Benefits of running for mental health
You may have started your running journey to improve your fitness levels or to make up for that extra slice of cake you had, but besides helping you maintain a physically healthy lifestyle, running helps improve your mental state too.
South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) Board Deputy Chairperson and Clinical Psychologist at Tara Hospital, Zamo Mbele, unpacks the benefits of running.
Running reduces stress
Running reduces stress and strengthens your mind’s ability to deal with psychological tension. When you become mentally stressed, your body produces cortisol, which is the primary stress hormone. However, through physical exercising like running, your body produces less cortisol in reaction to stressful situations, making running a healthy way to deal with mental stress. In therapy, running is encouraged to help with the symptoms of mental illness.
Running boosts your mood
Ever heard of ‘runner’s high’? It’s the result of your brain releasing endorphins, which reduce pain, support sleep and improve your mood. Running also increases blood circulation to your brain, which stimulates the part of your brain that responds to stress, temporarily improving your mood in stressful situations.
Running improves sleeping patterns
Sleep deprivation impacts your mental abilities and emotional state. Running will boost your body’s serotonin levels, a hormone related to the sleep-wake cycle. A boost in your serotonin levels improves your brain’s ability to metabolise serotonin and regulate sleep.
Running boosts your brainpower
Running helps form new brain cells and improves overall brain performance. It increases your heart rate, which triggers a release of noradrenaline, improving cognitive function and limiting conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and hypotension.
It also boosts levels of brain-derived proteins in your body, which helps in decision-making, critical thinking, and learning. Running teaches you to concentrate and gives you the determination to overcome obstacles and fatigue while gaining a new perspective on how to deal with problems while expanding your stamina and improving your problem-solving skills.
Running improves creativity
A single run can boost your creativity for up to two hours. Instead of staring at a blank page and waiting for innovative ideas to come to mind, put on your running shoes and step outside to rejuvenate your body and mind. Exercise also releases dopamine, which stimulates creativity. Running is also a great way to activate the right side of the brain and spark creativity.
Runnings boosts self-esteem
Running improves your body image and self-esteem. Being confident in yourself helps you stay rooted in activities that you love, and it is beneficial to your overall well-being. So, next time you find it hard to get out of bed and go for your morning run, think about all the benefits.
Nedbank, through its Nedbank’s Running Club has been involved in running for decades and throughout its partnership with SADAG aims not only to create a lasting impact in the communities its serve, but to bring South Africans together to address mental well-being with running as a catalyst.
It is time to Runify around mental health and take the first step towards a happier, healthier South Africa. To find out how to join Nedbank Runified in your city, join the Nedbank Running Club on Strava or search #NedbankRunified on social media.
If you or your loved ones are battling with mental health challenges, there is hope. Visit sadag.org for free resources to manage your mental health. SMS 31393 and a counsellor will call you back or call 0800 567 567 – available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. SADAG has a dedicated WhatsApp counselling chat line on 087 163 2030 available seven days a week, from 08:00 to 17:00.