Mental health is described as a well-being state in which people know about their skills, are ready to manage with daily stress, work fruitfully, and apply these skills into their society. With this in mind, there are certain practices and skills to maintain optimal mental health at each and every stage of our lives. There are various ways to take care of your mental health such as going for a walk, hiking, watching a good movie, getting yourself a special treat like your favorite chocolate or searching for some event tickets and treating yourself with an amazing music festival experience.
Sports are good for your health and that’s a well-known fact already. Actually, there are more than proven benefits for the state of health of the body and the prevention of many pathologies. More recent research has also encouraged the need for physical exercise in psychiatric conditions, psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments and for effective treatments.
Anyone who has done any type of exercise will have noticed the pleasurable sensation that occurs after exercise. The discharge of endorphins, natural substances which cause the sense of well-being and the discharge of muscle stress is connected with it. Nevertheless, in addition to these immediate effects, recent studies show the importance of regular exercise. It improves first of all attention, concentration and memory so that it can be of assistance in conditions of tiredness and exhaustion in all ages.
Why Running Is One of The Best Sports For Your Body, And Also For Your Mind?
There are immediate benefits, in the form of improved mood and euphoria immediately after training, and long-term benefits, in the form of a permanent reduction in a negative mood. Scientists have called this ability of an individual to insulate and protect themselves from the stresses of life through regular exercise a “stress vaccine”.
By running, we improve: emotional stability, self-esteem, work efficiency, mood, sexual satisfaction, self-control, perception, popularity, assertiveness, positive self-perception, internal locus of control, independence, general intellectual functioning, memory, and of course, it can help you lose weight.
Unlike team-based sports, running is a very individual and independent activity. The runner pursues, above all, to surpass oneself, to achieve better times, progressive challenges. It is an exercise in concentration, personal growth and development of self-esteem, without comparing oneself with others in a negative way.
Running, according to some, is a form of liberation. The mind at least interprets it that way, because for this fascinating organ that is a product of our evolution and that lives enclosed between the bones of our skull, movement is life. Every time we go for a run, it rewards us with neurotransmitters like endorphins. This cocktail of well-being ends up generating remarkable changes in our organism and in our brain if we practice it on a regular basis.
Running is an aerobic, cardiovascular and respiratory sport, which directly and positively impacts the circulatory system and oxygen reaches all cells, including the brain, ever more easily. And an increasing discharge of endorphins is one of the consequences. The body, however, is taught to handle stress regularly. In fact, it perceives physical exertion as a stressful situation, because it increases the heart rate and accelerates breathing.
However in this particular instance, the stress lasts and in a short time, the body is accustomed to small doses of limited duration stress, which is used to relieve serotonin and to reduce the tension it builds up during the days by the action of this neurotransmitter.
This combats mental and emotional stress with small doses of physical stress, which improves mental health. Running also initiates a type of therapy to improve self-esteem, as the goals leading to regular practice are achieved and new ones are given way. It should not be forgotten that the final reward is good health, since physical exercise leads to a more efficient immune system, which implies a lower risk of suffering infections, and, if applicable, allows reducing and controlling cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes or obesity.
Conclusion
We live in a world full of rush and no time for reflection, running becomes a kind of meditation for many practitioners. Running is an exercise with a highly addictive power. Many people start out detesting it and end up getting hooked and participating in as many races as they can.
There are no negative side-effects, except for some inflamed muscles, when running works to protect against stress. Sounds great, doesn’t it? This is particularly important because stress disrupts the body’s natural homeostasis and can lead to a number of severe diseases if it becomes chronic.
The key to endurance is to go slowly, never beyond what the body can handle. With all the mental health benefits of running, the big advantage is that all you need is a pair of running shoes and willpower. It can be done in any space and at any time – run with your heart and your legs will follow!
