The mental health benefits of running

While the physical benefits of running are well-established, there is plenty of evidence to suggest running can improve your mental health, too. Running has been a large part of managing my own well-being over the years, and I expect many other runners would say the same. So what are some of the mental health benefits of running?

As far back as I can remember, I've always dealt with depression and anxiety. It's just sort of something my brain does. It's also likely a major reason why I was drawn to running and fitness in general at a relatively young age. While not fully understanding why, I knew that I felt better when I was active.

But the mental health benefits of running have also been established by an impressive and ever-growing body of scientific work, which continues to strengthen the idea that running is good for both body and mind. Let's explore some of the exciting recent findings.

Reduced stress and anxiety

The idea of "blowing off steam" through exercise goes way back for one excellent reason: it works. Ever have a challenging day and feel like you just need to run? Then once you do, you feel lighter and better prepared to handle whatever stress you're dealing with? Personally, I can feel the difference in my thinking if I haven't been able to keep up with my running schedule. In fact, when my anxiety and depression noticeably worsen, my wife will usually ask me how my runs have been. What's actually going on here? Why does running benefit my mental health?

First, we need to address the obvious — running gives you a break from whatever is going on in the wider world around you and provides a quiet, mindful experience (we like to call it Runfulness). Sometimes all you need to feel better is just to separate yourself from a situation for a little while. And running is a perfect way to do that. But the amazing gift that is running doesn't stop there — much more is at work in your brain.

For a long time, common fitness knowledge said that the stress-reducing effects of a good run were the work of chemicals called endorphins, which are known to reduce pain and enhance performance in muscles. That's an important distinction. According to David Linden, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, those endorphins likely aren't the cause of this particular mental benefit of running, since they can't actually cross the blood-brain barrier. This means they probably have little-to-no impact on what's going on in your head. Instead, Linden suggests that endocannabinoids — a group of neurotransmitters that travel in and around the brain — really deserve the credit for improving mental health.

Once they get into the brain, endocannabinoids have the incredible ability to reduce feelings of anxiety and encourage calm. As you likely guessed, endocannabinoids are produced in higher-than-normal concentrations during your runs. While you're out running, these lovely little chemicals are actively working to soothe your stress and keep you calm.