It can feel like such a drag when the alarm goes off and it’s time to lace up and go for a run. But everyone who knows this feeling also knows that the moment you leave your front gate and start gliding down the street, your body takes over and it begins to feel amazing. So why is this? What is it about running that lifts your mood? Here are four reasons why:
It helps with mental clarity
One of the biggest draw cards of running is that its benefits have a neurochemical basis. By increasing your heart rate while you run, noradrenaline is released which automatically improves your cognitive function. It also helps release endorphins which are known to reduce pain, improve your mood and produce the ‘runner’s high’. Running is also known to trigger sharp thinking and quieten stress and anxiety in the mind.
It helps you sleep
As well as making you feel good, endorphins also support healthy and wholesome sleep. Exercise has been proven to increase sleep quality in adults, as well as reducing sleep onset.
Running gives you ‘you-time’
It’s a busy world, and finding space in your day to day life for fitness can be a mission. One of the best parts about running is that it hits two birds with one stone: you’re engaging in an effective workout and getting you-time all at once! Making the space to be by yourself and clear your mind is the perfect mood-booster!
Reap the benefits of nature
With many of us working indoor or sedentary jobs, it can be so difficult to find the time to get outside into nature. So why not pair it with a run? Light, fresh air and nature have been proven to lift moods, and Vitamin D can stop many different ailments in their tracks (including depression, diabetes, osteoporosis and more).