Health Benefits of Running

We are all looking to live great lives. Now, we are aware that to live great lives we must practice a certain level of discipline. This discipline will not be easy at first. It may not be easy in the day-to-day, either. But the right level of discipline when it comes to our health can yield strong results.

A few individuals will notice that they will gravitate toward running. But what is so fantastic about running? Well, it may be the idea of going fast and not having a care in the world.

One may appreciate it because of the feeling it provides as one is running and as one does so for thirty minutes or so.

If you are looking into running, here is what you need to know about the health benefits of this activity.

Running is Quite Popular

Running is a popular form of physical activity. However, you don’t have to be a professional marathon runner to get the health benefits of running. Creating a routine of running for 20 minutes a day or an average of 120 minutes of vigorous physical activity weekly will help you give your muscles a good workout and give your heart a healthy pump.

The moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise you get when running grants you cardiovascular, physiological and psychological gains you have never imagined. However, you must run fast enough to raise your heart rate to reap the benefits.

Here are the health benefits of running.

#1 Running will improve your heart condition

Spending a few minutes of your tight schedule in a running exercise can be very helpful to your heart. It will help your heart pump efficiently and enhance blood flow through your arteries. Similarly, cardiovascular exercises associated with running will help your body eliminate bad cholesterol, increase good cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and reduce your risk of contracting heart diseases.

#2 Strengthening your bone structure

Running is a weight-bearing activity. As you run, your body pounds on the ground, which puts your skeletal system under stress, enhancing your bone mineral density. Remember, increased bone mineral density strengthens your bones, and reduces the risk of fractures, falls, and osteoporosis as you age.

#3 Running boosts weight loss

Do you want to burn fat? Then it would be best if you considered running. Running involves putting large muscle groups to use; it is the best way to burn excess fat. Proven health reports indicate that a 73-kg person burns 600 calories of fat an hour running at 12km/h. In essence, running is the best way to stay slim, lose weight and maintain a firm butt.

#4 Brain stimulation

Research has shown that aerobic exercises like running tend to trigger the growth of brain cells, particularly in the hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning). Similarly, running will help you develop the areas of your brain responsible for movement, long-term memory, and coordination.

#5 Improving your immunity

Modest exercise through running will help you improve your body’s defense system, surveillance against ailments, enhance your gut microbiota composition, and decrease inflammations. Similarly, running improves your antibody response mechanisms while minimizing the risks of influenza and upper respiratory infections.