Today’s Topic is:  5 Ways To Combine Running + Mental Health Awareness

IMO Running improves your mental health so I am posting about 5 ways that it does: (Credit: https://www.rochesterregional.org/hub/mental-health-running)

1.Running helps to reduce stress.

When you are running, your body releases certain chemicals and hormones that help with neurological resilience. Studies show running lessens your brain’s stress responses.

2.Running improves your mood.

No matter how long you may run, you are often in a better mood once you are running. One study found even 15 minutes a day can make a positive difference in your mood.

3.Running helps to lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression.

One recent study found people who took up running had a similar effect on their depression symptoms as people who took antidepressants.

4. Running improves resiliency and perseverance.

The more time you spend running, the tougher you are mentally. Going just a little bit further means convincing yourself that you can finish that distance. People who develop this mindset have a stronger sense of perseverance – a skill that carries over into other areas of their life.

5. Running promotes gratitude.

Being consciously grateful about having the ability to run carries over to other areas of life. When you may feel stressed out or struggling with other parts of your life, this mindset can put things into perspective. When you start to notice negative thoughts that creep in around home life, work life, go for a run. You realize that you can do hard things and you can manage difficult situations.

Happy Running! Has running improved your mental health? If so, how?  Please share.

It’s Friday so I’m also linking up with bloggers, Me (My First 5K and More), Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, and Runs with Pugs

So Join in!

And don’t forget to link back to your hostesses and visit some other bloggers.