to describe the feeling of accomplishment after a run. It is an actual chemical reaction that occurs in the brain after a long-distance endurance run. Your body produces a wave of mood-boosting endorphins and endocannabinoids, similar to the response to the chemical THC found in marijuana.
Better Sleep Hygiene
Research has revealed that aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, and cycling, helps regulate the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. This is why people often find it easier to have a more restful and deeper sleep after extended cardio exercise.
Furthermore, studies have shown that regular aerobic workouts can improve sleep quality, reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and increase the total time spent sleeping.
Increased Bone Density
Multiple research studies have found that high-impact activities like running can increase stress on bones and joints. The body adapts to this stress by laying down more minerals within the bony matrix, resulting in stronger bones and improved density.
Running also helps increase the production of bone-building hormones, which stimulate the production of more bone cells while simultaneously preventing them from breaking down. Stronger bones are more resilient to everyday wear and tear and are less likely to fracture and break.
However, it is crucial to find a healthy balance between running and rest days, as overworking your bones and joints can lead to painful injuries and irreversible erosion of cartilage in knees and ankles, which is crucial to cushion the bone and reduce friction during movement.
Natural Connection
Although running indoors on a treadmill is a viable training tool, especially for safety reasons or combating cold winter months, heading outside to take in the fresh air allows you to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of nature. Many studies have explored the numerous benefits nature has on both our mental and physical health, including one published in Environmental Science & Technology that revealed people who exercise outdoors experienced higher energy levels and lower feelings of depression, improving the chances of repeat workouts.
Furthermore, running outdoors provides a good opportunity to boost your Vitamin D levels, a common deficiency that affects nearly one billion people worldwide. Before heading outdoors, ensure you apply a healthy layer of high-SPF sunscreen to avoid painful and dangerous sunburns.
Weight Loss
Running is a demanding physical exercise that burns a lot of calories. In fact, it is one of the most efficient types of exercise in terms of the number of calories burned per minute. If weight loss is part of your fitness goals, running can significantly contribute to creating the calorie deficit needed to burn fat. Running uphill or into a strong wind can burn even more calories in the same period of time.
Weight loss is achieved by expending more calories than you consume. To ensure your body stays healthy and well-nourished, consume a well-balanced and nutritious diet that fuels your body while still supporting healthy weight loss.
Accessible & Affordable
As with any hobby you decide to start, people have different budgets and priorities when it comes to running. Should your budget allow, you can splurge on carbon plate running shoes, compression boots for recovery, and top-market GPS running watches.
However, unlike other cardio sports like cycling and swimming, running can easily be stripped down to the basics to make it more affordable and accessible. Aside from a decent pair of running shoes, very little equipment is needed to start running. However, investing in the right clothing will keep you comfortable and well-protected throughout the year as the seasons change.
