8 Fascinating Ways Running Improves Your Mental Well-Being
Nourishing more than your physical body.
We’re all aware of the physical advantages associated with running. Your heart gets stronger, your muscles get tougher, your body becomes more resilient. And that’s just scratching the surface.
What’s less apparent is the positive effect running has on the mind. In part, we feel good because the brain releases dopamine in large quantities during exercise. We’ve known this for a while.
Running goes way deeper. It has a unique ability to calm the spirit, facilitating a clarity of mind unlike anything else. When I find the “groove”, that place beyond the pines every runner seeks, time and space seem to melt away. Mind, body and soul merge, and ecstasy is the result.
You’ll never quite understand what I mean until you experience this for yourself.
Here are 8 reasons why you should.
1. Stress disappears
“Sometimes running isn’t about health or fitness. Sometimes it’s about therapy.”
I’m not sure who to credit with this, but damn are they spot on.
Stress is part of the human experience. Always has been, going back to our days on the plains of Africa where the fight or flight response meant life or death.
While we’re no longer trying to outrun the lion, 21st century humans do an excellent job manufacturing stressors of their own design. Work. Kids. Social obligations. The list goes on.
Running takes a sledgehammer to stress and anxiety. Spending a little time on your feet is nature’s release valve.
You don’t need to run 10 miles a day or slog it out for hours on end. You need to put your body in motion, establish your pace and let autopilot do the rest. You’ll be utterly amazed at the stress-reducing power a 30 minute jog wields.
2. Decision making improves
The biggest decisions we make as kids are choosing between ice cream flavors.
Making decisions is complicated as an adult. There’s too many. And the more you make, the lower your odds of making the right choice. Decision fatigue is a real thing.
During a run, you’re making one decision: forward. All other decisions are momentarily silenced. Except for maybe changing your playlist.
If a looming decision sits heavy on your mind, try this: identify your choices before you head out. Then let your mind wander. Let your subconscious work things out as the miles tick by. When you’re done, come back to the decision and see what sticks.
This is how I decided to move back to the Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood earlier this year. Best decision I’ve made in a while.
3. Intelligence soars
According to Women’s Running expert Lindsay Kunkel:
“Long-distance runners have significantly greater functional connectivity. The various regions of the brain work together more effectively, resulting in better executive function including planning, awareness, multitasking, and learning.”
In other words, running makes you smarter.
You’ve experienced this anecdotally plenty of times. Think of the last time you ran with a friend. Remember how easily conversation came. How articulate you were. How creativity flowed like water from a faucet.
Running lights up your mind like a Christmas tree.
4. You fall in love (and become loved) easier
If you’re looking for dating’s ace in the hole, look no further.
The brain releases endorphins, home-brewed opiates, during exercise. Some of these endorphins trigger the release of sex hormones like norepinephrine, which act as mood enhancers.
Running literally puts you in the mood.
The next time you’re looking to spice things up with a significant other or attract a potential mate, go for a run. You’ve got all the makings to start a fire.
5. Depression takes a back seat
Everyone struggles with depression. If you’re like me, keeping this devil at bay is a regular grind. Running is my Excalibur, pushing back the darkness by opening my heart and mind to the beauty of our physical world.
“Its effects rival antidepressants in head-to-head studies,” says Dr. Michael Otto, PhD, of Boston University.
Some mornings I wake and darkness consumes,
In spite of the bright shining sun.
There’s no rhyme or reason, just that time of season,
The spirit becomes undone.
Fire within, sadness therein,
Rage and anguish conflate.
Fight shadows with light, push back the night,
Only then will darkness abate.
Running is the light.
Turns out writing poetry is also a fantastic way to relieve depression and anxiety. Give it a shot if you’re feeling down.
6. You’ll prevent cognitive decline
“Voluntary exercise is the single best thing someone can do to slow the cognitive decline that accompanies normal aging,” says John Hopkins professor David Linden.
My grandfather is nearly 89 years old and kicking ass like he’s 29.
Working out five days a week and playing golf on weekends isn’t enough for this man. He works full-time. He travels. He’s active socially. He wakes up at 5:30 in the morning and does more before 8:15 am than most do all day.
He’s a shining example of what a lasting commitment to fitness can bring well into the twilight of your life.
I know who I want to be when I grow up.
7. Fast-tracking dreamland
I am a completely different person when I’m sleeping well vs when I’m not. Sleep is one of most important factors in determining my mood, performance (in anything), and general well-being.
Studies show running works wonders for those struggling to sleep.
Running five to six hours before bedtime raises the body’s core temperature. When body temp drops back to normal a few hours later, it signals the body it’s time to sleep.
The good news? It doesn’t take much to achieve the desired effect. People who engage in 30 minutes of moderate running may see a difference in sleep quality that same night.
“It’s not going to take weeks or months to see a benefit,” says Charlene Gamaldo, M.D. “Folks don’t need to feel like they have to train for the Boston Marathon to become a better sleeper.”
8. You’ll discover your next big idea
Creativity is a tricky beast.
Elusive yet achievable, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when creativity will strike. Some days creativity holds me like a warm blanket. Other days I couldn’t hit water if I fell out of a boat.
Creativity finds us when we least expect it. When we’re not purposely on the prowl. It’s why you have those “eureka” moments in the shower. Your mind is elsewhere.
Running is the perfect medium in which to find inspiration. Your mind is quiet. You have singular focus. Your environment is conducive to abstract thought. Shoot, I had the idea to start writing more regularly on a run. And here I am nearly 20 months later.
Rather than wait for an exceptional to fall from the sky, go get it.
Check out my friend Hugh’s health and exercise blog! With over 50 years as a medical practitioner, Hugh’s experience and wisdom is unmatched. He’s also a super cool guy trying to help folks become the best version of themselves through exercise.
Scott Mayer is a runner, thinker, curious observer and certified personal trainer. Visit the In Fitness And In Health website for ebooks, training plans, consulting options and additional content.