Running can help reduce stress, improve your heart health, sleep better and much more. 

It is time to lace up your running shoes and hit the road, track, treadmill, or trail.

You don’t need to be a marathon runner to enjoy the health benefits of running. Even running for 20 minutes daily will get your heart pumping and give your muscles a good workout.  

From improving the health of your heart and lungs and reducing your risk of various diseases to improving your mood and self-confidence, there are benefits of running that appeal to almost anyone.

Here are some of the best benefits to running …

#1: Running Improves Cardiovascular Health

If you’ve ever run to catch a subway, child, or your dog, and felt breathless immediately afterward, it probably comes as no surprise that running works your cardiovascular system. Your heart rate increases as you run to pump more blood (and thus oxygen and nutrients) to your working muscles.

Over time, with consistent running, your heart and lungs adapt. Your heart becomes stronger, enabling it to pump a greater volume of blood per beat, and your lungs become more powerful and capable of taking in more air per breath. As your cardiovascular efficiency improves, you’re able to run faster with less effort.

#2: Running Builds Muscular Strength

At some point, most of us have walked behind a runner and envied their muscular, defined calves. As long as you are properly fueling your body with enough calories and protein to support your training, running can help build muscle and increase strength. As a total-body workout, running strengthens your legs, core, and upper body.

#3: Running Burns Calories

Running is a metabolically demanding exercise and burns a lot of calories. In fact, running is one of the most efficient types of exercise when it comes to the number of calories burned per minute, so if fat loss or weight loss is your goal, running can contribute to creating the calorie deficit you need to burn fat.

#4: Running Improves Markers of Health

Consistent running can lower blood pressure and resting heart rate, improve blood sugar control, lower triglycerides, and lower cholesterol. It can also reduce waist circumference and body fat percentage. Improving these markers of health can reduce disease risk and help you feel healthier overall.

#5: Running helps you sleep better.

Getting outside and pounding the pavement or trail is a great way to diffuse stress and tension. Running can lower the stress hormone, cortisol, which helps you feel more relaxed and gives you a better night’s sleep.

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*MOVATI’s trainers and/or consultants are not health care providers, and do not provide any medical diagnosis, treatment or advice, and any trainer and/or consultant tips are not intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.