Is Running A Mile A Day Good? 7 Benefits
We’ve all heard the saying “A mile a day keeps the doctor away.” But does running a mile a day really help us live longer?
In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of running a mile a day and find out whether it’s really worth it.
Running A Mile A Day Is An Easy Way To Be More Active
The key to living a HEALTHY lifestyle is to be more ACTIVE in your daily life.
Eating healthier and cutting out processed, fatty food is a great start to becoming a healthier person, but exercise is extremely important in looking after your mind and your body.
Suppose you are not someone who exercises REGULARLY. In that case, running is a great way to introduce your body to regular exercise that will significantly improve your health.
Regular exercise means working out between 3-5 times a week.
That may seem like a lot for some people.
Why Should You Run a Mile Every Day?
If you have a busy schedule or other commitments, spending hours a day in a gym will not fit into your daily routine. The chances are, you probably won’t enjoy it.
So, do you need regular exercise that fits into a busy schedule? The answer is simple: RUNNING.
Running can be beneficial if you have a busy schedule at work. You can clear your head and get some fresh air.
Running a mile a day may sound daunting, but it can take as little as 15 minutes for you to run a mile, which would fit nicely into your daily routine.
The question is, is running a mile a day good for you?
You are normally supposed to have breaks in between exercises, but we have all of the information for you here about what happens to your body when running a mile a day.
1. Improved Stamina
If you are not used to running, your stamina, according to HealthDigest, will greatly improve if you run a mile a day.
The more you practice running this distance daily, the more accustomed your body will become to taking in oxygen and transporting it around the body.
By improving your stamina, you will greatly be improving your heart and lung function, and this can be done for as little as 15 minutes a day.
2. Your Muscles Will Become Stronger
You won’t get huge muscles solely from running, but your muscles will become STRONGER as they will be challenged.
As running relies on strength from your lower body, your hamstrings, quads, and glutes will become stronger and develop over time.
When your body starts to repair itself after exercise, your muscles will repair themselves stronger than before.
This will allow you to be able to run faster and for longer over time.
3. Improve Your Mood And Your Sleep
During exercise, your body produces serotonin and endorphins, which make you happier, and exercise has been shown to lower stress and anxiety levels.
Running can release a chemical called endocannabinoids into your bloodstream, which allows your body to experience calmness.
Good quality sleep is vital in improving your brain function and also in helping to improve your mood,
Regular running releases brain chemicals that help you fall into a deeper sleep, and exercise tires you out so that you are prepared for a night of deep sleep.
4. Your Heart Will Become Stronger
As your heart is a muscle, the more exercise you do, the healthier you will be.
By consistently running, you will be able to pump blood more efficiently around the body, which means that oxygen will be carried around your body.
By consistently running a mile every day, your heart will become stronger, and eventually, you will have a lower resting heart rate and higher oxygen consumption.
Your body will be able to adapt to your everyday running and your heart will most certainly feel the benefits.
5. Lose Weight
Keeping healthy means reducing your risk of diseases. Decreasing your body fat will help prevent your body from diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
By reducing your body fat, there will be less pressure on your joints and less chance that your mobility will be negatively impacted.
Looking after your physical health is just as important as looking after your internal health.
6. Stronger Bones
By running a mile every day, your bones will become stronger as running slows down the loss of bone minerals.
This means that as you get older, your bone density won’t decrease as quickly.
Performing quick movements is good for your bones as it puts stress on them, which, like muscles, helps them to become stronger.
It is important not to overdo high-impact exercise for your bone health, but running a mile a day is a great way to support bone strength.
7. Improved Lung Function
Your heart and lungs need to provide your body with oxygen so that you can remain healthy.
Improving your lung function will help to provide your heart with oxygen that can then be carried around the body.
The stronger your lungs are, the less likely you will feel out of breath after a workout, so improving the function of your lungs will help you feel healthier and allow you to begin to run further.
The Bottom Line
There are lots of benefits to running a mile every day as you are able to look after your internal health, your physical health, and your mental health.
Running a mile a day is a quick way to get exercise into your schedule as it can take around 15 minutes, sometimes less, to run a mile.
Starting with only one mile a day will allow you to gradually increase your running distance, so your next step will be to run two miles.
