It’s the first Wednesday of June and the US is celebrating
National Running Day. So to honour this and the life-changing exercise (that most
likely made me a healthier person), here are some of the benefits of running
that I hope will convince a lot of you to start a commitment to it.
1. Strengthens your lungs
When you run, the muscle cells you’re using need more oxygen
and nutrients in order to sustain your movement. This makes your heart compensate
by beating faster and harder. Your lungs, on the other hand, increase its
capacity to keep up with the oxygen demands of your cells by increasing blood
flow, gas exchange and number of capillaries used in your lung tissues.
2. Is good for your heart
Running is a kind of cardio and even though it stresses your
heart (to beat faster and harder), it’s the good kind of stress that eventually
makes it stronger. According to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology,
running for even just 10 minutes a day can drastically reduce your risk of dying
from a cardiovascular disease. So when you keep a habit of running, your heart
eventually does not need to work as hard as before.
3. Prevents disease
A study in 2014 from the National Journal of Cancer found out that running beats walking in fighting off breast cancer. Although
both running and walking can potentially reduce the risk of cancer, they have
confirmed that running may be more effective in the fight. It can also reduce
the risk of having a stroke and heart attack. How? Running, along with other forms of exercise, strengthen
the heart and help arteries maintain their elasticity.
Doctors often recommend running for people in the early
stages of diabetes, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.
4. Helps in losing or maintaining weight
Running is one of the most successful ways of shedding those
extra pounds. It is the second most effective in terms of burning calories. And
they found out that there is a direct correlation to the amount of fats that
are being burned off to the time of your run. Meaning the longer you run, the
more fats are degraded by your body.
5. Boosts memory
Believe it or not, running actually helps in boosting your
memory. How? Regular exercise increases the blood flow to the brain which also
means an increase of oxygen and nutrients for your brain cells. These events
can adversely affect brain function. Also, regular exercise has been proven to
beat age-related mental decline such as in your working memory.
6. Makes you happier
Ever heard of runners high? Well, they’re real. Scientists
found out that when we run, our brain releases two feel-good chemicals:
endorphins and endocannabinoids. Endorphins are proven to relieve pain and
induce the feeling of euphoria or great pleasure. Endocannabinoids have effects
that are quite similar to the compounds found in cannabis. Some mental health
experts also use running to help treat clinical depression and some
psychological disorders (like alcohol and drug addiction).
