Benefits of Running

Wikipedia

While there is the potential for injury in running (just as there is in any sport), there are many benefits. Some of these benefits include potential weight loss, improved cardiovascular health, increased muscle mass, increased bone density, and an improved emotional state. Following a consistent routine of running can increase HDL levels, reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease. Running, like all forms of regular exercise, can effectively slow [10] or reverse [11] the effects of aging.

Running can assist people in losing weight and staying in shape. Different speeds and distances are appropriate for different individual health and fitness levels. For new runners, it takes time to get into shape, the key is consistency and a slow increase in speed and distance. While running, it is best to pay attention to how ones body feels, if a runner is gasping for breath or feels exhausted when they run, it may be beneficial to slow down or try a shorter distance for a few weeks, and if a runner feels that their pace or distance is no longer challenging, he or she may want to speed up, or run farther.

Running can also have psychological benefits, as many participants in the sport report feeling an elated, euphoric state, often referred to as a “runner’s high”. It has been suggested that hormones known as endorphins are the modulators of this so-called high, as the body is known to produce and release the hormone in response to prolonged participation in the sport. In fact, running is the usual recommended therapy to treat people with clinical depression and people cope with addiction. [12]

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