Health Benefits of Running you might not know about

Health Benefits of Running you might not know about

Here at The Running Bee Foundation we’re well aware of the health benefits of running. And now that the government seems to be doubling-down on the war against obesity (in response to the war against COVID-19) we’re glad to see so many new members of the running community lace up their running shoes and heading out to get their daily fix of exercise. In their local area, on country roads, even over hills. It doesn’t matter. The point is that more and more people are choosing to make positive changes for their lifestyle everyday, and we think that’s brilliant.

But while there are many positive health benefits of running that you’ll surely be aware of – weight loss, reduced risk of heart disease, reduced risk of stroke etc – running is such a beneficial activity that there are also several health benefits of running that aren’t overly shared in the media, leaving many people unaware of just how impactful running can truly be for our health.

With this in mind, here are just a few health benefits of running you might not know about:

Skin care

Definitely one of the health benefits of running most people are unaware of, but running has indeed been shown in several studies to reduce the flare ups of unwanted skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Why this happens may be less to do with the actual motion of running itself and more to do with the calming effect running can have on our minds; Many skin conditions have been linked to levels of stress which can be reduced through regular exercise, like running. It might not be a traditional method of skin care, but it’s worth a shot!

Liver

Despite so many reports in the media about this organ being linked solely to issues related to alcohol abuse, the liver is actually one of the parts of the body that suffers most with fatty deposits if a person is overweight, obese or simply leads an unhealthy lifestyle.

Too many of these fatty deposits can begin to limit the liver’s function, which in turn can lead to catastrophic health problems, not just drinking-related ones. These fatty deposits can be seriously reduced by running to keep ourselves and our bodies healthy. 

Lungs

While many people associate running with the amount of work we constantly put our legs through in the process, they often overlook the fact that our lungs are working tirelessly to keep us going during our runs too.

Regular bouts of running allows our lungs to adjust to a greater lung capacity and thus aids with the intake and delivery of essential oxygen throughout our organs and our muscles. This increase in oxygen is what makes us feel like we can push ourselves further as we continue throughout training, leading to a massive boost in stamina. But, as you’ll know, a greater intake of oxygen isn’t just good for running, it’s great for our overall health.

Eyes

Believe it or not, yes even our eyes can benefit from a regular running schedule! Studies have shown those suffering from glaucoma and other similarly nasty eye issues can have their symptoms reduced by up to twenty five percent by taking up running. 

Especially in the case of glaucoma, it is understood that much of the pressure that is built behind the eye due to the condition can be eased by running, possibly due to better blood flow to the area.

Add to this the fact that running in the great outdoors restrains the time your eyes can spend glued to your electronic devices (phone, television etc) and there’s no doubt running will, at the very least, give your eyes a much-deserved break.

Mental Health

Of course, while the physical benefits of running are virtually limitless, we shouldn’t allow all the benefits it offers our mental health to be forgotten.

When it comes to our mental health, exercise like running has been shown to help alleviate everything from anxiety to depression and beyond, likely due to the rush of positive endorphins our brain experiences during exercise.

At The Running Bee Foundation, we’re always looking for ways to help our communities #BeeActiveBeeHealthyBeeHappy, which is why we’re dedicated to hosting some fantastic running events, both physical and virtual!

If you’d like to check out what we have to offer, head over to our events page here.