If you’ve been inspired to start running, that’s a good thing – provided you do it with care.
The running bug has well and truly bitten Singaporeans of all ages, if the rise of running apps and running interest groups is anything to go by. Here’s why running is great for you:
IMPROVES YOUR GENERAL HEALTH
Running strengthens the heart and keeps the blood and oxygen flowing strongly throughout the body. This nourishes your organs, strengthens your immune system, reduces risk of a heart attack and helps keep cholesterol in check. It also helps you lose weight, provided you burn more calories than you consume.
HELPS PROTECT AGAINST CANCER
A Finnish study of more than 2,500 middle-aged men over the span of 17 years revealed that those who were physically active were less likely to develop cancer, and those who ran (or did similarly intensive exercise) for 30 minutes a day were the most protected, with a 50% reduction in the risk of dying prematurely from cancer.
HELPS YOU HEAR BETTER
Running increases blood flow to your ears, which results in improved hearing. This is found from research that revealed that women with better cardiorespiratory fitness had better hearing at different frequencies. Those with higher aerobic fitness were 6% more likely to have good hearing.
INCREASES YOUR ENERGY
Running actually boosts energy levels, especially when you are feeling sluggish or tired. Combine this with a healthy diet and feel your energy levels rise.
HELPS YOU THINK MORE CLEARLY
It has recently been discovered that the same bodily process that helps fuel the body also impacts memory and learning. A protein called estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) controls the release of energy to the muscles and the brain. When more are released, the heart, muscles and neurons get a surge of energy to perform optimally.
MAKES YOU HAPPY AND RELIEVES STRESS
It has been found that aerobic exercises like jogging rids the blood of kynurenine, a substance that accumulates during stressful times and is believed to be linked to depression. Exercise also released the mood-improving hormone, serotonin.
LETS YOU EXPLORE
It leads you to new areas in your neighbourhood or country, and allows you access to places you can’t reach from a car or bike. This also means experiencing new sensations, taking in new and different landscapes and even meeting new people!
