The top 10 health benefits of taking up running
Looking for reasons to lace up? From a longer, healthier life span to greater mental clarity, there’s no shortage of reasons to start pounding the pavement
EVERYONE KNOWS EXERCISE packs a punch when it comes to health and wellbeing and running is perhaps the best form of preventive medicine around.
Whether you’re knocking out intervals on a track or pounding the pavement on a longer weekend hit-out, running comes with a host of evidence-backed health benefits. Read on to discover how running could supercharge your health and wellbeing.
1 Running lengthens your life and health spans
This is the big one, and perhaps the most compelling reason to start running. A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that runners have a 25 to 30 per cent lower rate of all-cause mortality than non-runners. “Any amount of running, even once a week, is better than no running,” the researchers concluded.
Another 2017 study showed that runners gain about three years of extra life.
Of course, extending your lifespan is all well and good, but it’s the corresponding increase in ‘health span’ that’s really exciting.
Researchers at Ball State University found 75-year-olds who run or cycled for most of their life had biological profiles that bore closer resemblance to 25-year-old grad students than to their 75-year-old peers who didn’t run.
A study at Stanford, meanwhile, compared local runners in their mid-50s with non-exercising Stanford community members who had the same level of medical care. Twenty-one years later, the death rate was more than 50 per cent lower among the runners, who also reached “disability scores” 11 to 16 years later than the non-runners. And the older the subjects became, the greater the advantages seen among the running cohort.
2 Running boosts your heart health
Taking up running is essentially like taking out an insurance policy for your heart. Why? Running increases your heart’s efficiency, helping you pump more blood with every beat. A more efficient heart is a tougher more resilient organ. The good news is that you don’t even need to run very far to build up your ticker’s strength. A 2015 review published by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, found runners who laced up just once or twice a week, for a total of 10 km or less, saw as many heart health benefits as marathoners.
Another study of 55,000 people, found running three times a week for just 17 minutes reduced the risk of fatal heart attack or stroke by 55 per cent.
3 Running can strengthen your bones and joints
Many people worry that running will destroy their knees but it’s a concern that’s not backed up by evidence. In fact, research shows running can strengthen your knee joint. A 2017 meta-analysis found recreational runners were actually less likely to develop knee arthritis than sedentary people (or professional/elite runners). Running may also reduce inflammation in the joint, with a 2019 study published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine of 82 marathon runners finding marathon running improved some aspects of knee health in middle-aged runners.
While some people who run do experience knee pain, this can usually be remedied by strengthening your knees and hips with exercises like step-ups, side planks and deadlifts. You can also try changing your shoes more frequently and switching up surfaces – try soft sand and trails if concrete is proving too unforgiving.
4 Running can improve your sleep
We could all use better shut-eye, right? Well, if you’re struggling with slumber, running might offer an easy fix. A 2012 study found that running for 30 minutes every weekday morning for three weeks helped participants sleep better. Specifically, the amount of time it took for people to fall asleep decreased and time spent in deep sleep lengthened. The participants also reported better mood and focus throughout the day.
5 Running can reduce your risk of cancer
While you can’t exactly run away from the Big C, you can increase your chances of evading it. A study published in the journal Cancers (Basel) found that those who exercised had a 70 per cent lower risk of developing colon cancer and an overall prostate cancer risk reduction ranging from 5 to 65 per cent.
6 Running is good for your memory
Regular running may be good for the hamster wheel in your head. A study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that those who ran 24 km per week had a 40 per cent lower risk of dying from Alzheimer’s disease than non-runners. And the fitter you are aerobically, the more grey matter you’ll retain, according to a recent study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
7 Running can boost your mental health
The phrase exercise is the best medicine, is well supported when it comes to your mental health. A 2020 review of 116 studies in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found running could be an effective way to help address many mental health challenges.
A 2023 study, meanwhile, found a running therapy program was as effective as antidepressant medication in addressing symptoms of depression, while running outperformed antidepressants on physical health.
8 Running can help you lose weight
It doesn’t have to be your primary reason to hit the pavement but as a weight-bearing exercise, running has proven to effective in shifting stubborn fat deposits. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that runners lost more weight than walkers over a six-year period. This is possibly because running produces EPOC – Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption – otherwise known as the ‘afterburn’ effect, in which your body continues to burn extra energy even after your session has ended, sometimes up to 48 hours.
But doesn’t exercise stimulate appetite? Yes, some forms of exercise can, but several studies have found high-intensity running may be the exception, reducing your appetite after a workout. Lose lose.
9 Running boosts your immunity
Can you run away from a cold? No, but regular exercise may provide a boost to your immune system. Research suggests that moderate-intensity exercise helps reduce inflammation and strengthen the immune system, which could help you keep a cold at bay. But don’t over do it. A 2015 study suggests too much high-intensity exercise may strain the body and weaken your immune system.
10 Running may improve your sex life
Saving the best till last, training for a marathon may help you add stamina in the bedroom. A 2019 University of California study found men who do more cardio exercise each week reported less erectile dysfunction. Running can also lead to more positive body image, increasing confidence in the bedroom – if you’re really feeling it, consider keeping your trainers on.
How long should I run for to see health benefits?
As we’ve established, you don’t have to run a great deal to see tangible health benefits. While government recommendations advocate for 150 minutes of physical activity each week, you could aim for two or three of these to be runs and the others to be gym, yoga or conditioning sessions.
How often should I run?
This depends on your schedule and your goals. For some, a daily run, could be a great way to start the day. Those with kids might opt for shorter 10-15-minute sessions in their lunch hour. If you’re training for a specific goal, like, say, a half marathon, you might need to add a longer run on the weekend.
If you’re running regularly, bear in mind that your muscles need time to recover. Running three times a week with a day’s rest in between could help you remain injury free.
What do I need to run safely?
If you’re running regularly, you need to find footwear that suits your feet. Get fitted at a store that specialises in this. You might also want to consider rotating your shoes according to the type of run you’re doing.
Be sure to consume plenty of fluids and replace electrolytes during or after a run. If you start experiencing aches and pains, take a break from running and if they persist, go and see a physio.
Keep reading
Why I Run: Trent Knox
Reading time 6 min read
The top 10 health benefits of taking up running
Reading time 7 min read
The best running routes in each capital city
Reading time 6 min read
10 gym moves that will make you a better runner
Reading time 8 min read
