Yes, you might have run a mile in high school. But if you don’t run regularly these days, you might not realize all the benefits of running. So, we’re here to give you a reminder of all the advantages you’ll gain from a consistent run routine.
Research proves that regular exercise, at least 150 minutes per week, which is about 30 minutes, five times a week, according to the Department of Health and Human Services—and running in particular—has major disease-fighting benefits. Studies have shown that exercise like running can help prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, some cancers, and a host of other conditions. What’s more, scientists have shown that running also vastly improves the quality of your emotional and mental health.
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Since the pandemic, even more people have been reaping the benefits of running. World Athletics and Nielsen Sports partnered up to survey more than 5,000 runners in 10 different countries and discovered 13 percent of those runners said they began running in the last year. Of that 13 percent, 9 percent say they’re new to running and picked up the habit in pandemic times. And 20 percent of all runners surveyed say they will continue to run more often once the pandemic is over—and that’s a good thing considering how much running can improve your life and health.
Here, all the specific benefits you’ll gain from running, backed by research.
1. Running makes you happier
If you’ve been working out regularly, you’ve already discovered it: No matter how good or bad you feel at any given moment, exercise can make you feel better. And it goes beyond just the “runner’s high”—that rush of feel-good hormones known as endocannabinoids.
Physical activity, like running, can help reduce your risk of depressive symptoms according to a small 2021 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry. The group of researchers studied people undergoing treatment for depression and found improvements in those who participated in a three-week exercise program.
In an interview with Runner’s World, lead researcher Karin Rosenkranz, M.D., associate professor at the University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Ruhr-Universität Bochum in Germany, says, “Our study shows that intensive training is not necessary to make a difference, just increasing daily physical activity is sufficient to get started.” In other words, you don’t have to be a professional runner to gain these depression-fighting benefits—it’s just a matter of getting in more exercise each day.
In Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, researchers found that even a single bout of exercise—30 minutes of walking on a treadmill—could instantly lift the mood of someone suffering from a major depressive order.
And even on those days when you have to force yourself out the door, exercise still protects you against anxiety and depression, studies have shown. Moderate exercise may help people cope with anxiety and stress even after they’re done working out, according to a 2012 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise. Another 2012 study in the Journal of Adolescent Health proved that just 30 minutes of running during the week for three weeks boosted sleep quality, mood, and concentration during the day.
2. Running helps you lose or maintain weight
You know that exercise burns calories while you’re working out. The bonus is that the burn continues after you stop. Studies have shown that regular exercise boosts “afterburn”—that is, the number of calories you burn postworkout. (Scientists call this EPOC, which stands for excess post oxygen consumption.) That’s kind of like getting a paycheck even after you retire.
And you don’t have to be sprinting at the speed of sound to get this benefit. This happens when you’re exercising at an intensity that’s about 70 percent of your VO2 max.
3. Running improves your overall health—not just your muscles, joints and bones
By now it’s no secret running has a wide range of health benefits, as research has confirmed this fact over the years. For example, running lowers your risk of heart disease, improves your memory, and of course strengthens your muscles and joints. Recently added to that list of health promotions: Running improves your eyes and brain health. A recent study comparing 100 marathon runners to people who are sedentary revealed long-distance runners have better vision and cognition, thanks to the effect it has on the central nervous system.
But chances are, you’ve had family, friends, and strangers warn you that “running is bad for your bones.” The truth is, running has been known to support bone density. A review published in the International Journal of Research and Public Health highlighted running as one of the best forms of physical activity for preventing osteoporosis in women.
4. Running will keep you sharper, even as you age
Worried about “losing it” as you get older? Working out regularly will help you stay “with it.” A 2012 study published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review concluded that the evidence is insurmountable that regular exercise helps defeat age-related mental decline, particularly functions like task switching, selective attention, and working memory.
Older adults might especially experience the benefits of running, considering studies consistently find that fitter older people scored better in mental tests than their unfit peers. What’s more, in stroke patients, regular exercise improves memory, language, thinking, and judgment problems by almost 50 percent. The research team found “significant improvements” in overall brain function at the conclusion of the program, with the most improvement in attention, concentration, planning, and organizing.
5. Running reduces your risk of cancer
Maybe running doesn’t cure cancer, but there’s plenty of proof that the benefits of running include helping to prevent the disease and improving overall quality of life for people living with the disease. A review of 170 epidemiological studies in the Journal of Nutrition showed that regular exercise is associated with a lower risk of certain cancers.
Also, if you already have cancer, running (with your doctor’s approval) can improve your quality of life while you’re undergoing chemotherapy. A review published in the Scientific Reports journal found cancer patients who practiced high-intensity training experienced improvements in quality of life as well as physical, social, and cognitive behaviors, breathing, fatigue, pain and insomnia.
Another study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management demonstrated that cancer patients who exercised more reported lower levels of anxiety and depression, and better overall mental and physical quality of life.
6. Running adds years to your life
Even if you meet just the minimum of amount of physical activity (30 minutes, five times per week), you’ll live longer. Studies show that when different types of people started exercising, they lived longer. Smokers added a little more than four years to their lives; nonsmokers gained three years. Even if you’re still smoking, you’ll get 2.6 more years when you exercise regularly. Cancer survivors extended their lives by 5.3 years. Those with heart disease gained 4.3 years.
The bottom line? The more miles you log, regardless of your health background and lifestyle choices, the more time you’ll buy yourself—one of the best benefits of running.
7. Running relieves stress
As you’ve previously read, running makes you happier so it should come as no surprise that running helps reduce stress. In a 2018 study published in the Journal of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, researchers found running helps minimize the negative impacts chronic stress has on the parts of the brain responsible for learning and memory. And another study in Health Psychology proved the negative effects of stressors—even on stressful days—remained reduced in people who were physically active, compared to those who were not. So the benefits of running include not only helping you reduce stress and get happy, but also curbing any negative side effects that come with elevated tension.
Monique LeBrun joined the editorial staff in October 2021 as the associate health and fitness editor. She has a master’s degree in journalism and has previously worked for ABC news and Scholastic. She is an avid runner who loves spending time outside.
