Don’t have the motivation to get up from the couch and go for a run today? We get it. We’ve all had days when we want to do nothing but lie in bed, but nothing good ever comes out being inactive for long periods of time.
So, if you’re lacking the motivation to lace up your running shoes and get moving – here are 8 reasons to hit the outdoors right now.
According to research, people who run regularly show signs of lower heart disease and cancer risk.
Running Adds Years to Your Life
Okay, you never achieve immortality by running, but just 10 minutes of this heart-pumping physical activity every day could add up to 3 years to your life, according to researcher Duck-chul Lee.
In 2014, Lee conducted a research which proved that regular runners were in much better health than their non-running counterparts. Moreover, they also showed signs of decreased heart disease and cancer risks.
Running Decreases Risk of Injury
Once you enter your 30s, your bones start losing their density and become weaker, but the problem can be avoided early on in life by developing a habit of running every day, which strengthens your bones and lowers the risk of osteoporosis in old age.
Physician Cathy Feiseler says that running is one of the best health investments you can make to live an injury-free life. The exercise is especially beneficial for women who tend to suffer from a broken hip or sprained back once they’re in their 60’s or 70’s. Getting in the habit of running every day strengthens your bones and lowers the risk of osteoporosis in old age.
Running Helps with Balance
Well, you can’t expect running to improve your balance the same way as yoga does but it does help with stability to some extent which can be helpful in old age when the risk of falling and suffering from an injury is high.
Feiseler says that she often gets patients in their 60’s or 70’s who injure themselves due to clumsiness and imbalance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the number 1 cause of injury is old folks in slipping or falling which can wind them up in a nursing home for the rest of their lives.
Running Preserves Muscle and Metabolism
If you’re not in your 30’s or 40’s yet, its crucial that you start building muscle now because your metabolism, stamina, and flexibility will decrease as you age.
This is not to say that running will stop the signs of aging, but it will definitely slow them down and allow you to enjoy your youth for longer. Building muscle won’t just keep you self-sufficient, but it will also burn more calories and insure that your metabolism stays strong.
Running Helps You Socialize
Running is a great excuse to get all your pals together and exchange the latest gossip from work. Working out with friends isn’t just good for socializing but it also motivates you to stay on track of your fitness goals.
Almost 6 million people in America have Alzheimer’s, according to 2018 statistics, with almost 95 per cent of the sufferers being over the age of 65.
Running Fuels Your Brain
Almost 6 million people in America have Alzheimer’s, according to 2018 statistics, with almost 95 per cent of the sufferers being over the age of 65. According to the estimation by Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, this number is expected to triple by 2050 – although, you can take a number of preventive measures now to reduce your risk of dementia later.
According to doctors, running is the best physical exercise to enhance your mental performance. A study conducted on older women in 2014 concluded that those who ran consistently had a bigger hippocampus than their counterparts. Hippocampus is one of the most crucial parts of your brain which controls memory – it is also the first area to be affect by Alzheimer’s disease.
It Helps with Insomnia
As people grow older, they tend to have more trouble falling and staying asleep. Neurologist, Kelly Glazer, says that sleep can easily be restored in old age through physical and mental exercises.
In 2013, she discovered through a research that people who did low intensity cardio, such as running and walking, at least three times a week, were more likely to get better sleep at night and lowered their risk of developing insomnia.
