I often get runners asking me what benefits running has on the body, and I'm happy to say that there are many. Although you may hear stories of runners encountering health problems after a marathon, this is not typical.
You need to understand that this is a high impact activity and your body is going to go through some adjustments. Your muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments and brain are all going through changes.
We will begin by observing the changes that occur in the body when someone first starts running, and then examine the various benefits that running can provide.
Is there a downside to running? Are there any potential negative effects? I'll let you know, as well as how to get the best results from running.
Want to learn more? Then keep on reading!
What Does Running Do to Your Body When You First Start Running
You may feel out of breath and have an increased heart rate when you first start exercising.
But what exactly is happening.
As you breathe in, oxygen flows into your lungs and is pumped by your heart to all the muscles in your body. This oxygen and blood flow provides energy and is why you feel fatigued so quickly when you first start. Your body isn't yet efficient at this process.
However, if you keep at it, you’ll see that you have more energy to work with and you’ll feel better overall. In the beginning of your workout routine, you may not feel very well. This is because your stomach is hard at work breaking down different energy sources to fuel your muscles. However, if you keep at it, you’ll see that you have more energy to work with and you’ll feel better overall.
energy is created from Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). An organic molecule stored as glycogen in your muscles and blood. However, our bodies only store a small quantity of it, so once you start running, the body needs to produce more.
Carbohydrates are important for endurance runners because they need glycogen.
Your Body Will Need More Oxygen
Your body needs extra oxygen to produce ATP, so you’ll start breathing faster and harder.
Your body will start to use blood for non-essential functions, such as digestion, when you start to run. This is one of the reasons that runners may experience side stitches or runner's diarrhea.
At this point, you are burning calories, lactic acid is accumulating in your muscles, and your core body temperature is rising.
Other things you may notice:
- Your face has started turning red. It’s caused by blood being diverted closer to the skin to be cooled.
- You’ll probably be sweating heavily, which is also to help you cool.
- Heart rate continues to rise because the body will feel like it’s working harder the longer you go.
- Muscles will start to feel tight or heavy, this is simply because they need time to adapt.
What Happens To Your Body As You Continue Running
Your body will go through a comfortable cycle as you gradually get into better shape. Even though it won't feel easy at first, you'll eventually be breathing, sweating, and converting glucose to ATP smoothly.
If you are just starting to run, your body will not be as efficient and you will start to build up lactic acid faster than your body can clear it. This is when running starts to hurt because of muscle fatigue and less muscle contractions.
You need to slowly and steadily increase your activity levels to help your body improve its various functions.
Continued running will result in dozens of new benefits.
How Often Do You Need to Run For Benefits?
In order to see significant results, you must run for a minimum of 30 minutes on three separate occasions each week. It is also worth noting that running/walking intervals do qualify as running.
If you work hard and are dedicated, you will see some changes in 3 to 4 weeks and more noticeable changes in 6 weeks.
You don't need to wait very long to start reaping the benefits of running.
Some benefits of running can be experienced within 30 minutes of running, including an improved mood and relief from depression.
Now let's go over the benefits of running in more depth.
What Running Does for Your Overall Health
Now that we have seen the initial effects running has on our body, we will look at the benefits of keeping up a running routine.
#1 Improves Mental Health and Mood
The feeling runners get after a run, often called “runner's high,” is due to the release of endorphins and endocannabinoids. These are chemicals that create a sense of well-being.
Running for just 30 minutes can improve your mood and help you better deal with stress and anxiety, according to research published by the American College of Sports Medicine. 30 minutes of running was found to be enough to lift the mood of people suffering from depression.
Dopamine is a mood booster that is connected to the brain's pleasure and reward circuits, and running releases it.
No matter what running speed you maintain, the act of running itself has many psychological benefits.
#2 Helps Lower Stress
Any type of activity can help reduce stress.
In addition to the benefits of mindfulness, running can also help to clear your head and improve your mood.
The research found that going for a run is more effective than meditating when it comes to improving mood, reducing stress and cognitive function.
#3 Can Enhance Cognitive Function
Running can help boost cognitive function due to the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology in April 2017, aerobic exercise was found to improve executive functioning in people with cognitive impairments.
More blood flow and oxygen during a run means more nutrients supplied to the brain, which could lead to the formation of new brain cells.
The size of the hippocampus increases with a regular fitness program, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The hippocampus is the part of the brain involved with learning and memory.
#4 Helps Sleep Quality
Results from many studies, including one published in the European Journal of Physiotherapy, show that people who run have fewer sleep problems and feel less sleepy during the day than those who don't run.
You may sleep better if you run at a moderate effort rather than running vigorously.
Furthermore, if you run for just 30 minutes a day, you will be able to fall asleep more easily and quickly. You will feel less tired and more alert, and your productivity and energy levels will increase. You will feel better overall.
#5 Stimulates Growth Hormones
High-intensity running can help improve your performance by stimulating growth hormone production. Growth hormone helps to build stronger muscles, and thus can improve your performance in running and other activities.
If you want to get stronger and faster, you should run regularly and train properly. Running a lot will help you get faster naturally. This is why you see elite runners doing lots of easy running in their training. Doing this gives you lots of speed benefits.
#6 Improves Insulin Sensitivity
The meta-analysis in Sports Medicine showed that running can help improve the sensitivity to insulin and help fight insulin resistance.
Running significantly reduces the risk of developing type II diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity.
#7 Improves Your Cardiovascular System
When you run your heart and lungs work together to deliver oxygen-rich blood to all of your muscles, making your cardiovascular system stronger.
Being active on a regular basis is going to help improve your cardiovascular health.
#8 Reduces Risk of Heart Disease
If you run regularly, you are less likely to develop heart disease or suffer a stroke.
Running can help to lower blood pressure by improving circulation and benefit key organs such as the heart and lungs.
#9 Strengthens Your Bones
Running is a good workout for your bones because it is a weight-bearing, high-impact exercise. This means that the repetitive pounding of the pavement strengthens your bones.
Your bones becomes stronger in response to stress in order to be able to handle the repeated impact.
If you mainly run for your exercise, you may want to also lift some weights for your upper body to have a more balanced routine.
