Running is a very popular type of exercise and with cause. Running is not only one of the most accessible kinds of exercise, but it also requires little equipment and is very cheap.
Running is also convenient and provides several benefits to both your physical and emotional health. You can enhance your cardiovascular health, muscular mass, bone density, self-esteem, and mood.
With all of these advantages and more, it seems natural to desire to run every day to reap the benefits of the activity. But is that the best option for you? The science behind what happens to your body when you run every day is broken down here so you can determine what’s best for you.
The Advantages of Running Every Day
Running is a full-body workout that helps you from head to toe. Here are some of the advantages of running on a regular basis—even every day.
The Physical and Mental Advantages of Daily Running
Excellent for cardiovascular health.
Muscle and strength are increased.
Running performance may increase.
Bone density may be improved.
Aids in weight management
Stress and anxiety are reduced.
Improves your attitude, self-esteem, and confidence.
Physical Advantages
Running is one of the most efficient and convenient cardio activities for heart health. When you run, your heart rate increases as you try to provide more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your busy muscles. Your heart and lungs over time become stronger, allowing more blood to be pumped more efficiently with each beat.
As your cardiovascular health improves, you may find yourself running faster and more effectively and maybe feeling less breathless than when you first started. Running, in fact, has been shown to enhance cardiovascular health and lower death rates.
Running also helps to improve cardiometabolic parameters such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Running has been shown in studies to lower blood pressure and increase HDL cholesterol (or “good” cholesterol), contributing to a reduction in chronic illness.
Running is also a great muscle-building workout since it works so many different muscle parts, starting from your core to your upper and lower body. Running can help develop muscle, boost strength and endurance, and provide enough calories and protein to support your level of exercise. In reality, specific muscles in your core and hips are stabilizers, and strengthening those muscles helps to reduce injury risk and increase running performance.
Running may be a beneficial addition to your lifestyle if you want to lose weight. While weight reduction is a complicated process, it is well-recognized that increased energy expenditure is one driver. Running is an efficient technique to burn calories; thus, when paired with a lower calorie intake, it may result in weight reduction or maintenance.
Running is beneficial to your bones as well. This high-impact action stresses your bones, causing them to deposit more minerals and become stronger. Running also boosts the creation of parathyroid hormone and calcitriol, both of which encourage the body’s manufacture of bone cells.
Running has been shown in studies to boost bone mineral content in young athletes. Long-distance running also improves bone mineral density as you become older. According to one study, bone mineral density was preserved in older long-distance runners.
Advantages of Mental Health
Running is not only excellent for your physical health, but it also has several mental health advantages. Getting outside to run is an excellent technique to reduce tension and anxiety. According to one research, antidepressant medication and running therapy are both effective therapies for many patients suffering from depression and anxiety problems.
Running can also improve your attitude, self-esteem, and confidence. Furthermore, many people experience runner’s high, which is induced by the brain producing beta-endorphins, which are known to be a major mediator in hippocampus neurogenesis. This provides that post-run high and benefits to general brain health by enhancing memory and cognitive functions.
Running is also a goal-oriented activity, and it feels wonderful to achieve a goal, try something new, or do something we didn’t believe was possible. This increases your self-confidence, pride, and productivity.
The Dangers of Running Every Day
There are hazards in everything we do, including running every day. The activity is high-impact and taxing on your body, and like everything else, too much of it may be harmful.
Of course, muscular stiffness, weariness, and joint discomfort are all common side effects of running, especially if you are just starting out or increasing your activity levels. You may experience an increase in your risk of harm as time passes. And you might not be experiencing it psychologically on certain days. As a result, you may experience a loss of motivation, sometimes known as burnout.
But, hey, they are just setbacks that you can overcome if you so want. Staying optimistic about what you’re doing, pacing yourself, resting and being nice to yourself, and determining and adhering to your ultimate goal are all strategies to overcome the hurdles of running on a regular basis. Here are some extra suggestions that may be useful in specific instances.
Physical Dangers
Many runners suffer from overuse injuries as a result of running too many miles each week or increasing their distance too soon. Shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendinitis are all examples of overuse injuries.
New runners, or athletes returning to the field after a break, can do too much too soon. Therefore, it is always best to start carefully and gradually build up distance.
Furthermore, jogging might cause muscular discomfort and exhaustion the next day. While jogging on painful muscles is OK if it doesn’t influence your movement or form, it might lead to injury if it causes you to compensate or disrupt your natural running form.
