Benefits of Running for Health

Running is one of the most comprehensive exercises, as it works out the whole body. In this article, we'll go over some of the benefits of running for health.
Benefits of Running for Health

Last update: 02 December, 2018

Running is one of the best training methods for keeping your body in shape. In fact, this activity gives you so many benefits. That’s why we’re going to go over some of the most important benefits of running for health in this article.

Without a doubt, one of the most significant benefits of running is that your success or failure in this sport depends on physical and mental effort. Running is a great way to lose weight when combined with a balanced diet. But beyond that, it also helps you keep your figure in shape and refines and strengthens many parts of your body. It has particularly positive effects on your legs, belly, arms, and waist.

The result of running for health depends not only on the movement of your legs but also the extent to which you can keep yourself motivated. Even so, you don’t need to worry, because you don’t have to run for long distances in order to enjoy all of its benefits. Even just a modest amount of running for health can help your body.

Woman with earbuds running for health

What are the benefits of running for health?

1 – Increased Lung Capacity

The first benefit of running for health is that your lung capacity increases. Don’t forget that it’s absolutely essential for runners to have the ability to take in large quantities of air to keep running.

In fact, pay attention to your running pace and the distance you can travel at that pace. That way, you’ll be able to see where you start to have trouble keeping up with the speed in your beginner stage as a runner. This isn’t anything to worry about, though. Gradually, your lung capacity will expand as you continue to train.

2- A healthier heart

A second important point is that research shows us that running regularly can cut the risk of heart disease in half. The faster you run, the harder your heart will work to pump blood. The more it does this, the stronger it will become.

Running is the best way to strengthen your heart, as you force it to increase its speed. Only through this can it guarantee an appropriate flow of blood and oxygen for the whole body. At the same time, running reduces the possibilities of suffering a heart attack and can help stabilize your cholesterol levels.

“As time goes on, you learn that the true struggle is against that voice that commands you to give up.”

-George Sheehan-

Measuring heart rate after running for health

3- Increased athletic performance

During your training run, your body is filled with oxygen. This means that if you run regularly, your body will begin to learn the fastest and best way to distribute the oxygen to all of your muscles and use it appropriately. This ends up giving you more energy and better athletic performance in general. Also, running will improve your flexibility over time.

4- Weight loss

Many people start running with the goal of losing weight. In fact, running is an extremely effective way to burn calories and lose some extra pounds. If you already have a healthy weight, running can help you maintain it. On the other hand, if you’re a few pounds overweight, it’s the perfect way to remove the additional weight that you’re carrying around.

All you have to do is focus on controlling your diet and burning more calories than you eat. This is the golden rule with weight loss. With regard to running, we recommend that you outline a schedule and a training program that motivates you to reach your weight loss goals. If you want to cut down on your weight, we recommend you try interval training. You’ll soon start to see its benefits!

6- Reduces stress and increases your happiness level

Finally, you should know that running, just like many other sports, is an excellent way to reduce your stress. It can even have great effects on mild depression. Running keeps your mind fresh and helps you develop a positive attitude. This allows you to think about other things and disconnect yourself from daily life. The product of all of this may well be a reduction in stress and negative emotions.

Woman running for health in the park

In fact, it’s good for relaxing and finding new ideas or solutions to problems. You’ll see things more clearly if you think them over during a run. In the same way, running can cleanse you of all stress-related problems. As a result, it’s a great activity for helping you to sleep better.

5- It improves your posture

Running for health allows you to keep your body in excellent condition. It’s perfect for toning up the body, keeping your waist trim, and encouraging you to hold your head up high. This improves the posture of the spinal column.

Finally, don’t forget that, while running can give you many benefits, it’s possible to suffer injuries from doing it. In order to avoid this, we recommend that you don’t over-train. You should also take care to recover fully if you are injured and be sure to only increase your pace gradually. We’re sure that you’ll soon see the many benefits of running for health!


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.