Never in a million years did I think I’d be trying to persuade anyone to run. But here I am, making my case for why anyone and everyone should consider giving running a go.
It wasn’t until recently that I started to enjoy running. I did cross country in middle school. I was the kid that would run fast where people could see and once I was out of sight, I’d be strolling along with my friends only to end the race with a sprint through the finish line. Running was tough on my joints, I wasn’t particularly fast, and I ended up finding more enjoyable forms of exercise. I think many people can relate to that. I envied those who loved to run; running has a strong sense of community, it was competitive, and it was challenging. My dad is an avid runner and this summer he finally convinced me to run with him. This launched me into a running kick that I’ve been riding for a couple months now and plan on sticking with. I thought I would share with you some of the improvements I’ve seen in my mental and physical health since I’ve started running more regularly in order to try and persuade y’all to give it a shot.
Disclaimer! I run about three-four times a week. I’ve gotten faster and been able to run further as the weeks go by but you can see some of these benefits even just going on an easy jog around your neighborhood.
Confidence Booster
When you start anything new your self-confidence may be low. You’re trying something foreign and you’re unsure of how it will go. The best thing about running is that if you stick with it, you will get faster and stronger. Seeing faster miles and longer distances is guaranteed to give you a boost of confidence. Earlier this week, I ran the longest I ever have without stopping, and I left the gym feeling an amazing rush of serotonin!
Better Zzz’s
Can’t sleep? Running might be for you. Running outside with natural light helps establish your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle that tells your body when to be up and when it’s time to wind down. Exercise forces your body to work more therefore at the end of the day your body is ready and more prepared to sleep.
Strengthen Your Brain
As someone who cares deeply about memories and has seen loved ones start to lose theirs, I’m always thinking about ways to strengthen my memory. If there’s something to help sharpen your memory, it’s running! A study by Cambridge University Press states that exercise can increase the volume of the hippocampus as well as strengthen our brain’s muscles thereby improving our memory.
Anxiety Killer
As homework, papers, and tests start to pile up, so does the stress. As someone who struggles with anxiety, and often feels both the physical and mental effects, running has helped decrease anxiety. Running can mitigate these physical and mental symptoms of depression, restlessness, and anxiety through the release of endorphins, causing you to relax and reset.
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Hopefully you start to run and see some of the benefits I’ve described above. I have found running to be addicting. I find myself setting new small goals every couple of weeks. It all circles back to confidence. Your self-confidence is surely to increase if you set small goals for yourself to then see them being accomplished. Goals can look different for everyone: run a 5k, train for a race with your friends, cut 10 seconds off your mile time, or run longer than last week. I truly believe, when it comes to running, any goal will make you push yourself further and further each week.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-exercise-affects-your-sleep/