Remember that rest is necessary for muscle repair and development. When muscles relax, fibroblasts have the opportunity to mend minute breaks in muscle tissue, resulting in stronger muscles.
Furthermore, all that hammering on your body over time may cause joint discomfort. Even though jogging isn’t intrinsically harmful for your joints—especially when they adapt to the load you put on them and get stronger as a consequence of muscle imbalances, faults in form, or genetics—it may commonly result in knee, hip, ankle, or foot discomfort as a result of muscle imbalances, flaws in form, or genetics. Changing the surface you run on, as well as the sorts of exercise you undertake, can assist in reducing joint discomfort and inflammation and keep you going for longer.
Mental Dangers
Running is beneficial to your mental health, but too much running might have negative consequences. Running every day, especially if you follow a strict training plan or focus on a specific goal, can lead to mental burnout and exhaustion.
Getting out for a run may begin to feel more like a chore than an enjoyable pastime. Low motivation, slower speeds, and heavy legs are all possible symptoms. Furthermore, feeling compelled to run every day can lead to obsessive-compulsive behaviors and even exercise addiction. According to research, the “runner’s high” can lead to exercise addiction because people become reward-seeking as well as looking for stress and anxiety alleviation.
Excessive running can also have a detrimental influence on body image and self-esteem. Overexercising and exercise addiction have been related to eating problems and body dissatisfaction. According to one study, those who are unhappy with their bodies have a higher level of addiction to exercise. Running every day might also lead to social isolation since you may miss out on social gatherings in order to run.
Tips for Incorporating Daily Running into Your Fitness Routine Safely
There are several safe and healthy strategies to include regular and consistent jogging into your workout regimen. Begin softly, gradually increasing miles and effort. To achieve this aim, many runners follow the ten percent rule, which states that you should not increase your weekly distance by more than 10% every week.
For example, if you run 10 miles one week, you shouldn’t exceed 13 to 15 miles the next week. You should also vary the sorts of runs you perform. Some runs might be short and slow recovery runs, others can be tempo or interval runs, while others can be lengthy runs.
Strength and cross-training should be included.
Cross-training and strength training are both key components of every runner’s arsenal. Consider including riding, swimming, or yoga in your workout routine.
You may improve your running performance and avoid injury by focusing on muscle strengthening in important running muscle groups such as glutes, hamstrings, and core. Incorporating strength training or cross-training days also provides your body with a respite from high-impact activity and helps your joints, tendons, and ligaments to heal.
Rest should be prioritized.
Rest days are also crucial. Pay attention to your body to determine when you require one. If you’re feeling very tired or hurting one day, it might be time to take a day off. Listening to your body can also help you avoid mental exhaustion and injuries before they happen.
Your Body Must Be Fueled and Hydrated
Hydration is something that is commonly forgotten when running. Hydration is essential for avoiding weariness, nausea, and muscular cramps. If you don’t restore lost fluids and exercise every day, it might lead to catastrophic complications such as heat exhaustion.
Remember that proper nourishment and hydration are required to keep your body running. When you provide your body with adequate calories, protein, carbs, and fat, as well as water and electrolytes, it will mend more quickly.
Use the Proper Equipment
While running does not require much equipment, having the correct gear is essential. Wear comfortable shoes that fit your gait and provide adequate support.
Purchase new shoes when the soles have worn out, or you no longer feel the support. Dress for the weather to avoid becoming overly hot or cold. Wear bright colors and check for well-lit pathways if you’re jogging at night.
The Last 2 Cents
Running takes little equipment and can be done practically anywhere. You don’t even need to join a gym. All you need is a nice pair of running shoes, and you’re ready to go for a run. There are several sites for runners to explore for free, ranging from city sidewalks to forest paths. If you travel frequently, it’s simple to pack your running shoes and exercise while on the road.
Including jogging as part of your workout program may provide you with several mental and physical benefits. You do not, however, have to run every day of the week to gain the benefits. Instead, combine strength training and cross-training to reduce the chance of injury and fatigue. Also, make rest days a priority and take it easy when anything aches, or you’re simply not feeling it. It’s all right. Being fair to oneself entails resting or taking a break. Finally, if you plan on running everyday, it would be in your favor to have a talk with a healthcare practitioner to confirm that it is safe and benefical for you.
