6 Ways Running Can Rejuvenate Your Mind

 It has been widely seen that meditation is considered as the best key to a peaceful mind. Undoubtedly, it helps in refreshing your mind and soul. It is also beneficial in combating mental disorders like depression, hypertension, anxiety and many more.

However, you need to believe that meditation is not the only key to a healthy mind. Everyone knows that running has enormous benefits on our body. But it is also one of the most effective keys to your mental well being. It works amazingly on relieving stress, depression, boosting memory and brain power.

It is an activity which cleans and clears out the negative blockage persisting in your mind. It is a tried and tested formula by avid runners that a good run can make you feel like a brand new person in a single go.Adding running to your fitness routine can make a modest difference in your mind.

Irrespective of your age, running can actually make you feel rejuvenated from inside. Those who run regularly feel more energetic throughout the day, get better sleep at night and feel more positive about their lives.  It is known to be a really powerful remedy for many challenging mental disorders.

Let’s have a look at the below benefits of running which can make you feel refreshed:

1. Running averts comparisons

Unlike other team based sports, running is an individual activity. It involves individual effort and pursuit. When you take up running to lose weight or become fit, you set a benchmark and you keep comparing your present performance with your own previous condition. In other words, in running you compare yourself to you. Running makes you your only opponent. Hence, this particular exercise is good for gaining self- confidence.

Continuity in self comparisons makes you more confident about yourself. When you beat your own target in running, you gain more self- esteem. It also helps in making you self- motivated and determined. Self determination is another way of accomplishing better in life.

Running gives you self- esteem and confidence. These two are the most important aspects in one’s professional journey. When you reach at a stage where all you have is self- esteem and confidence, you always look for possibilities rather than problems. Running flushes out negative thoughts from your mind. It makes you feel good about yourself. You progress each day by setting new goals in running.

2. Running boosts memory

If you have a doubt that later in life you might go through Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease then running is made for you. It is a great brain activity. It enlarges that portion of your brain which controls hearing, memory, vision and learning. As it very well increases the metabolic functions of overall body, it successfully shows the boosted result in your brain first.

Running makes your brain stronger and sharper. When it increases metabolism of your brain, it starts functioning properly and boosts memory. Running teaches your brain to embrace new, positive and self motivating thoughts.Running is the best way to amplify the cognitive functions of your brain.

Cognitive functions such as thinking, reasoning and differentiating are handled by different lobes of the brain.  It also helps in improving the ability of different body parts and brain to communicate better. Hence, it helps in maintaining good coordination between brain and body.

Researchers also believe that running helps the brain in storing higher amounts of glycogen. These large stores of glycogen in brain tend to improve cognitive function.

It helps different body parts and brain to coordinate and work better. It is beneficial in boosting overall health of your brain.

3. Running cuts off stress

Stress comes with a lot of reasons. These reasons may mainly be the inappropriate work schedule or lifestyle. You may notice many symptoms of stress like severe pain in neck, back, shoulder and head. When you are under stress, you also go through insomnia, diarrhoea, stomach ache and many other problems.

All these symptoms can easily turn into harmful effects of stress when not treated with any outdoor physical activity. This can also lead to negative coordination between mind, body and soul.

The best way to overcome stress is running. It is one of the most effective activities to break the symptoms of stress. Since, running helps in making your body physically fit, it works well on body pain. It also helps the mind to combat the problem of insomnia and depression. Running is a great activity for brain which helps in relaxing brain muscles.

It regulates your sleep pattern and promotes deeper sleep for relieving stress. When you start running regularly, your body and mind become fit and coordinate well with each other.

Your mind and body are closely linked with each other. Therefore, they need an exercise which can work on both simultaneously. Running makes your body feel better which leads to a healthier and happier mind.

4. Running provides mental energy

Running is a form of relaxation in its own way. In this fast moving life, you utilize your mind 24 x 7 for performing day to day functions better. But you never think of providing energy to your mind which commands your body to act. People in today’s time, don’t leave their mind free from thinking even for a minute.

This leads to over thinking which in turn exhausts their mind badly. There is no big deal that frequent exertion of brain may lead to serious damage and memory shortage in the later years of life.

Running clears your mind from over thinking and negative thoughts. When you start running, the physical exertion in body takes away the mind from mental pressure. You start focusing more on pushing your body to accomplish your running goals.

Running is a great form of meditation as it frees your mind from your surroundings.

Running contributes well in making your mind calm and relaxed. Since, running is a physical activity, it allows you to invest energy in your body letting your mind to relax for a while.

When you give your mind some time to relax, it regains energy to perform activities better all day long. 

5. Running controls ageing of brain

This is an amazing benefit of running for those who have added running in their daily routine. Regular running keeps your brain sharp and agile. There are various studies worldwide which show running on regular basis helps in the formation of new nerve cells in your brain.

It stimulates the number of blood vessels in your brain which increases the blood flow effectively. This particular function helps in keeping your brain focused every day long.

It is a scientific fact that brain is one body part that tends to shrink in size as per your age. In such cases, a good regular run acts as a brain booster. There are several studies available on internet that say running helps in increasing the volume of your midbrain which is responsible for integrating bodily controls over vision, hearing and memory.

Moreover, running not only reduces the shrinkage process of the brain in later age but also initiates flow of some important brain chemicals. These chemicals are very much important for the healthy life of your brain. 

Running is an extremely effective exercise for brain. It not only improves the metabolism of your body but also boosts metabolism of your brain.

Keeping the brain active, sharp and focused are the most important benefits which can be enjoyed only by a regular runner throughout his life.

6. Running beats anxiety

Running is an anti- anxiety therapy. It relieves stress and boosts mental energy. Anxiety keeps developing in mind with the growth of tough decision makings in life. Constant worries and tension also make you the victim of anxiety or panic attacks.

When you start running, your brain begins building new neurons. These are very important in managing the activities of your brain.

It is believed that new and fresh cells in the brain manage your emotions very well. When emotions are managed well, mind is clear and mood is fresh, you beat anxiety unbelievably.

To rejuvenate mind better, you can also take up healthy diet with your regular running routine. Fresh and organic food helps in keeping your mood elevated all day long.

Healthy diet will also help you reduce unwanted fat from your body. This also leads to proper functioning of brain, keeping it active all day long.

“One run can change your day; many runs can change your life.”